Cold brew is everywhere these days, but not all cold brew is created equal. At Roast Coffee Company in Medford, NJ, we have been perfecting our cold brew recipe since we first opened our doors, and the result is something we are genuinely proud of — a smooth, rich, naturally sweet cold brew that keeps Burlington County and South Jersey coming back all year round.
How Roast Makes Its Cold Brew
Great cold brew starts with great beans. We use a custom blend of single-origin coffees specifically selected for their chocolatey, nutty, and caramel characteristics — flavor profiles that shine when brewed cold. Every batch is coarse-ground fresh in our Medford cafe and steeped in cold filtered water for a full 18 hours, in line with the brewing standards recommended by the Specialty Coffee Association. No shortcuts, no heating, no rush.
The result is a concentrate that is impossibly smooth with zero bitterness. We dilute it to the perfect strength and serve it over ice, straight or with your choice of milk. The natural sweetness of a properly made cold brew means most people do not need any added sugar at all.
We brew multiple batches per week to ensure every cup is fresh. Each batch uses a precisely calibrated 1:5 coffee-to-water ratio by weight, which produces a concentrate strong enough to hold up over ice without tasting watered down. The beans are ground to a coarse consistency — roughly the size of raw sugar — to prevent over-extraction during the long steep. After 18 hours, we filter twice: once through a mesh strainer to remove the grounds, then through a fine paper filter to remove any sediment and oils that would make the final product cloudy or gritty.
What Makes Roast Cold Brew Different
Most cold brew you will find at chain shops is made from commodity-grade beans and brewed in massive batches that sit for days. Ours is made in small batches, multiple times per week, with the same specialty-grade beans we use for everything else we serve. The difference in flavor is immediate and obvious — clean, sweet, and full-bodied without any of the stale, flat taste that comes from old cold brew.
We also rotate our cold brew blend seasonally. Right now our spring batch features a washed Colombian and a natural Ethiopian that gives the final brew a subtle berry sweetness alongside the chocolate base. It is cold brew you actually want to drink black.
Cold Brew vs. Iced Coffee — What is the Difference?
People often use the terms interchangeably, but cold brew and iced coffee are fundamentally different drinks. Iced coffee is brewed hot using a standard drip or pour-over method and then cooled down — either by pouring over ice or refrigerating. Cold brew, on the other hand, is never exposed to heat at any point in the brewing process. The grounds steep in cold or room-temperature water for 12 to 24 hours.
This matters because heat extracts different compounds from coffee than cold water does. Hot brewing pulls out more of the acids and bitter compounds, which is why iced coffee can taste sharp or sour once it cools. Cold brew extracts sugars and smooth flavor compounds while leaving most of the acidity behind, producing a naturally sweeter, mellower cup with up to 67% less acid than hot-brewed coffee. If you have a sensitive stomach or simply prefer a smoother taste, cold brew is the way to go. For a deeper dive into brew methods, check out our cold brew brewing guide.
Nitro Cold Brew vs. Regular Cold Brew
Nitro cold brew takes standard cold brew concentrate and infuses it with nitrogen gas, similar to how a stout beer gets its creamy texture. The nitrogen creates a cascade of tiny bubbles that give the coffee a thick, velvety mouthfeel and a natural creaminess — no milk or cream needed. It is served on draft from a tap, which adds to the experience.
In terms of flavor, nitro cold brew tastes slightly sweeter and fuller than regular cold brew, even though nothing is added. The nitrogen enhances the perception of sweetness and rounds off any remaining bitterness. Caffeine content is roughly the same — both are made from the same concentrate. The main difference is texture and mouthfeel. If you like your cold brew black and want something that feels indulgent without adding anything to it, nitro is worth trying. We serve nitro cold brew on tap at our Medford cafe year-round.
How to Make Cold Brew at Home with Roast Beans
Making great cold brew at home is simple. You do not need any special equipment — just a jar, a filter, and good beans. Here is our recommended method:
- Grind your beans coarse. You want a consistency similar to raw sugar or coarse sea salt. If you do not have a grinder, we can grind your beans for cold brew when you order from our online shop.
