Cold Brew

Vanilla sweet cream cold brew is Starbucks’s slow-steeped cold brew topped with a float of vanilla-sweetened heavy cream — the sweet cream slowly cascades through the cold brew in ribbons, adding a rich, creamy sweetness without mixing in completely. This is one of Starbucks’s most popular drinks, and for good reason: the combination of concentrated cold brew and lightly sweetened cream is genuinely excellent. The good news is that it’s almost absurdly easy to make at home — the only “special” ingredient is the vanilla sweet cream, which is heavy cream + whole milk + vanilla syrup. ...

The best cold brew coffee recipe: combine 1 cup coarse-ground coffee with 8 cups cold water, steep in the fridge for 12–24 hours, then strain. That’s it. Cold brew is the simplest brewing method in a home barista’s arsenal — no heat, no pressure, no technique required. Just coffee, water, time, and a strainer. The result is a smooth, naturally sweet concentrate with less acidity than any hot-brew method. Cold Brew Coffee Recipe (Regular Strength) Ratio: 1:8 (1 part coffee to 8 parts water) Steep time: 12–18 hours in the refrigerator Yield: About 8 cups (adjustable) ...

The standard cold brew ratio is 1:8 — 1 gram of coffee for every 8 grams of water. For cold brew concentrate (which you dilute before drinking), use a stronger 1:4 ratio. A 1-liter batch at 1:8 uses 125g of coarsely ground coffee; a concentrate batch at 1:4 uses 250g. Cold Brew Ratio Quick Reference Style Coffee Water Ratio Serve As Regular strength 125g 1000g (1L) 1:8 Drink straight over ice Regular strength 63g 500g (500ml) 1:8 Half batch Concentrate 250g 1000g (1L) 1:4 Dilute 1:1 with water or milk Concentrate (medium) 167g 1000g (1L) 1:6 Dilute 1:0.5 (2 parts cold brew, 1 part water) All weights in grams. Measure by weight for consistency. ...