Cold brew is ideal if you want a smooth, refreshing coffee that can be prepared ahead of time, and kept in the fridge. It works especially well for busy mornings, working adults, students, or anyone who wants coffee ready at any time of the day without brewing from scratch each time. Think of it like coffee meal prep: prepare it once, keep it in the fridge, and enjoy it throughout the week.

At its simplest, cold brew is just ground coffee, water, time, and filtration. Add coffee and water into a large container, let it steep, then filter it. This can be done in many ways - from a traditional kopi sock, to a convenient disposable drawstring filter bag. And in this guide, we will be using a disposable drawstring filter bag.

Figure 1. Drawstring Filter Bag

Figure 2. Cold Brew Brewing Essentials

The Must-Haves (Essential)	The Upgrades (Nice-to-Have)
A Large Container, Jar, or Bottle: Anything that can hold water and fits comfortably in your fridge. Drawstring Filter Bag Specialty Coffee Beans: Not sure what flavor profile fits you best? Check out our comprehensive Coffee Buying Guide to find your coffee! Spoon Water (1500g or 1.5L)	Digital Scale: For precise water and coffee measurements. Coffee Grinder: To grind your beans fresh right before brewing. Storage Container, Jar, or Bottle: For storing your finished cold brew in the fridge.

(Tip: If you don't own a home grinder yet, simply let our team know when purchasing your beans at our outlets or on tionghoe.com, and we will gladly grind them to the perfect size for you)

Cold Brew Recipe for a Black Cold Brew Coffee

We start with a coarse grind size for our coffee.

Figure 3. From “Coffee Grinding Guide” by James Adam, 2017, Coffee Guides. https://alternativebrewing.com.au/blogs/coffee-guides/coffee-grinding-guide

Recipe Ratio

For a clean, refreshing black cold brew, we recommend starting with a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio. This extracts a balanced, ready-to-drink cup.

• Coffee: 100g (Coarse Grind)
• Water: 1500g (1.5L)

No scale? 100g is roughly half of our standard 200g retail coffee bag.

Step 1

Figure 4. Pouring Coffee Into Filter Bag

Place your coarse coffee grounds into your filter bag, coffee sock, or directly into the bottom of your container.

Step 2

Figure 5. Pour Water In

Place the coffee bag into your container, and pour in the full 1500g of room-temperature water.

Step 3

Figure 6. Stir

Take your spoon and give the mixture a thorough stir. You want to make sure every single coffee ground inside the bag is completely saturated.

Step 4

Figure 7. Taking Out The Filter Bag

Leave the container on your counter at room temperature for about 6 to 7 hours. Before fishing out the drawstring filter bag, give it a gentle stir and take a quick sip.

• If it tastes rich and smooth, it’s ready! Go ahead and remove the coffee bag.
• If it tastes a bit weak or sour, let it steep for another hour before checking again.
  

This recipe yields approximately five 250ml servings of black cold brew.

💡Note: This ratio is highly customizable. If you prefer a punchier, stronger cup, use slightly more coffee next time. If you like it exceptionally light and tea-like, just increase the water.

Cold Brew Recipe for a Milk Cold Brew Coffee

For a white/milk cold brew, we recommend a stronger concentrate that is designed to be mixed with milk or your preferred dairy alternative. The recipe is similar to the black cold brew above - just made with far less water, made to be enjoyed with milk. 

For this version, we utilise a tight 1:4 coffee-to-water ratio.

• Coffee: 100g (Medium-Coarse Grind)
• Water: 400g

Figure 8. From “Coffee Grinding Guide” by James Adam, 2017, Coffee Guides. https://alternativebrewing.com.au/blogs/coffee-guides/coffee-grinding-guide

Step 1

Place your medium-coarse coffee grounds into your filter bag. Take your spoon and give the mixture a thorough stir. You want to make sure every single coffee ground inside the bag or container is completely wet.

Step 2

Let the mixture steep at room temperature for 7 hours. Before fishing out the drawstring filter bag, give it a gentle stir.

Step 3 (Optional)

If you like your milk coffee sweet, stir in your preferred sugar or syrup while the concentrate is at room temperature.

How To Serve It

When you are ready for a drink, simply mix your concentrate with cold milk or your favorite dairy alternative (like oat or almond milk).

At our stores, we use a precise ratio of 80g of cold brew concentrate to 170g of milk to create a perfect 250g serving of our signature Pollen White and Oat Zero drinks. Feel free to play around with this breakdown to find your balance of coffee and creaminess!

You could also dilute this cold brew concentrate with water to create a black cold brew. This could be great if you want some variety in your daily caffeine fix for your week.

Cold Brew For Your Routine

Once your cold brew is filtered, it becomes an incredibly versatile base that fits seamlessly into your daily routine:

• For the Workplace: Pour a portion into an insulated tumbler before leaving the house for an effortless, ice-cold caffeine fix at your office desk.
• For Students & Night Owls: Keeping a jar of white coffee concentrate in the fridge means a quick, comforting iced coffee is only 30 seconds away during late-night study sessions or right before an early morning class.
• Shelf Life: Your Black Cold Brew and White/Milk Cold Brew Concentrate will stay fresh and delicious for up to 5 days in the fridge.
  

💡Storage Tip: Always store your cold brew in an airtight glass container. Coffee acts like a sponge for aromas, and a tight seal ensures it won't accidentally pick up any leftover food smells from your fridge.

Summary

Unlike hot brews, cold brew relies less on temperature, and more on time. Because cooler water extracts flavour more slowly, the coffee is left to steep for longer. This usually creates a cup that is smooth, mellow, and lower in perceived acidity. The trade-off is that some flavours can taste less bright or vibrant compared to a hot brew.

Style	Coffee-to-Water Ratio	Steeping Time	Fridge Shelf Life	Best Served As
Black Cold Brew	1:15 (e.g., 100g to 1500g)	6 - 7 Hours (Room Temp)	Up to 5 Days	Straight over ice, or diluted with a splash of water.
Milk Cold Brew	1:4 (e.g., 100g to 400g)	7 Hours (Room Temp)	Up to 5 Days	Mixed with milk/oat milk (Recommended: 80g coffee to 170g milk).

Finding Your Coffee Bean

Choosing the right coffee bean makes all the difference. If you are just starting your home brewing journey, we highly recommend exploring our signature espresso blends:

• Gachala - balanced, crowd-pleasing profile that serves as the perfect entry point for black or white coffee.
• Black Pearl - showcases a richer, more chocolatey sweetness and a bolder presence.
• Smoky Quartz - The most robust, intense, and deeply traditional profile in our current inventory, ideal for those who love a heavy, classic morning cup.

Feeling a bit adventurous? If you want to experience bright, vibrant flavor profiles and don't mind a hint of fruitiness or floral complexity in your cup, take a look at our seasonal collection of curated Filter Roasts.