Sous Vide Coffee (Cold Brew Coffee Recipe) Savoring The Good® (2024)

Published: · Modified: by Sarah Mock As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This post contains affiliate links.

Jump to Recipe

Sous Vide cold brew coffee base is perfect for when you want iced coffee without the wait.

Sous Vide Coffee (Cold Brew Coffee Recipe) Savoring The Good® (1)

Another advantage of this method is you can make multiple jars of the cold brew base at one time without taking up precious refrigerator space. Refrigerator space is always at a premium in my house.

In the fall and winter months, I will add Gingerbread Syrup to my cup and for all the fall festive feels.

Once you have fallen in love with sous vide cold brew you will want to try homemade limoncello using the sous vide method as well as sous vide eggnog. The eggnog recipe will give you the confidence to serve eggnog to your guests without fearing to serve them scrambled eggs in their nog. Be sure to check out my complete collection of sous vide recipes.

Jump to:
  • Want To Save This Recipe?
  • Advantages to make cold brew with sous vide
  • How to make sous vide coffee base
  • Is it possible to cold brew coffee with sous vide?
  • Want To Save This Recipe?
  • 🍱 More Sous Vide Recipes To Explore
  • Sous Vide
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 👩🏻‍🍳 Sarah Mock
  • Comments

Advantages to make cold brew with sous vide

Sous vide coffee provides a convenient and consistent way to brew coffee with enhanced flavor and reduced bitterness.

  • Consistency: With sous vide coffee, you can precisely control the temperature and time, resulting in consistent brews every time.
  • Enhanced flavor: The sealed environment in which the coffee is brewed helps to extract more flavor from the coffee grounds, resulting in a richer, fuller flavor profile.
  • Reduced bitterness: Because the coffee is brewed at a lower temperature than traditional brewing methods, it reduces the risk of over-extraction, which can lead to bitter-tasting coffee.
  • Easy to clean up: The sealed bags or containers used in sous vide coffee make for easy clean-up compared to traditional brewing methods, which require cleaning of multiple components.
  • Convenience: Sous vide coffee can be brewed overnight or while you're away, meaning you can wake up to a freshly brewed cup of coffee without having to wait for it to brew in the morning.

How to make sous vide coffee base

Sous Vide Coffee (Cold Brew Coffee Recipe) Savoring The Good® (2)
  1. Measure out the coffee grounds and water into a closed container.
  2. Set the sous vide water bath temperature.
  3. Steep for two hours. Cool completely.
  4. Strain the mixture through a coffee filter and enjoy!

Is it possible to cold brew coffee with sous vide?

Sous Vide Coffee (Cold Brew Coffee Recipe) Savoring The Good® (3)

Sous vide coffee, also known as immersion brewing or precision brewing, involves using a sous vide machine to heat water to a precise temperature and then brewing coffee in a sealed bag or closed container for a shorter period of time versus a regular cold brew cooking technique. The sous vide cooking tecnhique calls for 2 hours instead of the typical 12 to 24 hours called for in other homemade cold brew drink recipes.

I know what you are thinking, sous vide uses hot water and when you cold brew coffee you are supposed to use cold water, right. Sort of. I am going to call this a compromise technique. The water does not get as high as a drip coffee brew but is not as cold as refrigeration.

The heat is consistent and low enough to pull the flavor from the coffee grounds without making the coffee bitter. PLUS coffee is cold brewed in two hours and not overnight! Perfect for when you forgot to make it the night before!

Sous Vide Coffee (Cold Brew Coffee Recipe) Savoring The Good® (4)

Your sous vide cold brew coffee is now ready to serve over ice or with your favorite cream and flavors.

Can I use a resealable plastic bag to make sous vide coffee?

You are definitely able to use a food-safe zip-top bag to make your cold brew coffee instead of a mason jar. You will have the same results. I just like to suggest using the water displacement method to remove the air from the bag before completely closing it.

What type of grind for cold brew?

I like to do a course grind with I make my cold-brew coffee. The flavor is able to be extracted beautifully and there is not a grittiness to the coffee that you sometimes get with you use a fine grind.Sous Vide Coffee (Cold Brew Coffee Recipe) Savoring The Good® (5)

Can yousous vide on the stove?

The technical answer is yes. The practical answer is no. It is possible to cook using the sous vide method on a stovetop but maintaining a consistent water temperature without an immersion circulator is very hard, if not impossible to do.

Stovetop method: use a large pot or Dutch oven filled with water and a thermometer to monitor the temperature. Heat the water on the stove and adjust the heat to maintain the desired temperature. You will need to periodically check the temperature with the thermometer and adjust the heat as needed, stirring the water to help maintain a consistent water temperature.

What type ofgrind forcoldbrew?

