How To Make Cold Drip Coffee At Home: Step By Step Guide

Some enjoy cold drip coffee leisurely, some regularly and some occasionally. But a few people can make cold-drip coffee easily. Though cold drip coffee is a bit difficult to make, unfortunately, many think drip coffee making is more complex than as it is really. However, don’t worry; our straightforward guide will help you in learning how to make cold drip coffee at home.

Put cold water in the top chamber of the drip tower. Now, pour coffee grounds into the second part. Place a container in the lowest chamber of the tower. Now, run the water chamber. Water will fall on the coffee surface of the second part of the tower and pass the whole thickness of the coffee bed. Finally, the last reservoir gives place to the coffee beverage.

In the below sections, we will cover all the necessary information about making cold drip coffee. We will describe the whole process of tower setting, coffee and water amount, extraction duration, etc. Let’s begin!

What is cold drip coffee?

Cold drip coffee is a type of coffee made with water drips that fall on a coffee ground surface from a drip tower. And then, the water passes the full thickness of the coffee ground surface and comes into the below pot or jar. Since cool water comes from the drip tower and makes the coffee, it is named cold drip coffee.

How does a cold drip coffee maker work?

A cold drip coffee maker is a unique one. The drip coffee making has notable differences from other methods of coffee making as well as similarities to the cold brew making. Unlike other coffee makers, a cold drip maker is like a tower and combined structure of necessary things and sections. 

The maker has three major sections – the top, the middle and the lowest section. The first section takes water, the second takes coffee ground and the third preserves the final output. 

To make cold drip coffee – the top container takes water and passes it to the container through a below-attached pipe. The second container gives place to the coffee grounds and allows water to wet them and water percolates to the last container. The last chamber reserves the coffee output. 

What ratio is the best for cold drip coffee?

There is no recognition for a single ratio as the best for cold drip coffee. You can make it with a 1:6, 1:8, 1:10 or something else. After making drip coffee with a few ratios, you can select one for you. 

How to make cold drip coffee at home without hassle?

With a little arrangement and patience, you can enjoy cold drip coffee, which is easy to make, inexpensive and highly satisfactory. Here is the full step-by-step guide for all sorts of coffee lovers. 

Setting up the drip tower

For a new drip cold coffee lover, a drip coffee maker, also known as a drip coffee tower or maker, is badly needed. A drip coffee tower is available in the market or online shops at $300 – $1000 generally. Depending on some specialities of the maker, the price range may vary. You can also make the cold drip coffee tower at home.

According to your coffee needs, you can select one drip machine from various sizes. The coffee maker is actually a tower-like set of three (3) portions: top or water chamber, second or coffee ground chamber and lowest or coffee chamber. 

All three chambers are combined to a single structure. You can separate each container of the three chambers. Since all the containers are detachable, you can easily handle them. Thus, it brings more convenience in usage. 

Collecting ingredients

To make cold drip coffee, you need to collect all the ingredients close at hand. Here, you need freshly ground coffee beans (recommended for a better test), cold and filtered water, a drip tower, flavors and ice (optional) as additives, etc. 

Putting coffee grounds in the second chamber 

You need to keep some coffee grounds in the coffee ground section under the first chamber. This middle chamber contains a water-emitting short pipe below. This allows the percolated water to go into the final jar. There is a filter in the lower part of the chamber and before the start of the pipe. This filter prevents coffee grounds from going through the lower pipe. And only the coffee liquid (without ground) passes and reaches the pot. 

Starting the water dripper

Keep some filtered water in the top chamber of the drip tower and set the number of water drips it should allow per minute. The number should not be excess or less than the regular rate. The number can be set to 40- 50 per minute. This can be increased or decreased depending on the coffee ground and water amount you use for the desired amount of coffee. 

If it happens, it will affect your cold-drip coffee by making it weaker or stronger. To secure the appropriate number of drips, you should check it properly after a few minutes of commencement. 

