Immersion brewer

Toddy Cold Brew System (Classic): ratio and recipe

199g coffee1,893mL water

That is an everyday batch at 1:9.5, steeped 18–22 hours in the fridge and poured straight over ice. Holds 1,893 mL of water and takes up to 454 g of coffee.

Toddy Cold Brew System (Classic), full of cold brew

The maker’s own recipe

1:5.6338 g coffee1,893 mL watersteep 8–24 h

This is the recipe Toddy publishes for this brewer, and it is what Cold Brew Studio opens with when you pick it. It makes about 7¾ cups, best cut with a little water or milk.

How the maker does it

Toddy's current (2022) official brewing guide gives two methods for the same brewing container, both using 12 oz (340g) of coarsely ground coffee and 8 cups (64 fl oz / 1.9L) of filtered water. Method 2 ('Classic', the original 1964 method, reusable felt filter only): dampen the felt filter, add 1 cup water + 6 oz grounds, slowly pour 3 more cups over the grounds in a circular motion, wait 5 minutes, add the remaining 6 oz grounds, then slowly add the last 4 cups of water. DO NOT STIR — stirring the bed of grounds can clog the felt filter; instead lightly press down on the topmost grounds with the back of a spoon to ensure saturation. Steep at room temperature 8-24 hours ('to create a smooth, rich flavor'). Remove the stopper to let concentrate flow into the glass decanter (keeps up to 2 weeks refrigerated). Serve starting at a ratio of 1 part coffee concentrate to 2 parts water or milk, mixed to taste. (Toddy's older 2010 manual specified 7 cups/56 fl oz water, a fixed 12-hour steep, and a 1:3 serving dilution — the numbers here reflect the current official guide.) Method 1 ('Dual Filtration', paper filter bag + felt) uses identical 12oz coffee / 8 cup water amounts but is recommended for easier cleanup and tolerates a wider range of grind sizes.

Source: toddycafe.com

The recipe, by strength

Each one fills this brewer as far as it honestly goes. Numbers are for a light roast steeping in the fridge.

StrengthRatioCoffeeWaterSteepMakesDrink it
Everyday1:9.5199 g1,893 mL18–22 habout 6¼ cupsstraight over ice
Strong1:7.5252 g1,893 mL18–22 habout 5¾ cupswith a splash of milk
Jet fuel1:5.3357 g1,893 mL18–22 habout 7½ cupscut with a little water or milk
Concentrate1:4.5421 g1,893 mL18–22 habout 9 cupsmixed 1:1 with water or milk

If your beans are darker

Darker roasts give up their flavor faster, so they brew at a slightly wider ratio and steep for less time.

RoastRatioCoffeeWaterSteep in the fridge
Light1:9.5199 g1,893 mL18–22 h
Medium1:10189 g1,893 mL14–18 h
Dark1:10.5180 g1,893 mL10–14 h

Everyday strength shown.

How it goes

  1. Plug in, grounds in.
  2. Water over, slowly.
  3. Don’t stir.
  4. Lid on, into the fridge.

Grind coarse, about the size of coarse sea salt. Find the number for your grinder.

Good to know

The Classic method relies solely on a reusable felt filter, which wants a coarse-to-extra-coarse grind and a gentle, no-stir circular pour — fine grounds or stirring can clog the felt and stall drainage. Toddy explicitly warns 'DO NOT STIR.' It produces a very clean, low-sediment concentrate. (Toddy also sells a paper-filter-bag option for the same container that's more forgiving of grind size and easier to clean, at the cost of slightly more setup.)

Let the app keep track.

Cold Brew Studio sizes every batch to your Toddy Cold Brew System, tells you when it is ready, and adjusts the recipe when you rate how it tasted.

Free on iPhone and the web. No account needed.

Quick answers

How much coffee do I use in the Toddy Cold Brew System (Classic)?
For an everyday strength, 199 g of coffee to 1,893 mL of water, a 1:9.5 ratio. For a concentrate, 421 g to 1,893 mL.
How long do I steep cold brew in the Toddy Cold Brew System (Classic)?
18–22 hours in the fridge for a light roast, 14–18 for medium and 10–14 for dark. On the counter, 12–14, 9–12 and 7–9 hours.
What ratio does the maker recommend for the Toddy Cold Brew System (Classic)?
1:5.6, which is 338 g of coffee to 1,893 mL of water, steeped 8–24 hours.