Medium coarse ground coffee is the best grind for cold brew concentrate. The length of time that the ground beans are in contact with the water to make cold brew is such an extended amount of time versus the amount of time a regular cup of coffee is brewed, a smaller grind would be overpowering in taste with the end results.

🍱 More Sous Vide Recipes To Explore

Sous Vide

  • Sous Vide Filet Mignon
  • Beef Liver And Onions Recipe
  • Best Sous Vide Beef Recipes

See more Sous Vide →

📖 Recipe

Sous Vide Coffee (Cold Brew Coffee Recipe) Savoring The Good® (9)

Sous Vide Coffee Recipe

Sarah Mock

Sous Vide cold brew coffee base is perfect for when you want cold brew coffee with out the wait.

4.70 from 40 votes

Print Recipe

Note From Sarah

There is more to a recipe than just the recipe card. Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!

Prep time for the recipePrep Time 1 minute min

Cook time for the recipeCook Time 2 hours hrs

total time to prep and cook the recipe.Total Time 2 hours hrs 1 minute min

Course Drinks - Non Alcoholic

Cuisine French

Makes 28 ounces

Per Serving 13 kcal

Ingredients

  • ½ cup ground coffee
  • 32 oz. water

Instructions

  • Set up your Sous Vide to 150 F and be sure the water covers the top of the jar.

  • In a 32 ounce (1 quart) mason jar, fill the jar with 32 ounces of fresh water and top with the coffee grounds.

  • Place a lid and a ring on the jar and give it a good shake. Make sure the lid is finger tight.

  • Brew for 2 hours.

  • Strain out the grounds and use them in your compost bin or around your flower beds.

  • Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Notes

This is so much faster than the 12-24 hours that traditional refrigerator cold brew takes!

Another advantage of this method is you can make multiple jars of the cold brew base at one time without taking up precious refrigerator space. Refrigerator space is always at a premium in my house.

Nutrition

Serving: 4ounces | Calories: 13kcal | Sodium: 2mg | Calcium: 1mg

Nutrition Disclosure

Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.

First published 2018.

Sous Vide Coffee (Cold Brew Coffee Recipe) Savoring The Good® (10)

👩🏻‍🍳 Sarah Mock

CEO/Owner/Founder/Culinary Blogger

Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 14 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.

    More Ultimate Collection of Sous Vide Recipes

    • Best Sous Vide Brisket Recipe (24 Hour Smoked Brisket)
    • Sous Vide Short Ribs (Red Wine Reduction) 48 Hour Beef Short Ribs
    • Sous Vide Pork Ribs Recipe (24 Hour Sous Vide Ribs)

    About Sarah Mock

    Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 14 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply

    1. Erica

      Sous Vide Coffee (Cold Brew Coffee Recipe) Savoring The Good® (15)
      Thank you for posting this recipe. Makes the process so much easier.

      Reply

      • Sarah Mock

        You are welcome! I love when what I write makes recipes easier for my readers. Enjoy your cold brew Erica!

        Sarah

        Reply

    2. Stacy

      I had no idea! Thanks so much. I LIVE on cold brew coffee and up until now it took FOREVER to make!

      Reply

    3. Paula

      Sous Vide Coffee (Cold Brew Coffee Recipe) Savoring The Good® (16)
      I had no idea I could make cold brew coffee with my sous vide. thanks!

      Reply

    Sous Vide Coffee (Cold Brew Coffee Recipe) Savoring The Good® (2024)

    FAQs

    What is the ratio of coffee to water for cold brew? ›

    A ratio of 1:8 of coffee to water will produce a nice coffee ready to drink after around 24 hours at a coarse grind. Another option is to create a much stronger cold brew (named cold brew concentrate), by using a ratio anywhere from 1 part coffee to 4 parts water, up to around 1 part coffee to 2 parts water.

    What temperature do you sous vide coffee at? ›

    Sous vide cold-brew coffee falls in between. CREA recommends cooking the sealed coffee mixture in a water bath set to 176°F (80°C) for 4 hours. After cooking, strain the mixture through a coffee filter to prevent the beans from continuing to steep in the water.

    What is the best grind for cold brew coffee? ›

    Stick with a coarse grind. Using a coarser grind will make the filtration process easier and your coffee taste far less bitter. Grinding too fine can heat up the grounds, which can negatively affect your cup. Stir the grinds in the water making sure they are fully saturated.

    What makes cold brew taste better? ›

    Let the coffee steep for at least 12 hours. This will extract more flavor and caffeine from the beans. Try adding a pinch of salt to the coffee grounds before steeping. This can help to enhance the flavors and balance out the acidity.

    What is the golden ratio for cold brew? ›

    Now let me show you the actual Golden Ratios: 1:15 to 1:18 (coffee to water). In here is where most people find the coffee to be at that sweet spot, though there are a few exceptions, like with espresso, for example.

