The Mistake You Need To Avoid For Better Cold Brew At Home

There are many mistakes a person can make when crafting a cold brew cup of coffee. One error you could make is not being meticulous enough about the brewing process. It takes just a few simple steps to make this luxurious drink and, because of that, every step matters. In an exclusive chat with Chowhound, an ACS-certified chemist and the Quality Director at Copper Moon Coffee, Taylor Young, let us in on one of things we get wrong when we make cold brew at home. 

The main issue on his hit list? Not enough home brewers care about the grind of their beans — and that trend needs to change. "The most common mistake folks make is not paying enough attention to the grind size," Young says. Too finely ground coffee beans are the biggest hindrance to a cold brew's flavor. 

While coffee grounds intended for cold brew need to be small enough so that the oils will properly extract, too small of a grind can lead to big problems. Namely, fine grounds can become over-extracted during cold brew's long steeping process, which leads to a bitter cup. For that signature strong and smooth flavor, Young suggests you go much coarser on the grind size and give the drink more time to steep. These coarse coffee grounds should release their hidden flavors without over-extracting, leading to the perfect sip. 

While it may seem odd to choose a coarse grind setting to craft your coffee, this helps ensure you get that truly smooth and luxurious cup that cold brew lovers crave. "When you grind a coffee very finely versus very coarsely, you actually increase the overall available surface area of the coffee that is exposed to water since you are creating more particles," Taylor Young says. For the cold brew brewing process, fine coffee grounds don't mean more caffeine. It means an oversaturated cup, filled with potently sour flavors. 

So, when in doubt, go for a coarser grind the next time you're brewing something cold. (Note: If you don't have a grinder, a food processor works just as well.) Whether you want a smooth twist on an espresso martini or a refreshing start to the morning, making the simple switch from fine grind to coarse should give you the best cold brew flavor.