Decaf cold brew is made exactly like regular cold brew, just with decaf beans: coarse coffee steeped in cold water for most of a day, then strained. You get the same smooth, low-bitterness iced coffee with only a few milligrams of caffeine, so you can drink it in the afternoon or evening.
The one catch is flavor. Decaf beans lose some of their character in processing, so the bean you choose matters more than usual. Here is the recipe, which decaf to buy, and how much caffeine is actually left.
Decaf cold brew concentrate
Makes about 2 cups of concentrate, enough for 4 iced coffees. 150 g (about 1 3/4 cups) coarsely ground decaf coffee and 750 g (about 3 cups) cold or room-temperature filtered water.
- Grind coarse, like raw sugar. Fine grounds make the brew muddy and bitter.
- Mix. Put the grounds in a jar, pour in the water and stir until there are no dry clumps.
- Steep. Cover and leave 12 to 18 hours on the counter, or 18 to 24 hours in the fridge.
- Strain. Pour through a fine sieve, then through a paper filter or cheesecloth for a clean cup. Do not squeeze the grounds.
- Serve. Mix the concentrate about 1:1 with cold water or milk over ice. Keep the rest sealed in the fridge and use it within a week.
That is a 1:5 ratio of coffee to water by weight. If you would rather skip the dilution step, brew at 1:8 (for example 90 g coffee to 720 g water) and pour it straight over ice. Our full cold brew guide covers both strengths, plus French press, mason jar and AeroPress methods; all of them work the same with decaf.
How Much Caffeine Is in Decaf Cold Brew?
Very little, but not zero. In the United States, coffee labeled decaf has had at least 97 percent of its caffeine removed. Mayo Clinic puts an 8-ounce cup of brewed decaf at about 2 mg of caffeine. Cold brew concentrate is stronger than drip coffee, so a glass of decaf cold brew may have a few milligrams more, but it is still a tiny fraction of the regular version.
| Drink | Typical caffeine |
|---|---|
| Brewed decaf, 8 oz | About 2 mg |
| Decaf cold brew, 16 oz glass | Usually under 10 mg |
| Brewed coffee, 8 oz | About 96 mg |
| Regular cold brew, 16 oz glass | Often well over 100 mg, depending on strength |
One common mix-up: cold brew is not a low-caffeine drink. Regular cold brew uses a lot of coffee, so a large glass can carry more caffeine than a hot cup. If you are cutting back, it has to be decaf. Our caffeine guide compares the numbers for other drinks.
Choosing Decaf Beans for Cold Brew
Cold brew mutes acidity and brings out chocolate, nut and caramel flavors, and that suits most decafs well. Medium to medium-dark roasts are the safest choice. Very light decafs can taste flat or papery when cold-brewed, and very dark ones turn ashy. Buy whole beans and grind them yourself if you can; decaf goes stale faster than regular coffee once ground.
The decaffeination method affects flavor and is usually printed on the bag. Our guide to how coffee is decaffeinated explains each one in detail.
- How
- Water and carbon filters only
- On the bag
- “Swiss Water Process” or “SWP”
- In cold brew
- Clean and mild; a popular choice
- How
- Pressurized carbon dioxide pulls out the caffeine
- On the bag
- “CO2” or “supercritical CO2”
- In cold brew
- Keeps a good amount of flavor
- How
- Ethyl acetate (“sugarcane” or “natural” decaf) or methylene chloride
- On the bag
- “Sugarcane process” or “EA”; methylene chloride is rarely named
- In cold brew
- Sugarcane decafs are often sweet and fruity
Troubleshooting Decaf Cold Brew
Steeped too long, ground too fine, or the grounds were squeezed while straining. Cut the steep time and grind coarser.
Under-extracted. Steep longer, or move the jar from the fridge to the counter.
Usually stale decaf or concentrate kept too long. Use fresher beans and finish the batch within a week.
Fines got through. Always finish with a paper filter.
Ways to Serve Decaf Cold Brew
- Classic: concentrate and cold water 1:1 over ice.
- Iced latte: concentrate and milk or oat milk 1:1 over ice, with a little vanilla or caramel syrup if you like.
- Mocha: stir chocolate syrup into the concentrate before adding milk and ice.
- Hot: mix concentrate 1:1 with just-boiled water for a smooth, low-bitterness hot decaf.
- Evening treat: pour over a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a decaf affogato.
Wondering how cold brew differs from ordinary iced coffee? See cold brew vs iced coffee.
Former roastery owner and coffee tour operator. Steve spent five years roasting coffee for his own shop and wholesale customers. More about Steve