<p>Two guides do have specific (though differing!) recommendations on coarseness of grind for cold brew. </p>

<ul>
<li>Blue Bottle recommends <a href="https://bluebottlecoffee.com/preparation-guides/cold-brew" rel="nofollow noreferrer">a grind <strong>a bit finer</strong> than paper-filtered drip coffee</a> (they compare it to the same grind as for AeroPress); they're using an immersion setup with a wool filter. </li>
<li>Kicking Horse recommends <a href="http://www.kickinghorsecoffee.com/en/blog/how-make-cold-brew-coffee" rel="nofollow noreferrer">a <strong>medium-coarse</strong> grind</a>, nearly like that of French press; they are using a similar setup but claim that a finer grind extracts more bitter compounds. </li>
</ul>

<p>Personally, I use the latter because I find the filtering goes more easily with a coarser grind; see also <a href="https://coffee.stackexchange.com/questions/431/how-can-i-make-filtering-my-cold-brew-easier">this question about making cold brew easier to filter</a>.</p>

<p><a href="https://coffee.stackexchange.com/questions/481/whats-the-recommended-coffee-to-water-ratio-for-cold-brew">This question</a> also discusses the grind. See also related questions with the tag <a href="/questions/tagged/cold-brew" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;cold-brew&#39;" rel="tag">cold-brew</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-24T02:15:51.210Z
2015-02-24T02:42:33.867Z
2017-04-13T12:51:53.733Z
hoc_age
<p>In addition to the above listed guides I have also found another two to answer your question. </p>

<p>Prima Coffee recommends a <a href="https://prima-coffee.com/blog/what-everyone-ought-know-about-iced-coffee-cold-brew-31371" rel="nofollow">medium to fine grind</a>. They are using an AeroPress with 2 filters. They do suggest that at least one of those filters are paper.</p>

<p>ChestBrew has a how-to video that demonstrates the process of making cold brew from start to finish.  Their <a href="http://www.chestbrew.com/how-to" rel="nofollow">whole bean coffee</a> packaging suggests a medium coarse grind.  </p>

<p>My husband and I are huge cold brew coffee fans and we prefer the second option because we've found that too fine a grind makes the coffee taste burnt and too harsh a grind makes the coffee too bitter. The medium coarse seems to make it just right.  However, we use a pitcher and a milk bag to make our cold brew which I feel may make a difference in overall taste as compared to the device you referenced in your question. </p>

<p>Hope this helps and good luck!</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-08T00:10:03.193Z
2016-09-08T00:10:03.193Z
Teresa M.
<p>I recently received <a href="http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B0009MZ67Q">a new device</a> for making cold brew coffee. It put out a really good cold brew. The filter is made out of a fine nylon mesh.</p>

<p>How coarsely (or finely) should the coffee be ground for best cold-brew extraction?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-23T21:18:59.827Z
This is a bit broad, you need to narrow this down a bit, plus there are a couple cold brew questions already: http://coffee.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/cold-brew
EdChum
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-23T21:30:41.580Z
Welcome to [coffee.se]! Your question doesn't quite fit the Q/A style of [se]; please take a minute to take [the tour](http://coffee.stackexchange.com/tour) and look at the [help]. How about restricting to "What characteristics of beans are best suited to cold-brew?" I'd be happy to change this around as an example; let me know. See also: [this question](http://coffee.stackexchange.com/q/481/262) talks about grind; other questions tagged [tag:cold-brew].
hoc_age
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-24T02:17:28.817Z
As an example, I trimmed your question down to just one question and formatted it in a way that I'd suggest for this site; hope you don't mind. +1 for an interesting topic, about which we didn't yet have a question!
hoc_age
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-25T06:00:34.170Z
Thanks for the suggestion. I'm learning the ropes. I appreciate your guidance.
Roland
<cold-brew>
What coarseness of grind works best for cold brew?
Roland
# What coarseness of grind works best for cold brew?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-02-23)

I recently received [a new device](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/B0009MZ67Q) for making cold brew coffee. It put out a really good cold brew. The filter is made out of a fine nylon mesh.

How coarsely (or finely) should the coffee be ground for best cold-brew extraction?

**Tags:** cold-brew

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: This is a bit broad, you need to narrow this down a bit, plus there are a couple cold brew questions already: http://coffee.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/cold-brew  
> **username_2**: Welcome to [coffee.se]! Your question doesn't quite fit the Q/A style of [se]; please take a minute to take [the tour](http://coffee.stackexchange.com/tour) and look at the [help]. How about restricting to "What characteristics of beans are best suited to cold-brew?" I'd be happy to change this around as an example; let me know. See also: [this question](http://coffee.stackexchange.com/q/481/262) talks about grind; other questions tagged [tag:cold-brew].  
> **username_2**: As an example, I trimmed your question down to just one question and formatted it in a way that I'd suggest for this site; hope you don't mind. +1 for an interesting topic, about which we didn't yet have a question!  
> **username_0**: Thanks for the suggestion. I'm learning the ropes. I appreciate your guidance.  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-02-24. Score: 7 | Accepted answer

Two guides do have specific (though differing!) recommendations on coarseness of grind for cold brew.

* Blue Bottle recommends [a grind **a bit finer** than paper-filtered drip coffee](https://bluebottlecoffee.com/preparation-guides/cold-brew) (they compare it to the same grind as for AeroPress); they're using an immersion setup with a wool filter.
* Kicking Horse recommends [a **medium-coarse** grind](http://www.kickinghorsecoffee.com/en/blog/how-make-cold-brew-coffee), nearly like that of French press; they are using a similar setup but claim that a finer grind extracts more bitter compounds.

Personally, I use the latter because I find the filtering goes more easily with a coarser grind; see also [this question about making cold brew easier to filter](https://coffee.stackexchange.com/questions/431/how-can-i-make-filtering-my-cold-brew-easier).

[This question](https://coffee.stackexchange.com/questions/481/whats-the-recommended-coffee-to-water-ratio-for-cold-brew) also discusses the grind. See also related questions with the tag [cold-brew](/questions/tagged/cold-brew "show questions tagged 'cold-brew'").


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### Answer by username_3 on 2016-09-08. Score: 2

In addition to the above listed guides I have also found another two to answer your question.

Prima Coffee recommends a [medium to fine grind](https://prima-coffee.com/blog/what-everyone-ought-know-about-iced-coffee-cold-brew-31371). They are using an AeroPress with 2 filters. They do suggest that at least one of those filters are paper.

ChestBrew has a how-to video that demonstrates the process of making cold brew from start to finish. Their [whole bean coffee](http://www.chestbrew.com/how-to) packaging suggests a medium coarse grind.

My husband and I are huge cold brew coffee fans and we prefer the second option because we've found that too fine a grind makes the coffee taste burnt and too harsh a grind makes the coffee too bitter. The medium coarse seems to make it just right. However, we use a pitcher and a milk bag to make our cold brew which I feel may make a difference in overall taste as compared to the device you referenced in your question.

Hope this helps and good luck!


---

