Coffee Concentrate

Introduction

This coffee concentrate uses 1 pound of ground coffee or a coffee and chicory blend with 3.5 quarts of mineral water, then sits for 10-12 hours before you strain it. You end up with a smooth base you can dilute at 1:2 or 1:3, which makes it useful for iced coffee, hot coffee, or keeping a batch ready in the fridge.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 10-12 hours
• Total Time: 10 hours 15 minutes-12 hours 15 minutes
• Servings: 8-10 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground coffee OR coffee and chicory blend
• 3.5 quarts mineral water

Instructions

1. Add coffee grounds to a jar.
2. Pour mineral water over grounds, stirring only to ensure all coffee is wet.
3. Let mixture stand for 10-12 hours (best to let it sit over night).
4. Line sieve with cheesecloth and place over another jar. Pour coffee mixture into sieve, allowing grounds to collect.
5. Discard coffee grounds and store coffee concentrate in the refrigerator. It will keep for 2-3 weeks.
6. To prepare coffee from concentrate, use a ratio of concentrate:water of 1:2 or 1:3 depending on taste.

Variations

• Use the coffee and chicory blend instead of plain ground coffee for a deeper, earthier concentrate with a slightly more bitter finish.
• Choose dark roast ground coffee if you want a heavier body and more cocoa-forward flavor in the final cup.
• Choose medium roast ground coffee if you want a cleaner, brighter concentrate that tastes lighter when diluted.
• Mix the concentrate at 1:2 for a stronger cup with more body, or at 1:3 for a lighter drink that works well as everyday coffee.
• Swap mineral water for filtered water if your tap water tastes strong; the concentrate will taste cleaner, though slightly less rounded.

Tips for Success

• Use coarse ground coffee if possible. Fine grounds make the concentrate cloudier and slow down the cheesecloth straining step.
• When you pour in the mineral water, stir only until all the grounds are wet. Extra stirring can push more sediment into the liquid.
• Let the mixture stand the full 10-12 hours. Cutting the steep short can leave the concentrate thin.
• Line the sieve well with cheesecloth before pouring. Gaps will let grounds through and leave grit in the jar.
• Don’t press on the grounds while straining. Let them drain on their own to keep the concentrate smoother and less bitter.

Storage and Reheating

Store the concentrate in a clean glass jar or airtight bottle in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.

For longer storage, freeze it in ice cube trays, then transfer the cubes to a sealed freezer bag or container. It keeps well for up to 2 months.

For hot coffee, dilute the concentrate first, then warm it on the stovetop over low heat or microwave it in a mug for 60-90 seconds. For iced coffee, use it straight from the fridge and dilute with cold water over ice.

FAQ

Can you use decaf ground coffee?

Yes. The process and dilution ratio stay the same, and you get the same make-ahead convenience with less caffeine.

What grind size works best?

A coarse grind works better than a fine one. It strains more cleanly and leaves less sediment in the finished concentrate.

Why is there sediment in the jar?

That usually means the grind was too fine or the cheesecloth didn’t catch all the grounds. Strain it again through fresh cheesecloth for a cleaner concentrate.

Do you need to use mineral water?

Mineral water gives you a stable, clean base, but filtered water also works well. Avoid strongly chlorinated tap water, since its flavor shows up in the concentrate.