    How many cups of coffee grounds for 1 gallon of cold brew? ›

    The recommended coffee-to-water ratio for cold brew is usually 1:8. Therefore, for 1 gallon (128 fluid ounces) of cold brew, you would need approximately 16 ounces (1 pound) of coffee grounds. However, you can adjust the amount based on your personal preference for the strength of the cold brew.

    What temperature should cold brew sous vide be? ›

    Fill a large pot with enough water to cover the jars completely and place a sous vide immersion cooker into the water. Set temperature to 150 degrees F (65 degrees C) according to manufacturer's directions.

    How do you brew coffee in a sous vide? ›

    Set your sous vide circulator to 150°F and preheat the water bath. Add the ½ cup fresh coffee grounds and 4 cups water to a mason jar and seal the top. Once your sous vide bath has reached the target temp (150°F), set the timer for 2 to 4 hours and place your sealed jar of coffee and water into the sous vide container.

    What temperature is unsafe for sous vide? ›

    As opposed to most traditional cooking methods, sous vided food is cooked at the temperature you want the final food to end up at. This is usually between 120°F (48.9°C) and 185°F (85°C), depending on the food being prepared. There are a few different categories of food, but in this lesson I will focus on meat.

    What type of coffee does Starbucks use for cold brew? ›

    Made with a blend of 100% percent arabica Latin American and African ground coffees, the pitcher packs use the same Cold Brew Blend that is served in Starbucks cafes and are available for a limited time in U.S. Starbucks stores and select stores in Canada.

    How many scoops of coffee grounds for cold brew? ›

    The ratio of coffee grounds to water is subjective and depends on personal taste. A good place to start is to grind 3/4 cup beans for 4 cups of cold water—the size of a 32-ounce French press. You can double—with 1.5 cups beans for 8 cups water—or even triple the quantities depending on the size of your container.

    What roast is best for cold brew? ›

    Dark roasts are most commonly used for cold brew coffee because the roast profile offers a consistent flavor. The margin of error is low, and the rich flavor is suitable for those who enjoy adding milk or sweeteners to their brew.

    How do you keep cold brew from being bitter? ›

    If you find your cold brew to be a little bitter, it's likely that the concentrate was over extracted by too much time or too fine of a grind. For immersion, you can reduce the brew time or use a coarser grind. For slow drip, try a coarser grind.

    How do you add flavor to cold brew coffee? ›

    Using fresh basil, tear about a cup of leaves into strips and mix them with the coffee and water prior to putting your container in the refrigerator. Strain the leaves when you strain out the coffee grounds. For a slightly spicy brew, add a couple of cinnamon sticks at the beginning of the brewing process.

    Why does my cold brew taste weak? ›

    Cold brew coffee is made by steeping ground coffee in cold water for an extended period of time, typically 12-24 hours. If you're not letting your coffee steep for long enough, or if you're using too much coffee grounds, your cold brew will taste more like espresso and less like water.

    How much coffee do I need for 1 cup of cold brew? ›

    Basic Cold Brew Coffee Ratio

    A kitchen scale will come in handy if you have one, but it's not necessary. You're making cold brew concentrate, and you can dilute the concentrate to taste once it's finished. Per 1 cup of water, you'll need 1 ounce (by weight) coarsely ground coffee.

    How much water do I need for 12 oz of coffee cold brew? ›

    Most hot coffee is brewed using 14-18 grams of water per gram of coffee. Cold brew is made using a tighter ratio—Wolczynski recommends starting with 12 ounces (340g) of coffee to 64 ounces (1814g) of water, which is a much higher ratio of coffee to water.

    What is the best water to coffee ratio? ›

    Coffee's golden ratio is 1:18 (1 gram of coffee to every 18 grams of water). If you want a stronger cup, use a ratio of 1:15 or if you want a lighter cup, use 1:18. But somewhere between 15 to 18 grams of water to every gram of coffee is most common.

    How much water do I need for 16 oz of coffee cold brew? ›

    For this guide, we went with a 4:1 ratio of water to coffee. That means for a 16 ounce Mason Jar, use 3 ounces of coffee (by weight). If you don't have a scale, use approximately 1 cup of whole bean coffee.

    References

    Top Articles
    Latest Posts
    Article information

    Author: Margart Wisoky

    Last Updated:

    Views: 6546

    Rating: 4.8 / 5 (58 voted)

    Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

    Author information

    Name: Margart Wisoky

    Birthday: 1993-05-13

    Address: 2113 Abernathy Knoll, New Tamerafurt, CT 66893-2169

    Phone: +25815234346805

    Job: Central Developer

    Hobby: Machining, Pottery, Rafting, Cosplaying, Jogging, Taekwondo, Scouting

    Introduction: My name is Margart Wisoky, I am a gorgeous, shiny, successful, beautiful, adventurous, excited, pleasant person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.