Cold Brew Coffee Bottling | Save Money on YOUR Favorite Flavor

Bottling Cold Brew Coffee at Home Is Easy! Check Out This Awesome Flavored Cold Brew Guide.

Have you ever had a truly delicious flavored cold brew coffee? I’m talking about a fresh, velvety smooth cold brew loaded with rich flavor nuances that make your taste buds sing. It's the kind of drink that makes you go “ahh'' after every sip. If you know, you know!

Cold brew coffee can come in flavors like butter pecan, mint chocolate, vanilla, maple, pistachio, macadamia, brown sugar, caramel, and even apricot! Usually, this sort of high-end coffee will cost top dollar at a gourmet coffee shop. 

However, many people don’t realize that bottling flavored cold brew coffee at home is possible! More than that, it’s fairly easy to do. You just have to understand the infusion process. In this flavored cold brew bottling guide, we will cover it all!

Deliciously Flavored, Naturally Sugar-Free, Smooth Cold Brew Coffee is at Your Fingertips. Check it out!

Okay, so now that I’ve piqued your interest, how do you make flavored cold-brew coffee yourself? Can you really bottle deliciously smooth and refreshing cold brew coffee (in your favorite flavors of course) at home without having to pay big bucks at some coffee retailer? Yes! And it’s easier than you’d think. It all comes down to having two main ingredients: patience and quality coffee. 

How to Use Flavored Coffee Grounds to Bottle Your Own Cold Brew Coffee

It's true that flavored cold brew coffee can be expensive at corporate coffee chains, and even though a lot of people have a general idea of how to craft cold brew at home, getting those unique flavors infused into a drink can seem like a daunting process.

However, you really can make deliciously smooth-flavored cold brew coffee at home without much effort. Bottling your own cold brew can save you a ton of money and the results will generally be of far better quality than what you’d get from a mainstream coffee place. 

If you're hooked on the stuff like I am, the process is worth it. Basically, you will be using flavored coffee grounds and cold water as your base. Here’s the gist of it: 

Simply mix your favorite flavored coffee grounds (I love this brand) and cold water together in a container with a lid, preferably a glass bottle. Then, leave the mixture to steep in your fridge for 24 hours. The longer it steeps, the stronger it will be. But, 24 hours is generally as long as you will ever need to wait. After the flavored coffee grounds have had time to infuse into the water, strain them out (you can use a filter, sieve, or tea strainer) and enjoy! 

There are many important aspects to the process that you will want to understand to get things just right. So, I will go over the nuances of bottling flavored cold brew in-depth and give you the full instructions in the next section. Then, you can become an at-home barista and flavored cold brew coffee pro. 

Making Your Own Flavored Cold Brew Coffee: Everything to Know

Now, here are some notes on my process, and everything you need to know about making your own flavored cold brew from home!

You Have to Get the Right Flavored Coffee Grounds to Bottle Cold Brew

It's so important to use the right coffee when bottling cold brew coffee at home. In fact, it’s probably the biggest difference between flavorful cold brew coffee that's amazing, and cold brew that's just "okay". So, let's talk about finding the right flavored coffee grounds.

For one thing, you’ve got to realize that not all coffee grounds are created equally. Many of the blends you’d get at the grocery store are made using Robusta coffee beans mixed with Arabica varieties. (This saves the coffee producers money but makes for subpar cold brew. Robusta coffee is not nearly as smooth as Arabica coffee). 

So you want to get 100% pure Arabica coffee. From there, you have to find a pre-flavored coffee that you love and select the right grind size. You can get flavors like peach cobbler, blueberry, praline, pecan pie, almond, chocolate, and more if you know where to look. 

Understanding the Arabica Cold Brew Difference

Pure Arabica coffee is rich and delicately nuanced with sweet undertones. In contrast, Robusta coffee beans are very astringent and can be bitter and acidic. They just don’t work great for making steeped cold brew. Big differences come in with caffeine content, acidity, and overall taste. Therefore, you will want to have pure Arabica coffee grounds to work with when prepping cold brews at home.

