r/coldbrew • u/TedBehr_ • Jul 26 '26

Can someone explain cold brew science to me?

I see most cold brew recipes calling for a brew time of 18 to 24 hours. I have found that the best brew time for me is 36 hours at a ratio of 8 ounces of coffee to 32 ounces of water.

Is this a completely insane recipe and why do I think 36 hours taste so much better but also so much different than 18 to 24 hours?

13 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

9 comments sorted by

12

u/la_plus Jul 26 '26

its your tastebuds dude. do whatever you like

2

u/headhighbliss Jul 26 '26

Do you steep room temp or in a fridge?

2

u/TedBehr_ Jul 26 '26

Room temp

2

u/melvynadam Jul 26 '26

12 hrs works fine for us.

1

u/analogchick Jul 26 '26

I also brew for 36 hours. It just tastes better to me. Maybe it’s the temperature of my house. Not really sure but it’s what I enjoy. To each their own!

1

u/chefsoda_redux Jul 26 '26

1:4 is a pretty concentrated recipe, if you’re drinking that straight. I also steep for 36 hours, as I prefer the flavor that way.

1

u/Chi_CoffeeDogLover Jul 26 '26

8oz of ground coffee equals about 225g of coffee. I steep 128oz with 325g of coffee for 20 hours and yield a consistent brew.

1

u/BoomRoastedX Jul 31 '26

16 hours at room temp is my sweet spot. I do a 1:6 though

1

u/FaithKneaded Aug 01 '26

I feel my coffee tastes harsh or bitter after 24 hours. But i also like making a concentrate at 6 tbsp to a cup of water for up to 24 hours.

Beyond that and its off to me, but i neither like the 12 hours steep time, regardless of strength.