cold brew

1 of 2

noun

variants or cold brew coffee or cold-brew coffee

plural cold brews or cold brew coffees or cold-brew coffees

: a beverage prepared by steeping coffee grounds for usually 12 to 24 hours at room temperature or cooler and straining before serving cold

… said he had to stop in and try their coffee, and ordered a cold brew.

—Tim Hawk

After you've steeped and filtered your cold brew you should store it in your fridge.

—Jamie Stedmond

… many cold-brew coffees are offered as a ready-to-drink product …

—Oliver Strand

cold brew

2 of 2

verb

variants or cold-brew

ˈkōl(d)-ˈbrü 

cold brewed or cold-brewed; cold brewing or cold-brewing; cold brews or cold-brews

transitive verb

: to brew (coffee, tea, etc.) by steeping at room temperature or cooler

Examples of cold brew in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

For beverages, the bar has the usual tea and coffee preparations – the latter with beans from San Francisco’s Grand Coffee – as well as cardamom lattes and cardamom cold brew. — John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 23 June 2026

The cup is designed to hold your 20-ounce cold brew or other favorite drink. — Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 23 June 2026

The chain recently launched its first line of cold brew and cold foams in select Live Más Cafés on May 21. — Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 16 June 2026

Not a new app with a logo that looks like it was generated by a tech startup that serves cold brew in tiny cans. — Kyle Smitley, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026

Some people also find cold brew to be smoother and easier on the stomach, although this may be due to factors beyond acidity. — Christina Manian, Health, 10 June 2026

Classes planned for July include preserving and pickling foods by water bath canning, using and storing herbs, beekeeping and cold brew iced teas with Southeast Asian flavors from Mahal Tea Company. — Annie Alleman, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2026

Oleato Golden Foam™ Cold Brew | Those looking for a coffee-forward beverage have long loved cold brew—and with the addition of Partanna® extra-virgin olive oil, the ritual and flavor becomes even more refined. — Condé Nast Traveler, 26 May 2026

Wake up to a smooth, low-acid cold brew ready to go. — New Atlas, 12 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

2000, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1988, in the meaning defined above