Cold drip coffee explained: A comprehensive guide

WELCOME to our comprehensive guide on cold drip coffee — for coffee lovers eager to explore new brewing techniques.

Cold drip coffee has been around for hundreds of years, however it’s been enjoying something of a revival in recent years.

Some cafes have added cold drip coffee to their menu to give their customers more choice and boost revenue, especially during the sweltering summer months.

Whether you're a café owner or a barista, this guide will help you get to grips with this unique brew.

What is cold drip coffee?

Cold drip coffee is a distinct brewing method that results in a smooth, flavourful cup of concentrated elixir.

Unlike traditional brewing methods that use hot water, cold drip coffee is created by dripping cold water over a bed of ground coffee for several hours.

Instead of heat, this method relies on time to extract oils, flavours and other compounds from the coffee.

(Cold water and time are also key ingredients in the cold brew method — see 'Cold drip vs cold brew coffee' section below).

How does cold drip coffee differ from regular coffee?

The slower and gentler cold-water extraction process draws out less oils and acids from the coffee.

This results in a mellower taste — less bitter and acidic, sweeter and smoother — compared to espresso, filter and other hot brewing methods.

The slower extraction process also means cold drip coffee typically has a higher caffeine concentration than traditional hot brews.

Origins of cold drip coffee

The origins of cold drip coffee can be traced back centuries, with roots in Japan and the Netherlands.

In Japan, the Kyoto-style cold drip method was developed in the 1600s, where it was known as "Mizudashi".

The Dutch developed their own version called "Dutch coffee" in the 1700s.

Over time, cold drip coffee has gained popularity worldwide, and today it is enjoyed by coffee enthusiasts for its unique characteristics.

Cold drip coffee tower

At the heart of the cold drip coffee brewing process is a multi-tiered ‘drip tower’.

The tower essentially comprises three glass vessels stacked one above the other in a wooden frame.

The diagram below shows you the various parts of a typical cold drip tower:

Parts of the tower

How the tower works

Water drips slowly and steadily from the water reservoir down into a container of ground coffee.

The grinds are covered by a paper filter that distributes the water across the entire bed of coffee to ensure even extraction.

When the grinds becomes saturated, coffee extract begins to drip — through another filter at the bottom of the ground-coffee container — into a collection jar below.

Gravity and time do most of the work!

This process allows for a slow and controlled extraction of the coffee’s flavours.

How to make cold drip coffee

What you’ll need:

To create cold drip coffee concentrate, you’ll need these items:

• cold drip tower
• coffee beans
• coffee grinder
• coffee filters
• water and/or ice.

Process for making cold drip:

1. If necessary, line the bottom of the ground-coffee container with a fine-mesh metal filter or paper filter (this will keep the coffee grounds separate from the brew). Some models have a built-in lower filter.

2. Weigh and grind your coffee beans (medium to dark roast) to a medium coarseness. Work to a rough 1:8 ratio of coffee to cold water (i.e. about 60g of ground coffee per 500ml of water).

3. Add the ground coffee to the middle chamber, level off the coffee, and place a paper filter on top of it (this upper filter will help disperse the water across the entire bed of coffee). Position the chamber on the tower.

4. Add cold water to the top chamber (as per the ratio mentioned above) and turn the drip-control valve to a setting of 1 drip every 2–3 seconds. (You may have to adjust the valve as the water pressure drops and the drip-rate slows.) Use filtered water for better brew taste and clarity. Add ice, if you want.

5. When the water in the reservoir runs out (3–12 hours depending on the drip rate and batch size), the brew is ready. Put it in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to use it (it should keep for at least a week).

6. To serve, pour the concentrated brew over ice or dilute it 1:2 with water or milk, according to your preference.

Best beans for cold drip coffee

Certain beans lend themselves to cold drip coffee more than others.

Some experts recommend you avoid single-origin coffees, grocery-store whole beans and pre-ground coffee.

Instead, they say you should use a good, middle-of-the-road specialty coffee that has been roasted within the last 10 days.