Using Flavored Coffee Grounds is Key in for Good Infusion

Next, you need to use flavored coffee grounds if you want to infuse your cold brew with bold, noticeable flavors that don’t detract from the consistency of your cold brew. Adding your own flavoring ingredients can sometimes work, but it's a complicated process. The wrong flavoring ingredients or extracts can mess up the infusion process and make the oils in your cold brew separate in an unpalatable way. 

Some coffee chains also add flavored syrups to their finished cold brew drinks. However, this also adds unwanted components to your cold brew coffee like corn syrups, chemicals, and calories. Who needs that? 

Instead, you can just get pre-flavored coffee grounds and expedite the whole process without adding extra ingredients or complicating matters. You can add sweeteners as well if you wish, but it’s important to add them after the fact so that the infusion process is not interrupted. 

Therefore, to enjoy flavored cold brew at home, first, get some pure Arabica coffee, preferably in a medium roast, either pre-ground or whole bean, in your favorite flavor. (OneGreatCoffee.Com has over 100 different pure Arabica flavored coffees that are great for this purpose!) 

Ground Flavored Coffee is Easiest to Work With for At-Home Bottled Cold Brew

Some people aren’t sure how fine coffee grounds should be for cold brew. In my experience, standard grind sizes work best. This makes filtering things easier when the infusion is over. After all, you have to grind the coffee to some extent for extraction to take place in cold water. 

The finer your grind is, the stronger the cold brew will be. However, if coffee is too fine, like an espresso grind, it becomes nearly impossible to strain out when you’re done brewing. So, regular standard coffee grounds are ideal for this recipe. 

Making Decaf Cold Brew Coffee

Finding decaf cold brewed coffee can be incredibly difficult! If you want a decaf cold brew, making it from home is definitely the way to go. These coffee grounds (click here) are decaf, flavored, and made with pure arabica coffee beans. Personally, I have used this Vanilla Macadamia Decaf coffee to make cold brew, and the results were SUBLIME! If you want to make the perfect decaf cold brew coffee at home, I highly recommend this brand! 

Full Flavored Cold Brew Coffee Bottling Recipe in 5 Easy Steps

I've been hooked on cold brew coffee for a while now. The thing is, I don't like paying seven or eight dollars for a single cup of coffee. That's why I immediately started trying to replicate the recipe myself.

Learning to bottle my own cold brew coffee took some trial and error, and adding flavors to the brew involved a bit of problem-solving. However, after doing a decent bit of research online, talking to some fellow baristas, and trying out some different methods, I landed on the PERFECT way to make cold brew at home using pre-flavored coffee grounds. 

I definitely want to share the love, so here's my recipe,

Ingredients: 

• Flavored Coffee Grounds (You can use Regular or Decaf for Cold Brew)
• A Glass Bottle with a Lid
• A Sieve or Strainer
• Purified Water

Recipe Time:

• Prep - Less than 5 Minutes
• Steeping - 18-24 Hours

Step 1: Get Your Ingredients Ready

The main part of making this cold brew recipe is finding the right glass bottle and buying great flavored coffee grounds to steep. Also, you will want to use purified water, as tap water can leave a chlorinated flavor in your cold brew. 

I recommend using a glass bottle that has a lid that seals tightly. The size of the bottle isn't particularly important, just choose one that can make as much cold brew as you want. The goal is to seal everything nicely and protect it from absorbing any flavors in your fridge. Since the coffee will be steeping for a while, you don't want to use plastic. There are lots of reasons for this, and plastic containers can easily become stained during infusion. 

Once you have a source of purified water and the best possible Arabica flavored coffee grounds, you can proceed to step 2. 

Step 2: Add the Flavored Coffee in a 6:1 Water to Coffee Ratio

Now, you will add some ground, flavored coffee to your bottle. Just dump them on in there! I like to use a 6:1 ratio of one part coffee grounds to six parts water. However, sometimes I make a stronger cold brew that is made from 1 part coffee to just 5 parts water. It all depends on how strong you want your cold-brew coffee to be. 

