Can You Reuse Coffee Grounds For Cold Brew? Yes Or No And Why!

In the aim to save the planet and reduce waste many coffee lovers ask, can you reuse coffee grounds for cold brew? The clear and straight answer is that you cannot use coffee grounds from any brewing method be it cold brew or hot coffee for brewing another cup of coffee.

But,

you can reuse your coffee grounds for other purposes and recycle them, or upcycle them for better or alternative uses which will reduce your household waste.

Keep reading for the details.

Can You Reuse Coffee Grounds For Cold Brew?

I have seen a few of my fellow coffee bloggers answering this question positively with claims that you can reuse coffee grounds for cold brew twice and even thrice. This is simply not true.

As a coffee enthusiast and as a genuine coffee lover I have tried reusing coffee ground with a wide range of brewing methods and even using the ground coffee from cold-brewed coffee and using them to make hot coffee.

The result is still a weak and flavorless cup of coffee.

If you could make a second cup of coffee using the cold brewing method or any other brewing technique both with or without a coffee maker, it is a sign that there is something wrong with your coffee brewing technique, your machine or both.

You should get all the flavor into your one and only cup of coffee. To keep your brewing skills sharp, it is not a bad idea to brew a second cup with your used coffee beans from time to time and sip test your brew. If it is weak, watery or slightly sour, as it should be, you can still use the brewed coffee as a liquid fertilizer for your garden, lawn and houseplants.

Read: Can you use coffee grounds twice for cold brew?

How Many Times Can You Reuse Coffee Grounds For Cold Brew?

You can only use your coffee grounds for making a cold brew coffee one time. If you brew twice and get a good or semi-decent coffee with a second round of brewing, you should have a deep look at your cold brewing coffee technique as you are not getting all those great flavors into your first cup of coffee.

It is most likely that your brew time is a little too short.

You can reuse your cold brew coffee grounds for making a skin and hair exfoliant, a body scrub, anticellulite solution and many other uses such as absorbing bad odors, a fertilizer for your garden soil and to repel pests.

Notably, using fresh grounds works much better for getting rid of pests.

Can You Reuse Coffee Grounds For A Second Cup?

No, regardless of the type of coffee that you are brewing be it an iced coffee, drip coffee, cold-brewed coffee, coffee sock coffee or French press coffee or even single serve coffee from a Keurig machine or Nespresso machine and even an espresso machine you should not be able to get a good cup of coffee from leftover coffee grounds.

The perfect coffee gets all the flavor into the first round of brewing.

If your drip coffee machine, espresso machine, or whatever coffee machine you are using is not getting all the flavor into your first round of brewing, check your coffee temperature to ensure that it is within the perfect brewing range of 92C to 96C (195F to 205F). If your machine is brewing at the lower end of this scale, adjust so that it gets to the higher end, nearer to 96C (205F) without tasting burnt or too bitter.

You may need to adjust the flow rate and pressure, depending on the type of coffee maker, to increase the contact time. Before you make those kinds of adjustments, first adjust your grind size.

Read: Can you reuse coffee grounds in French press?

Can You Reuse Coffee Grounds In A Coffee Maker?

No, no matter what type of coffee maker you shouldn’t even think of or even consider making a cup of coffee using coffee grounds that you have already brewed with.

Fresh coffee grounds can only be used to make one cup of coffee. I’ve heard all kinds of stories, including some crazy ideas that using dark roast coffee can be brewed a second time due to the strong coffee flavor.

This is simply not true.

Any cup of coffee brewed with used coffee grounds will taste like water with only a slight hint of coffee.

Can You Reuse Coffee Grounds French Press?

No, even though this way of making coffee is great, this full immersion brewing technique will not get you a full flavored cup of coffee into a second cup of coffee. It cannot put into reused coffee grounds what is not there, what I am talking about is coffee flavor and complex flavor from the grounds.

You can reuse coffee ground from a French press or brewing methods for recycling purposes like making coffee scrubs for exfoliating face and body scrubs, getting rid of insects, repairing scratched furniture and as a great soil revitalize and for your compost pile.

Read: Can you reuse coffee grounds?

How To Make A Double Cold Brew Coffee

There is only one way of making a unique and brilliant double cold brew coffee. I’m not talking about making a coffee that is double strength; strictly speaking it is double brewed.

Start by brewing cold brew coffee as you normally would, using a 1:8 coffee to water ratio and ice-cold water. Let your cold brew coffee brew in your fridge so that it extracts all the low temperature compounds.

Filter and remove your coffee grounds using a metal filter.

The second round of brewing uses the French press coffee brewing technique and a coffee to water ratio of 1:16 coffee to water ratio.

Both cold brew and French press use the full immersion method, which is why I have selected the French press. When ready, filter out the coffee ground and decant your French press coffee.

Now comes the double cold brew coffee. Pour equal amounts of both the hot and cold brew coffee and refrigerate until it is cool.

