This guide on how to use cold brew concentrate is full to the brim with everything you need to know when talking about cold brew. If you’re looking for ways to turn your concentrate into a delicious beverage, we got you covered. If you want to know all of that plus more, we’ve got that too.
Jump to the section that has the cold brew recipe you desire. Or continue reading to newly discover all of the ways that your cold brew concentrate can be used.
Important Note: Cold brew concentrates will all have different levels of strength and potency depending on which brand you’re using or if you made it at home. In all of the recipes below, you will have to decide how much of the concentrate you want to use depending on your desired caffeine content and flavor you’re looking for. As a rule of thumb, always use 1 part cold brew concentrate and 1 part milk or water for drinks.
Here you will find the best 7 ways to enjoy your beverage.
How to Use Cold Brew Concentrate in Iced Coffee
Iced coffee is the most obvious and easiest way to apply your cold brew concentrate. If you’re using store-bought and it has instructions on the packaging, this will be what that’s for. All you’ll need to do is combine the concentrate with cold water into a glass full of ice cubes and stir. Use the 1:1 ratio we spoke about before!
Variations
If you want more flavor, switch out the water for any type of milk: whole, non-fat, chocolate, or plant-based like oat milk. If you want to feel like you’re enjoying an iced cold brew from a local coffee shop, make a sweet cream cold foam to go with it!
How to Use Cold Brew Concentrate in Hot Coffee
It may not sound like it, but you can easily turn “cold” brew concentrate into a “hot” regular coffee. Using concentrate over drip coffee can save you plenty of time if you’re in a rush in the morning.
You’ll have to use hot water, so you need to heat the water first in a microwave or in a pot on the stove. Heat enough to fill your cup and add the concentrate in increments, stir, and taste.
The water will be hot but the concentrate will be cold so the mixture should be perfectly warm. If you want the coffee to be very hot, make sure to use boiling water. Or just pop the whole thing in the microwave to heat it up to your liking.
Again use the 1:1 ratio we spoke about!
Variations
Use warmed milk instead of filtered water and drizzle some caramel, vanilla, or hazelnut syrup.
How to Use Cold Brew Concentrate in a Frappuccino
There’s nothing better than cooling off on a hot day with an icy blended beverage. And using your concentrate is a great way to make one.
Fill a high-speed blender with ice, cold-brew coffee concentrate, and milk or water to dilute it. Pulse for 15-30 seconds and you’re good to go. I like to start with about ¼ cup of concentrate and then taste and adjust the ingredients accordingly.
Variations
To make it extra creamy, use half-and-half instead of the milk and swirl some whipped cream on top. For some fun flavor ideas, check out this Vanilla Bean Frappuccino Recipe, this Starbucks Matcha Frappuccino Copycat Recipe, or this Easy Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino Recipe.
How to Use Cold Brew Concentrate in a Latte or Cappuccino
I know this might sound unconventional, but you can absolutely substitute cold brew concentrate in espresso-made drinks if the concentrate is strong enough. Potent, pre-made concentrate from brands like Explorer or Jot is perfect for this. If you want to make a homemade version of stronger cold brew concentrate, continue reading to the section at the end of this article.
Depending on if you want a single or double shot caffè latte, use 1-2 tablespoons of the strong, undiluted concentrate in place of the espresso. Then pour in steamed milk, or chilled milk with ice, depending on what temperature you’re craving.
How to Use Cold Brew Concentrate in a Cocktail
Using your concentrate with alcohol probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind, but it definitely is a genius way to implement it! Drinks like an espresso martini or an Irish coffee have been popular for decades and there are plenty of new recipes coming out all of the time.
To make an espresso martini, mix 2 ounces of vodka with ½-ounce coffee liqueur and 1 ounce of your cold brew concentrate. Sweeten with simple syrup and garnish with coffee beans. If it’s late in the evening and you want to enjoy the same great flavor without the caffeine, use decaf concentrate.
If you’re interested in finding out new and creative cocktail ideas, check out this guide by liquor.com to learn more!
Mocktails
Mocktails have gained a lot of popularity in the last few years as people still want to enjoy a drink with their friends without having to consume alcohol. Brands like RITUAL ZERO PROOF’s Tequila Alternative or STRYKK’s Not Vodka have made it easy and effortless to do so.
Coffee Mocha Syrup
Who doesn’t love chocolate syrup drizzled into milk, over ice cream, or on pancakes and waffles? If you have a sweet tooth and have cold brew concentrate in the house, then you should try making this Homemade Mocha Coffee Syrup Recipe!
Simply combine a little water to the concentrate to make a strong cold brewed coffee and swap it with the espresso in the recipe.
How to Use Cold Brew Concentrate in Ice Cream
Hands down, this has to be the most delicious way to use your iced coffee concentrate. This recipe does require an actual ice cream maker, but don’t be intimidated, there are plenty of low-cost ones available like this one by DASH or this one by Cuisineart. This takes some extra steps and patience, but if you make it, I promise you won’t be disappointed.
- Make the Base: In a mixing bowl, combine 1 cup heavy cream, ½ cup whole milk, ½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup cold brew concentrate, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Stir well until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Chill: Place the mixture in the fridge for at least 2-4 hours, or preferably overnight. This allows the flavors to meld and ensures that the mixture is thoroughly chilled.
- Churn: Pour the chilled mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. This usually takes about 20-25 minutes.
- Transfer: Once the ice cream reaches a soft-serve consistency, transfer it to an airtight container.
- Freeze: Place the container in the freezer and let the ice cream firm up for at least 4-6 hours or overnight. This will give you the perfect texture.
- Serve and Enjoy: Scoop out the cold brew ice cream and enjoy it on its own or with your favorite toppings.
What to Eat with Your Coffee
Most people will enjoy a coffee in the morning or early afternoon as a way to kickstart the day or as a pick-me-up after lunch. There’s nothing that goes better with a perfect cold brew than a deliciously sweet pastry of some sort. Here are a few great options that you can make at home:
- Starbucks Coffee Cake Copycat Recipe
- CRUMBL Blueberry Crumb Cake Cookies Copycat Recipe
- The Best Vanilla Bundt Cake
- Moist Honey Tea Cake Loaf Just Like Grandma’s
Why Make Concentrate Instead of Regular Cold Brew?
The beauty of concentrate is that it has infinite ways it can be utilized. If you just like cold brew, then by all means make a cold brew. But if you like having options, then cold brewing a concentrate is exactly what you’re looking for.
How to Make Cold Brew Concentrate at Home
If you want to avoid the grocery store, there are plenty of ways to make it at home.
The easiest cold brew coffee concentrate recipe is the same as making regular cold brew, except with a narrower ground coffee-to-water ratio. A standard normal cold brew ratio is 1:8 or 1:16. Simply put, you would mix 1 or 2 ounces of coffee with 16 ounces of water.
To make a concentrate, however, you would mix 1 ounce of coffee grounds with only 2 or 4 ounces of water. You could even mix an equal amount of water and grounds for a stronger brew.
The easiest brewing process is using a French press or a mason jar. Fill the jar with 2 cups of water and 1 cup of coffee grounds and let it chill overnight. Be sure to use cold water from the start instead of room temperature water to get the best extraction. Pour the mixture through the French press filter or sieve the coffee out of the mason jar, through a paper filter, into a different jar.
If you want to make your life even easier, there are disposable or pre-made cold brew bags you can use. Just increase the amount of coffee used and lower the amount of water to make it more concentrated. You can also use a nut milk bag if you have one already.
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