How to make a small batch of cold brew with 100% Kona

Cold brew is coffee that never meets hot water. You grind coarse, stir the grounds into cold water, let the jar sit in the fridge, then strain. The cup comes out smooth and rounded. With a real 100% Kona, the mild chocolate and nut notes still show, just softer than in a hot cup.

Brew method does not fix a bad bag. Read "100% Kona Coffee" first. A named estate second. Then pick a method. Bag literacy: How to read a Kona bag.

Why a small batch

A small jar lets you taste cold brew from a new bag without grinding half of it at once. The rest stays whole bean, sealed, and away from heat and light. More: How to store an opened bag of 100% Kona and Whole bean vs ground.

Small also means you finish the jar while it still tastes like the bag, not like the fridge.

A boring, reliable start

These are example kitchen methods, not a secret farm recipe.

Example start card:

• Grind: burr, coarse. Same sea-salt texture as the French press.
• Ratio (example): about 1:8 coffee to cold water by weight. That is double the coffee of the 1:16 hot start card, because cold water extracts slowly. Expect a strong jar you can dilute in the glass.
• Water: cold, filtered if your tap tastes of chlorine.
• Steep (example window): about 12-18 hours in the fridge.
• Change one thing at a time.

Step by step

1. Weigh the coffee. Grind it coarse, right before you start. A blade grinder makes dust that turns the jar muddy and hard to strain. More: The grinder that doesn't wreck the bag.
2. Put the grounds in a clean glass jar.
3. Pour in cold water to your example 1:8 dose. Stir gently until no dry clumps remain.
4. Lid on. Into the fridge.
5. Steep. Start near the middle of the example 12-18 hour window the first time.
6. Strain. Pour through a fine metal strainer first, then through a paper filter or clean cloth to catch the fines. Go slowly; pressing the grounds pushes bitterness and sludge through.
7. Store the strained coffee in a clean, sealed jar in the fridge. Taste it over the next few days and stop when it tastes flat.
8. To serve, pour over ice and add cold water to taste. Example: start with roughly equal parts coffee and water, then adjust.

If the jar is off

• Weak and thin: use a little more coffee next time, or steep toward the long end of the window.
• Harsh or bitter: grind coarser, steep shorter, and do not squeeze the grounds while straining.
• Cloudy and gritty: add the paper or cloth step, and check the grinder for dust.
• Flat from a bag that used to taste sweet: check the bag first. Storage and age flatten mild Kona before the jar does.
• Tastes like the fridge: use a jar with a tight lid, and keep it away from strong-smelling food.

Cold brew next to the French press

The French press uses hot water and a few minutes. Cold brew uses cold water and a night. Same coarse grind, very different cup: the press is fuller and brighter, cold brew is softer and rounder. Neither turns a 10% blend into a farm lot. Blend literacy: Kona vs blend.

The short version

1. Confirm the bag says 100% Kona Coffee.
2. Burr grind, coarse.
3. Example ratio about 1:8 with cold water.
4. Fridge steep, example window about 12-18 hours.
5. Strain twice, gently. Dilute in the glass to taste.

FAQ

Is cold brew the same as iced coffee?

No. Iced coffee is usually hot-brewed coffee poured over ice. Cold brew never touches hot water.

What ratio should I start with?

An example start is about 1:8 coffee to water by weight, then dilute in the glass. It is an example kitchen method, not a farm recipe.

How long should it steep?

An example window is about 12-18 hours in the fridge. Shorter for lighter, longer for stronger.

Can I use my French press?

Yes. Steep the grounds in the press in the fridge, press slowly, then pour through paper to catch the fines.

Will cold brew save a 10% blend?

No. It will just show you the blend, softer. Read "100% Kona Coffee" first.