Filter roast is said to be best for lighter, fruitier brews drunk black, while espresso roast is said to be best for bolder brews, including ones to which milk is added.

Brew time for cold drip coffee

Brewing with cold water is gentler than brewing with hot water, and therefore requires more contact time between the water and coffee to extract the flavour.

For cold drip coffee, the brew time is 3–12 hours; the longer the brew time, the more intense the flavour.

Because of the longer brewing time, a coarser grind is best.

The classic way of serving cold drip coffee is over ice as an espresso-sized shot (45ml), but it can also be diluted with water or milk to moderate its intensity.

Taste and flavour of cold drip coffee

As previously mentioned, cold drip coffee extract is smoother and less acidic than hot brew coffee.

The muted acid allows the cold drip coffee’s sweet, fruity and floral notes to express themselves.

You can produce extracts of different strengths, tastes and flavours by using different beans, roast levels, grind sizes, water temperatures, drip rates, and brewing times.

How to serve cold drip coffee

Purists recommend you serve cold drip coffee over ice as an espresso-sized shot (45ml).

However, other coffee lovers suggest you add water or milk, to bring the resulting cup to a normal-strength cold brew beverage.

(Purists argue that cold drip coffee losses its complexity when diluted.)

Cold drip coffee extract can also be used as a base for coffee cocktails.

Health benefits of cold drip coffee

The cold drip coffee extraction process helps preserve the coffee’s antioxidants and essential oils.

These compounds can reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

The less acidic coffee is also said to be gentler on your stomach.

Cold drip vs cold brew coffee

Another popular beverage is cold brew coffee.

While cold drip and cold brew coffee are both served cold, they have some significant differences (see table below):

	Cold drip coffee	Cold brew coffee
Equipment	Needs specialised equipment, namely a cold drip coffee tower, though they’re inexpensive (in most cases $100–$500).	Does not require specialist equipment — any large, glass container (e.g. mason jar) will do the trick. (Or you can use a French press or a specially designed cold brewer.)
Brewing method	Slow and controlled dripping of cold water over a bed of coffee grounds.	Full immersion of coffee grounds in cold water for an extended period.
Brewing time	3–12 hours (depending on the batch size and desired strength and flavour profile)	12–24 hours (depending on the batch size and desired strength and flavour profile)
Filtration	The drip tower includes a filter, so the final product doesn’t need to be filtered again before it’s consumed.	The gritty and muddy extract must be strained several times (e.g. with a sieve and/or paper filter) before it’s consumed. (French presses and custom cold brewers remove the need for extra filtering.)
Consistency	Thick and syrupy.	Filter-style brew with a small amount of sediment that gives it a ‘mouthfeel’.
Taste & flavour	Fuller, richer body.	Lighter, with sweet, fruity and floral notes.
How served	Classically served over ice, but can also be diluted with water or milk to moderate its intensity.	Usually diluted with water or milk (though cold drip is said to be best mixed with milk, as its stronger flavour carries through the milk).
Caffeine	Because the drink is smaller — it’s typically served over ice with no added water — its caffeine content is higher by volume.	Though stronger in its ‘raw’ form, it’s often diluted before serving, so ends up with less caffeine by volume.

 

Which is best?

The choice between cold drip coffee and cold brew coffee is not clear cut; it boils down to personal preferences.

If you prefer a shorter, fuller-bodied coffee, or you like milk in your coffee, then cold drip is probably the way to go.

If you’re a fan of a longer, sweeter drink, then cold brew might be your best bet.

Need coffee equipment?

Cold coffee is becoming more of a fixture in Australian cafes keen to meet rising customer demand for refreshing drinks, especially in summer.

While cold coffee is blossoming in Australia, hot coffee will remain in the ascendancy for the foreseeable future.

So while you may want to explore getting a cold drip tower for your café, you’re always going to need an espresso machine.

Explore our collection of espresso machines, grinders, and tampers today!

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