What's the best coffee for cold brew?

Here's How To Choose the Best Coffee To Make Cold Brew Recipes

When it's 90+ degrees outside and you're looking for a cool, caffeinated jolt, cold brew is the way to go. Cold brew is known for being low in acidity with a bold, strong flavor compared to iced coffee, and its brewing method helps bring out coffee's flavor notes. 

But as we know, not all coffee beans are created equal. So what’s the best coffee to use for cold brew?

There are a lot of factors that go into a good cold brew, including grind size, temperature and the type of coffee you use. So let’s get started.

What's the best coffee roast to use for cold brew? 

The best coffee for cold brew is a strong, dark roast that can give you a bold, smooth flavor. Cold brewing with lighter roasts require more extraction time, and the resulting flavor isn’t as strong as some people expect. Dark roasts, however, tend to have richer flavor profiles with notes of chocolate and cherry; the best coffee for cold brew is a roast that’s complex enough to really shine once you’ve brought out its flavors with a long, slow brewing process.

Of course, we recommend Death Wish Coffee as the best coffee brand for cold brew; it fits this profile exactly, giving you the boldest flavor. Our bold, smooth blend with an extra kick of caffeine is sure to wake up your senses!

Also, be sure to buy whole bean coffee, as the best coffee to use to make cold brew isn’t the same as the kind you should use for hot coffee. Cold brew requires a different grind than what comes in standard ground coffee, so the best coffee beans for cold brew are whole ones that can be ground to the right texture.

What's the best grind to use for cold brew?  

If you want the best coffee grounds for cold brew, you’ll need to grind your coffee coarse. Coarse coffee gives your cold brew the best taste, as pre-ground coffee is too fine. Grind our premium, organic coffee beans for about 6 seconds for a coarse grind. The best coffee to use to make cold brew is a grind that resembles ground peppercorns or sea salt.

What water temperature should I use to make cold brew? 

Cold brew means that you brew it with . . . well, cold water. For the best-tasting cold brew, we recommend using fresh, filtered water under 40 F. Using water that is too cold or too warm will affect the extraction rate and the overall taste of the brew.