Now just add the water and put the lid on the glass bottle. You can shake the grounds and cold water mixture together if you want. Immediately you will see that the bottle looks filled with dark coffee, as infusion begins immediately. 

Step 3: Chill for Up to 24 Hours

Now, pop your coffee and water mixture in the fridge for 18-24 hours. I like to go the full 24 hours and usually make a bottle in the morning when I am getting ready for work. Then, the next morning, it’s ready to go! It’s important to be patient and let the coffee grounds fully infuse for the best flavor results. 

Step 4: Strain and Serve 

Now, using your sieve or colander, strain out the grounds and pour the liquid into a separate container. Using cold water, rinse your original container out, and then pour your finished cold brew back into the original glass bottle. Since it has a lid, you can now store it in the fridge. Enjoy! 

Storage Suggestions: How Long Does Cold Brew Last?

Fresh cold brew coffee lasts in the fridge for about 5 days so you should have plenty of time to go through your first batch and drink it at your leisure. After 5 days or so, I suggest making a fresh batch of cold brew coffee to enjoy. 

Serving Suggestions: Adding Cold Foam and Sweeteners

Serve your cold brew coffee chilled in a glass. You can add ice, cream, milk, or sweetening syrups if you wish! Personally, I like to whip up a little sweet cream cold foam to add on top. (Here's a recipe for my favorite pistachio cold foam copycat drink.)

Bottled Coffee FAQs

Now let’s go over some frequently asked questions on bottled coffee, homemade cold brew, and flavored cold brew. 

Why bottle cold brew instead of buying cold brew from a store?

You can get better coffee, in more flavors, for less money. Making at-home flavored bottled coffee is a great way to unlock the freshest and tastiest cold brew drinks!

How to store coffee in bottles?

Always use clean glass bottles with lids that seal properly. Store your cold brew bottled coffee in the fridge for up to five days after the steeping process has been completed. 

How long does bottled cold brew last?

Bottled coffee for cold brew can last about five days after you make it. After five days, I recommend making fresh coffee. This gives you the best flavors and the smoothest finish. 

Is decaf cold brew a thing? 

If you make it yourself it is! And here’s the kicker: due to the lower caffeine content, (usually less than 1 mg of caffeine per serving) bottled decaf cold brew is incredibly smooth and gentle on the stomach in comparison to fully caffeinated coffee. Get decaf coffee grounds and make your own flavored cold brew to see for yourself! 

Why should you use pre-flavored coffee grounds for bottled cold brew?

Pre-flavored coffee grounds make the infusion process simpler. This method also prevents unwanted effects during the steeping process. Plus, you get all the flavor without the extra calories. You also don’t have to splurge on getting oil-based extracts or other expensive ingredients to add to your cold brew. 

Can you reheat cold brew?

Yes! Storing your coffee in the fridge and reheating it one cup at a time works just fine. If you decide that you want to enjoy your bottled cold brew coffee warm, just pour some into a mug and heat it up. Easy! It’s super smooth and very satisfying with a velvety finish and some of the lowest acidity around when it comes to coffee. This is especially true if it was made with decaf and or Arabica coffee beans. 

FLAVORED COLD BREW FINAL THOUGHTS: It’s a Game Changer. (COLD BREW + FLAVOR = Pure Bliss.)

This recipe really is a game-changer. Usually, I make this at-home-flavored bottled cold brew coffee about three times a week. Since a fresh jug of store-bought flavored cold brew can cost upwards of $20, I really am saving a lot of money. I get to enjoy many different coffee drinks that are fresher, tastier, and well worth the price of a bag of pre-flavored coffee grounds. 

This process lets me take my favorite flavored coffee to the next level and enjoy it in the smoothest, freshest, and most delicious way! This coffee has almost no bitterness, is low in acidity, and has a slightly sweeter and significantly smoother taste than traditional iced coffee. I highly recommend getting a bag of flavored coffee and making bottled cold brew yourself!