How to Choose Coffee Beans for Cold Brew

Cold brew is forgiving, but the bag you choose still matters. If your usual cup is deep and chocolatey, reach for a coffee with those notes. If you like bright fruit, try that instead. You do not need a mysterious “cold brew only” bean; you need coffee you enjoy and a grind that works with your brewer.

What coffee beans are good for cold brew?

Start with flavor. A medium or medium-dark roast often gives a rounder, cocoa-forward cup; a lighter roast can bring brighter fruit notes. Neither is automatically better. The coffee's flavor, your ratio, and how you serve it make a bigger difference than a promise on the bag. For a bold, smooth-leaning starting point, Cold Blooded Brew is our medium-dark blend with cocoa and smoky-sweet tasting notes, roasted to order.

Whole bean or pre-ground?

• Choose whole bean if you have a grinder and want to dial in the grind for your pitcher, jar, or brewer. Grind shortly before brewing.
• Choose coarse ground if you want to skip the grinder. Our 12 oz Cold Blooded Brew listing offers a coarse option as well as whole bean.

Coarse to medium-coarse is a useful starting range for immersion cold brew. A fine grind can leave more sediment and make filtering a chore. If your finished cup tastes weak or sharp, try a slightly finer grind or a longer steep next time; if it tastes harsh, adjust one variable at a time.

A simple first batch

1. Clean your jar, pitcher, and filter. Add 100 g of coffee and 800 g of water for a concentrate you can dilute to taste. A kitchen scale makes it easy to repeat a batch you like.
2. Stir gently so all the grounds get wet. Cover and steep in the refrigerator for about 14 hours as a starting point. Your brewer and grind may call for more or less time.
3. Filter out the grounds. Pour over ice, then add water or milk until it tastes right to you. Keep the finished brew refrigerated.

If you prefer a lighter cup straight from the pitcher, use more water when brewing instead of making a concentrate. Follow the instructions for your cold brew device if it specifies a different ratio or time.

Does cold brew have less acid or more caffeine?

Cold brew can taste less sharp than hot coffee poured over ice, but that does not make every batch chemically low-acid or suitable for a medical condition. Likewise, cold brew is not automatically higher in caffeine: the coffee-to-water ratio, serving size, and dilution all matter. Pick it for the taste and convenience, then adjust your recipe to suit your cup.

Pick the bag, then make it yours

Love cocoa and a deeper roast? Start with Cold Blooded Brew and choose whole bean or coarse ground for your setup. Prefer another flavor direction? Browse our coffee collection and try a small batch with the beans you already like. Cold brew is a method, not a loyalty oath to one roast.

Still choosing a roast? Our Skeleton’s Guide to Coffee compares flavor, roast, and grind basics.