Adjusting the jar of the lowest section

The last part stores the final output of the above two sections in a carafe, which is separable. If it stays here normally, it is fine. If you have kept it anywhere else, place it properly before starting the water chamber. 

Allow the process 3-12 hours

The whole process of making cold drip coffee may take at least 3 – 4 hours. The total time may increase depending on your coffee demand. ‍The size and amount of the coffee ground, drip tower capacity, etc., also affect cold drip coffee duration. 

Cold drip coffee vs. cold brew coffee

Some coffee lovers often mess with identifying cold drip coffee and cold brew coffee. Actually, they differ from each other in many perspectives. Here are the key points of their differences. 

History

Compared to the coffee history, cold drip coffee and cold brew coffee history is newer. In comparison, cold drip coffee has a newer record of its origin, while cold brew is a bit older. 

Popularity

Cold drip coffee has quite a popularity, but not more than cold brew coffee. Being easy to make, cold brew coffee has earned more popularity than cold drip coffee. On the other hand, cold drip coffee is bit complex to enjoy. This complexity has hindered people from loving drip coffee.

Making process

Preparing cold brew is so easy, while drip coffee includes more complexity. To make cold drip coffee, you need a dripper, coffee ground container, filter and the final reservoir, while you need coarse coffee grounds, cold filtered water, a jar and a filter for cold brew coffee.

Extraction process and duration

Cold drip coffee is made with cold and filtered water coffee that needs less extraction period of 3 to 4 hours, but cold brew needs at least 12 hours or more for the same purpose. 

Health benefits

Drip coffee has a lot of benefits, like refreshing, easy digestion, caffeine enrichment, and superb aroma and taste. Cold brew coffee is famous for its freshness, fragrance, taste and rich caffeine, etc. 

Preservation

Cold drip coffee is preservable for a couple of days or a week. The cold brew lasts 4 or 5 days or a week. In a refrigerator, both coffee can last for a bit extended duration.

Taste

The taste of drip coffee is so good that one can feel great attraction just after testing it once. On the other hand, cold brew coffee is more tasty than usual coffee. 

To have a look at the main differences, we are showing a chart here.

Subject of differentiation	Cold drip coffee	Cold brew coffee
Ingredients	Coffee ground, filtered cold water, filter, jar, spoon, etc.	Coarse coffee ground, room temperature water.
The making process	Water passes through the coffee bean and the final output comes out.	Needs to mix all the ingredients in water.
Extraction method	Percolation Process	Immersion process.
Duration of preparation	Needs 3 – 12 hours.	Need at least 12 hours.
Mouthfeel	Like normal coffee	Frothy and sweeter
Serving method	No recommended dilution stage here. Because it takes a weaker coffee-to-water ratio.	Need to dilute with water as it is made of with stronger coffee-to-water ratio.
Preservation	Can be preserved for up to 3-7 days normally.	Without a fridge for 2-3 days and in a fridge a week.
Additives	You can add some ice cubes, milk, sugar,	Ice, milk, chocolate, milk, etc can be added.

Caution during drip coffee making

1. Stand your drip tower on a solid stand so it does not move a bit.
2. Ensure that your stand is at a crowdless place.
3. Detach all the parts, jars or containers carefully with no hurry.
4. Pour water and coffee into each of the containers carefully. It’s better to measure the coffee grounds and water before starting the task.
5. New drip coffee lovers can try several types at regular intervals while the old can fix it quickly.
6. Clean the containers with care.

Should you try cold drip coffee?

For all the coffee lovers, cold drip coffee is a must-try one. Just after hearing the name, you may think that this is almost similar to the cold brew. But being a different extraction-based coffee, this contains a different taste.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Cold drip coffee means a bit more to arrange, but you can certainly enjoy its quality. Moreover, our guide has revealed the secret of how to make cold drip coffee at home. We hope you must try cold brew coffee following our guide.