Add ice and enjoy.

This method produces a cold brew coffee with both the high and low temperature compounds.

Frequently Asked Questions About Can You Reuse Coffee Grounds For Cold Brew

Can You Use Already Ground Coffee For Cold Brew?

Yes, preground coffee, coffee that has already been ground can be used for making an excellent cold brew coffee provided that they are of a large coarse grind size. Smaller grind size used for espresso can’t be used as it is too small and will easily over extract and will produce a cup of coffee that is too easy to over extract and will likely taste too bitter to enjoy.

What To Do With Coffee Grounds After Cold Brew?

Used coffee grounds that you have been used to make cold brew or other types of coffee can be reused in many different ways.

Here are some great ways of reusing old coffee grounds:

• 1. Repel insects and bugs.
• 2. As a facial scrub.
• 3. As a hair scrub.
• 4. Furniture repair and stainer.
• 5. Odor neutralizer.
• 6. To revitalize your soil.
• 7. To add nutrients to your compost.

How Long Can You Leave Coffee Grounds In Cold Brew?

The typical brew time for cold brew can range from 16 hours to over 24 hours depending on the grind size. Whole bean cold brew takes longer to brew due to the large size. Also, the lower the brewing temperature, the longer it will take to extract and brew your coffee.

The key to knowing how long to leave your cold brew to extract is to run a taste test after 16 to 18 hours. If your coffee tastes great, perfect. If it doesn’t, leave it for a few hours more and repeat the taste test until it has that amazing taste for you.

How Many Times Can You Use Same Grounds For Cold Brew?

You can only use your coffee grounds once for brewing your cold brew or other type of coffee drinks. While there are many websites that claim that you can use your ground for a second cup of coffee, this is simply not true.

If you are brewing your coffee perfectly, you should get all the goodness in your coffee from your fresh ground first time. If you are able to get a second cup of coffee from your fresh coffee grounds, it is an indication that you need to fix something with your brewing technique.

Can I Brew The Same Grounds Twice?

If you are using a great brewing technique, regardless of the brewing method, you should be getting all the flavor into your first cup brewed. A second cup of coffee should taste sour. If it does, congratulations! Your brewing technique was perfect!

If your coffee maker is producing a good or acceptable second cup of coffee with the same coffee grounds, you will probably need to make an adjustment to get more of the flavor into your first time brewing.

How Many Coffee Grounds For Cold Brew?

The golden ratio for cold brewing method as set by the Specialty Coffee Association is 1:8. This ratio is the coffee to water ratio which indicates how much coffee you need to use in relation to the amount of water used.

The golden ratio is, as the same suggests, the perfect ratio for making the perfect cup of coffee. Use 8 times the amount of water as you use coffee grounds.

Or divide the amount of water by 8. For example, you want to brew a 12 Oz (360 ml) cup of coffee using the cold brew method. Divide the amount of water (360ml, 12 Oz) by 8, and you will get the perfect amount of coarsely ground coffee to use. Which is 45 grams (1.5 Oz).

Does Freezing Coffee Grounds Keep It Fresher?

Yes, freezing both coffee grounds and whole beans helps to keep them fresher. When you freeze ground coffee, whole beans or any food item you are effectively delaying the degradation of them due to significantly reducing the rate in which it oxidizes.

Can I Cold Brew For 2 Days?

If you use iced cold water and whole coffee beans and brew your coffee in the fridge at a very low temperature of 1 or 2 degrees Celsius (33F to 35F).

Final Thoughts – Can You Reuse Coffee Grounds For Cold Brew?

Having read this far you already know the answer to the question, can you reuse coffee grounds for cold brew and have a few good ideas about the alternative uses that you can use your old coffee grounds for.

And you have a great recipe for a cold brew coffee that has both the low temperature flavor compounds and the hot temperature compounds.

Join our cool coffee community and tell us about your great ways of reusing coffee grounds and help us all to reduce our household waste. Find us on Facebook/Meta.

Derek Marshall

Derek Marshall, a certified barista by the Specialty Coffee Association possesses over two decades of experience in specialty coffee shops. He holds professional certifications for coffee brewing and barista skills. Derek is also an author with authoritative books covering various coffee topics including specialty coffee, sustainability and coffee, coffee brewing, coffee recipes, coffee cocktails and books focusing on Brazilian coffee, Vietnamese coffee, Indonesian coffee and Malaysian coffee. As a barista for over two decades, Derek Marshall has worked in specialty coffee shops across the United Kingdom, Spain, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. His expertise extends to the distinct coffee cultures, specialty beverages, and brewing techniques of each nation. Functioning as a coffee consultant, Derek charges US$50 per hour. To learn more about Derek Marshall and Latte Love Brew, visit his About Me Page. For coffee inquiries, contact him at +34-639-410-375 or Derek@LatteLoveBrew.com, mentioning your name and location