Making Cold Brew Coffee With Folgers Beans

Quick Answer

• Use coarse-ground Folgers beans for a smoother cold brew.
• A 1:4 coffee-to-water ratio is a good starting point.
• Steep for 12-24 hours in the refrigerator.
• Filter twice: first through a coarse strainer, then a fine filter.
• Dilute the concentrate with water or milk to taste.
• Store leftover concentrate in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Who This Is For

• Folgers coffee drinkers looking to explore cold brew.
• Home baristas seeking a simple, low-acid coffee option.
• Anyone who wants to make a large batch of coffee concentrate ahead of time.

How to Make Cold Brew Coffee Folgers: What to Check First

Before you start brewing, a few checks will ensure your cold brew turns out as expected.

Brewer Type and Filter Type

• What to check: What kind of container will you use for steeping, and what will you use to filter the grounds?
• Good to know: For cold brew, you don’t need a specialized machine. A large jar, pitcher, or French press works well for steeping. For filtering, you’ll need something to separate the coffee grounds from the liquid. This could be cheesecloth, a fine-mesh sieve, a paper coffee filter, or a dedicated cold brew maker’s built-in filter.
• Common mistake: Using a filter that’s too fine initially can clog easily, while one that’s too coarse might let too many grounds through, resulting in a gritty cup.

Water Quality and Temperature

• What to check: Are you using filtered water? What temperature is your water?
• Good to know: Cold brew relies on steeping time rather than heat to extract flavor. While the name suggests cold water, many prefer to start with room temperature or slightly cooler water (around 70°F). This helps with initial saturation of the grounds. Using filtered water is recommended, as tap water can sometimes impart off-flavors.
• Common mistake: Using boiling or very hot water can lead to over-extraction and bitterness, defeating the purpose of cold brew’s smooth profile.

Grind Size and Coffee Freshness

• What to check: What grind size are your Folgers beans, and how fresh are they?
• Good to know: For cold brew, a coarse grind is essential. Think breadcrumbs or coarse sea salt. If your Folgers beans are pre-ground for drip coffee, they might be too fine. If you have whole beans, grind them coarsely just before brewing for the freshest flavor.
• Common mistake: Using a fine grind (like for espresso) will result in over-extraction, a muddy concentrate, and a very difficult filtering process. Stale beans will produce a flat, less flavorful cold brew.

Coffee-to-Water Ratio

• What to check: How much coffee are you using relative to water?
• Good to know: A common starting ratio for cold brew concentrate is 1:4 (coffee to water by weight or volume). For example, 1 cup of coffee grounds to 4 cups of water. You can adjust this to your preference; a 1:5 ratio will yield a less concentrated brew, while a 1:3 will be stronger.
• Common mistake: Using too little coffee will result in a weak, watery brew that lacks depth. Too much coffee can lead to over-extraction and bitterness, even with a coarse grind.

Cleanliness/Descale Status

• What to check: Is your brewing vessel and any filtering equipment clean?
• Good to know: Coffee oils can build up over time and go rancid, affecting the taste of your cold brew. Ensure all equipment that touches the coffee is thoroughly washed and dried. If you use a coffee maker or French press regularly, make sure it’s descaled according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Common mistake: Brewing with dirty equipment can introduce stale, bitter flavors into your fresh cold brew, masking the intended smooth profile.

Step-by-Step: Brewing Folgers Cold Brew Coffee

Follow these steps for a delicious batch of cold brew using Folgers beans.

1. Grind Your Folgers Beans: If you’re using whole beans, grind them to a coarse consistency. Aim for a texture resembling coarse sea salt or breadcrumbs. If you have pre-ground Folgers, check if it’s suitable; if it looks like fine sand, you might want to try a coarser grind if possible.

• What “good” looks like: Uniformly coarse particles, no fine powder.
• Common mistake: Using a fine grind. This will over-extract, making the brew bitter and difficult to filter. If your Folgers is too fine, you can try a coarser setting on your grinder, or if using pre-ground, accept it might not be ideal but proceed cautiously.

2. Prepare Your Brewing Vessel: Choose a clean jar, pitcher, or French press with a lid. Ensure it’s large enough to hold your coffee grounds and water.

• What “good” looks like: A clean, odor-free container.
• Common mistake: Using a dirty container. This can impart stale or off-flavors into your cold brew.

3. Add Coffee Grounds: Place the coarsely ground Folgers coffee into your chosen brewing vessel.

• What “good” looks like: An even layer of grounds at the bottom.
• Common mistake: Packing the grounds too tightly. This can hinder water saturation.

4. Add Water: Slowly pour in your filtered water (room temperature or slightly cooler is ideal) over the grounds. A common starting ratio is 1 part coffee to 4 parts water (e.g., 1 cup grounds to 4 cups water).

• What “good” looks like: All grounds are saturated. You’ll see a “bloom” as the water hits the coffee.
• Common mistake: Pouring water too quickly, which can create dry pockets and uneven extraction.

5. Stir Gently: Give the mixture a gentle stir to ensure all the coffee grounds are fully submerged and evenly distributed.

• What “good” looks like: A slurry of coffee and water with no dry clumps.
• Common mistake: Vigorous stirring, which can agitate fine particles and lead to a muddier brew.

6. Cover and Steep: Securely cover your brewing vessel. Place it in the refrigerator.

• What “good” looks like: A sealed container to prevent odor absorption and contamination.
• Common mistake: Leaving the container uncovered, allowing your cold brew to absorb fridge odors.

7. Steep for 12-24 Hours: Let the coffee steep. For a milder flavor, 12-18 hours is sufficient. For a stronger concentrate, steep for 20-24 hours.

• What “good” looks like: A noticeable separation of liquid from grounds. The liquid will be dark.
• Common mistake: Steeping for too short a time (weak brew) or too long (potential for over-extraction and bitterness, though less common with cold brew than hot).

8. First Filter (Coarse): Carefully strain the coffee concentrate through a coarse-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth or a paper filter. You may need to do this in batches.

• What “good” looks like: Most of the large coffee grounds are removed, leaving a liquid concentrate.
• Common mistake: Trying to filter too quickly, which can cause overflow or incomplete straining.

9. Second Filter (Fine): For a cleaner cup, filter the concentrate again using a finer method, such as a paper coffee filter in a pour-over cone or a clean French press plunger.

• What “good” looks like: A clear, sediment-free liquid concentrate.
• Common mistake: Using a clogged filter or rushing the process, which can lead to sediment in the final brew.

10. Dilute to Taste: The resulting liquid is a concentrate. Dilute it with cold water, ice, or milk to your desired strength. A good starting point is a 1:1 ratio of concentrate to water or milk.

• What “good” looks like: A balanced, smooth coffee beverage.
• Common mistake: Drinking the concentrate straight, which will be very strong and potentially bitter.

11. Serve and Enjoy: Add ice, sweetener, or milk as desired.

• What “good” looks like: A refreshing, smooth, and flavorful coffee drink.
• Common mistake: Not adjusting dilution to personal preference, leading to a brew that’s too strong or too weak.

12. Store Properly: Pour the finished concentrate into an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator.

• What “good” looks like: A well-sealed container that keeps the concentrate fresh.
• Common mistake: Leaving the concentrate exposed to air, which can cause it to oxidize and lose flavor.

Common Mistakes (and What Happens If You Ignore Them)

| Mistake | What It Causes | Fix