Which coffee is suitable for cold brew?

Do you like to prepare cold brew yourself and want a coffee recommendation? In our overview, we show you which coffee is best suited to cold brew.

You visit a café, sit on the terrace and order a refreshing cold brew or perhaps a pour over on ice. Summer and cold brew - a perfect match. But which coffee actually goes best with cold extraction? We'll show you in this overview.

Which coffee beans do I need for cold brew?

If you are interested in cold brew, you probably already know our credo when it comes to choosing coffee beans. When choosing a coffee for cold brew preparation, you should bear the following points in mind:

The coffee should consist of 100% Arabica beans, Robusta would be too dominant in cold brew and it would taste very earthy and unpleasant
A light-colored filter coffee roast is best suited for cold brew
Coffees from Kenya and Ethiopia tend to bring out fruity-floral notes in cold brew, coffees from Brazil, Peru or Costa Rica are better at producing creamy, notes
Coffees with an intense sweetness are particularly suitable for cold brewing; these can be washed or dry-processed coffees
If possible, buy your coffee from a coffee roaster that roasts specialty coffees and not industrial coffee beans, as these are often roasted far too dark

There is a rule of thumb: if you let bad coffee get cold, it becomes undrinkable. However, good coffee also tastes good when cold. Try it out for yourself.

Which coffee for cold brew?

Kathendu AA Kenya

Fruity - Sweet

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Don Luis Costa Rica

Tropical - creamy

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Olochoy AB Kenya

Fruity - berry

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How do I prepare cold brew?

The recipe, i.e. the ratio of coffee to water, is important when preparing cold brew. You should note that cold brew is not brewed hot, but cold extracted for at least 12 hours or overnight.

The basic recipe is: 125g of coffee to 1 liter of water
Grind the coffee rather coarsely, similar to the French press grind
Pour cool, filtered water onto the freshly ground coffee
Leave the coffee to infuse for at least 12 hours at room temperature or in the refrigerator
You then need to filter the coffee grounds out of the water, e.g. using a paper filter
You can also use special cold brew makers, such as the Hario Cold Brew Bottle

You can find detailed step-by-step instructions for cold brew preparation in our blog post Preparing cold brew: 5 steps to enjoyment.

Cold Brew Guide

written by

Dominic Ottlinger

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