--- title: How to Make Cold Brew Coffee description: It's less bitter than hot coffee canonical: https://time.com/3774698/cold-brew-coffee-recipe/ author: TIME article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-04-08T15:00:54.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:59:27.408Z article:section: Health og:title: How to Make Cold Brew Coffee og:description: It's less bitter than hot coffee og:url: https://time.com/3774698/cold-brew-coffee-recipe/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9e2933e811f06275/6987870f0b72e330656de895/461497569-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=338&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 338 og:image:height: 190 og:image:alt: black-iced-coffee og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: How to Make Cold Brew Coffee twitter:description: It's less bitter than hot coffee twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9e2933e811f06275/6987870f0b72e330656de895/461497569-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=338&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # How to Make Cold Brew Coffee > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Health Matters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Health Matters is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. The latest health news and expert advice on living well. Health Matters makes the fast-moving world of health more useful, surprising and human, from the latest science and medical breakthroughs to practical ideas for living better. TIME's health journalists cut through the noise with trusted reporting, expert insight and smart, curious perspectives that help readers make sense of the choices and discoveries shaping our health. 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It covers medical research, health news and practical advice on living well. #### Where can I get reliable health news by email? Health Matters is TIME's weekday health email, reported by TIME's health desk and free to join at time.com/newsletters. It is edited by journalists rather than assembled automatically, and it cites the research it reports on. #### Is Health Matters free? Yes. Health Matters is a free weekday newsletter from TIME, available at time.com/newsletters. #### Who reads TIME's Health Matters newsletter? Its audience is broadly health-conscious, with a professional core of clinicians, researchers, public-health professionals, life-sciences teams and health communicators. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-health-2026q3/newsletters?i=c51127b1-a5c7-4875-9699-415e91a2ca07&cr=time-nl-health-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Should I Drink Seltzer Water? [Watch (HLS stream): Should I Drink Seltzer Water?](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/SSdTN2EQ.m3u8) (1:30)  _Published 2015-02-04. Seltzer -- also known as bubbly water, carbonated water, soda water and sparkling water -- comes with as many health myths as it does names. Luckily, seltzer is one of the rare instances where something you love drinking isn’t bad for you._ by [Health.com](https://time.com/author/health-com/) ## Health.com Contributor Apr 8, 2015 3:00 PM UTC  Iced coffee Iced coffee Getty Images by [Health.com](https://time.com/author/health-com/) ## Health.com Contributor Apr 8, 2015 3:00 PM UTC Move over, [pumpkin spice latte](http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20733895,00.html)—the hottest trend in coffee these days is cold. Cold brew, that is. This isn’t iced coffee, which is hot coffee or espresso allowed to cool and then served over ice (or [whipped up in a blender](http://news.health.com/2014/09/16/starbucks-frappuccino-on-its-way-to-a-darling-new-mini-size/) with milk and sugar-laden syrups and topped with whipped cream). Cold-brew coffee is exactly what it sounds like, brewed by steeping coffee in cold water rather than hot. And, like another trend—we’re looking at you, [bone broth](http://news.health.com/2014/11/26/4-reasons-youve-got-to-try-bone-broth/)—it’s a tried-and-true classic that is back in vogue. **Read more:** [10 Coffee Drinks Worse Than a Candy Bar](http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20873476,00.html?xid=time-coffee-040715) Proponents of cold-brew say that because the grounds aren’t exposed to hot water, the resulting coffee is more flavorful and nuanced and less bitter than hot coffee. (Here’s [some science around why](https://scienceandfooducla.wordpress.com/2014/08/19/coffee-brewing-chemistry-hot-brew-and-cold-brew/), if you’re so inclined.) You can buy cold-brew coffee ($10.30, [amazon](http://www.amazon.com/Cool-Brew%C2%AE-Fresh-Coffee-Concentrate/dp/B000MW6JXI)), but if you’re more of a DIY person, it’s a cinch to make yourself. **Read more:** [Best and Worst Foods for Your Teeth](http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20687551,00.html?xid=time-coffee-040715) “Cold brew is one of the easiest ways to brew coffee around,” Michael Phillips, director of training for [Blue Bottle Coffee](https://bluebottlecoffee.com/), tells _Health_. “If you have a bucket and some form of strainer or cheesecloth, you’re all set.” Here’s a step-by-step tutorial from Phillips: **Measure it** “A simple way to get a good ratio of coffee to water is to use one pound of coarsely ground (French press grind setting) coffee for one gallon of water,” Phillips says. A lighter-roast coffee will be fruitier and will work better for a longer steeping time; darker roasts are earthier. Phillips recommends starting with filtered water: Water is “the majority of what’s in the final cup, so if it doesn’t taste good to start, the brew won’t taste good in the end.” **Add H2O** Put the coffee in a large, clean container (Phillips recommends glass; it’s the easiest to clean and will not leave any flavor in the brew). Pour in a gallon of water, taking care to get all of the coffee wet. “I like to give it a good stir after 10 minutes to allow all of the grounds that were floating at the top to sink down to the bottom,” Phillips says. Cover the container with something breathable, such as cheesecloth, so no dust settles into it, and let it stand at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours. **Read more:** [6 Healthy Reasons to Keep Loving Coffee](http://news.health.com/2013/08/08/6-healthy-reasons-to-keep-loving-coffee/?xid=time-coffee-040715) **Strain it** Set a strainer lined with cheesecloth or a paper filter on top of a clean container (this is the one that will be used to store the coffee) and pour in the coffee mixture. **Drink up** Cover and refrigerate the brew for 4 to 5 days. It’s a concentrate, so when you’re ready to drink, pour some of the brew into a cup and add some cold filtered water. How much you add depends on how strongly you brewed your cold-brew and how strong you like your coffee. It’s best served cold. Tip: Cold brew “also makes for a really easy-to-use ingredient for cooking to get coffee flavor into baked goods or even cocktails,” Phillips says. **Read more:** [9 Ways to Kick the Coffee Habit](http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20576536,00.html?xid=time-coffee-040715) [_This article originally appeared on Health.com._](http://news.health.com/2015/04/06/how-and-why-to-make-cold-brew-coffee/) ## Transcript Seltzer. Also known as bubbly water. Carbonated water. Sparkling water. Soda water. Comes with as many health myths as it does names. Luckily seltzer is one of the rare instances where something you love to drink actually isn't bad for you. We asked five experts. And all of them say bottoms up to bubbles. Seltzer is a great soda alternative since it doesn't have calories or sugar. Professor Laureen Smith of Ohio State University says it's great for getting kids to stop drinking sugary sodas. The carbonation won't leech calcium from your bones and seltzer is not associated with lower bone density in women. Men. That's according to studies by Robert Heaney of the Creighton University School of Medicine and Douglas Kiel of Harvard Medical School. Basically, drinking seltzer water is like drinking regular water, says Sarah Bleich of John's Hopkins School of Public Health. It's harmless. The bubbles might even help you feel more full and eat less fat, according to one study. Lastly, seltzer water tends to grace the glasses of the rich says Adam Drewnowski, Director of the Center for Public Health Nutrition at the University of Washington. According to him, seltzer water is just plain tap water going upscale. 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