- Combine coffee and water. Use a 1:5 ratio by weight — for example, 100 grams of coffee to 500 grams (milliliters) of cold filtered water. For a standard mason jar batch, that is roughly 3/4 cup of grounds to 3 cups of water.
- Stir and steep. Give it a gentle stir to make sure all the grounds are saturated, then cover and refrigerate for 16 to 20 hours. Do not go beyond 24 hours — over-extraction starts producing bitter flavors.
- Filter twice. Pour through a fine mesh strainer to catch the grounds, then strain again through a paper coffee filter or cheesecloth for a clean, sediment-free concentrate.
- Dilute and serve. The result is a concentrate. Dilute it 1:1 with water or milk over ice. Adjust the ratio to your taste — some people prefer it stronger, some lighter.
The concentrate keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks in a sealed container, so you can make one batch and enjoy cold brew all week. For the best results, start with freshly roasted beans — the flavor difference between fresh and stale beans is dramatic in cold brew, where there is no heat to mask old flavors.
The Best Cold Brew Beans for Home Brewing
Not every coffee works equally well as cold brew. You want beans with flavor profiles that translate well to cold extraction — think chocolate, caramel, nuts, and stone fruit rather than bright citrus or floral notes. Here are three of our top picks:
- Colombia: Our washed Colombian is the backbone of our house cold brew blend. It brings rich chocolate and caramel sweetness with a clean finish. Medium roast, low acidity, and incredibly consistent. This is the safest starting point if you have never made cold brew before.
- Brazil Natural: Brazilian naturals add a layer of nutty sweetness and dried fruit that works beautifully in cold brew. The natural processing gives it a heavier body and more complexity than a washed coffee. Try blending it 50/50 with the Colombian for a richer, more layered cold brew.
- Ethiopia Natural: If you want something a little more adventurous, our Ethiopian natural brings blueberry and stone fruit notes to cold brew that are genuinely surprising. It is best as a single-origin cold brew rather than part of a blend — the fruit-forward character really shines when it is not competing with other flavors.
All of these beans are available in our online shop, roasted fresh and shipped the same day. Or start a subscription and have your favorite cold brew beans delivered on a schedule that works for you — and save 10% on every order.
Cold Brew Coffee FAQs
How long does cold brew last in the fridge?
Cold brew concentrate lasts up to two weeks in the fridge when stored in a sealed container. Once diluted, it is best consumed within 2-3 days. You will notice the flavor starts to flatten and lose sweetness after the first week, so we recommend making smaller batches more often rather than one huge batch.
Is cold brew stronger than regular coffee?
It depends on how it is prepared. Cold brew concentrate is significantly stronger than a standard cup of drip coffee — roughly 2x the caffeine per ounce. However, cold brew is typically diluted 1:1 with water or milk before serving, which brings the caffeine content in line with or slightly above a regular cup. At Roast, we calibrate our dilution so that a 16-ounce cold brew has roughly the same caffeine as a double espresso.
What is the best grind for cold brew?
Coarse grind — about the consistency of raw sugar or coarse sea salt. A finer grind will over-extract during the long steep time and produce bitter, astringent flavors. If you are buying beans from our shop, select "coarse" or "cold brew" as your grind option and we will dial it in for you.
Where can I buy cold brew in South Jersey?
Roast Coffee Company serves cold brew and nitro cold brew on tap at our cafe at 200 Tuckerton Road in Medford, NJ. You can also order cold brew beans online for home brewing at roastcc.com/shop. We are a short drive from Marlton, Cherry Hill, Mount Holly, Moorestown, and all of Burlington and Camden counties.
Does Roast offer cold brew for delivery?
We do not ship ready-to-drink cold brew, but we do ship the beans we use for our cold brew — freshly roasted and ready for you to brew at home. Use the method above and you will get the same flavor profile as what we serve at the cafe. Orders ship same-day from Medford, NJ, and local South Jersey deliveries typically arrive in 1-2 days. Learn more about our delivery options.
Whether you are in Medford, Marlton, Cherry Hill, Mount Holly, or anywhere else in South Jersey, swing by Roast and taste the difference that fresh-roasted, small-batch cold brew makes. Once you try it, the bottled stuff from the grocery store will never hit the same.