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Cold Brew Calculator

Use this cold brew calculator to scale any batch size — whether you are making a concentrate to dilute or a ready-to-drink brew — and get the exact coffee and water amounts by weight.

Brew type
1 : 5
1:4 (stronger)1:8 (lighter)
IngredientAmount
Coffee grounds189.6 g
Coffee grounds (tablespoons)35.8 tbsp
Water948 g
Water (cups)4.00 cups

Serving tip

Dilute 1:1 with water or milk to serve — this batch makes ~8.0 cups of ready-to-drink cold brew.

1 tbsp ground coffee ≈ 5.3 g · 1 cup water = 237 g · 1 fl oz water = 29.57 g. Steep 12–24 h in the refrigerator.

How cold brew ratios work

Cold brew uses a coffee-to-water ratio measured by weight. Concentrate is typically brewed at 1:4 to 1:8 (one gram of coffee per 4–8 grams of water) and then diluted 1:1 with water or milk before serving. A standard default of 1:5 gives a strong, versatile concentrate. Ready-to-drink cold brew uses a more gentle 1:8 to 1:12 ratio so you can pour it straight over ice without extra dilution.

Cold water extracts coffee very slowly, so steep time matters as much as ratio. A 1:5 concentrate needs 18–24 hours in the refrigerator; a 1:10 ready-to-drink batch is often done in 12–16 hours. Use a coarse grind to prevent over-extraction and bitterness. Strain through a fine mesh or paper filter before refrigerating — it keeps fresh for up to two weeks.

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