You’re probably familiar with cold brew coffee, but if you’re a milky coffee person, you probably add sugar and milk. However, did you know you can cold brew coffee with milk and satisfy that creamy craving? You get a creamy milk that has a strong coffee flavor, without any bitterness or sourness that sometimes lattes can have. This technique is popular in Japan, known as milk brew!

So, here’s how to make cold brew with milk at home!

Cold Brew Coffee with Milk Takeaways:

• Try different coffee roasts or origins for a sweeter or darker flavor.
• Don’t oversteep the coffee, or else it will overextract.
• Use creamy milk, like whole or oat milk, for the best flavor.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

• It’s a different cold-brewing method that might surprise you!
• Learn a new technique and make it a part of your coffee routine.
• It’s creamy and milky, but still has a strong coffee-forward flavor.
• Make a great cup of coffee that tastes like it could be from the store for much cheaper.

What is Cold Brew Coffee?

Cold brew coffee is a coffee-brewing method that involves steeping ground coffee in room-temperature or cold water overnight. The extraction process is designed to capture all the delicious flavors of coffee without bitterness, unlike heat-brewing methods. As a result, cold brew coffee is ultra smooth, with zero bitterness or sourness, but ultra-caffeinated.

It’s one of the easiest, no-fuss coffee brewing methods ever and requires literally no practice whatsoever. Because it’s so easy, it’s one of my favorite brewing methods! Anyone can do it (cue anyone can cook)!

What is Milk Cold Brew?

You make milk cold brew coffee by steeping ground coffee directly with milk, versus water, like normal cold brew coffee, and it turns the milk a light brown color. Depending on how strong you want it, you can use a similar ratio to cold brew coffee or use more coffee for a stronger flavor. However, since milk has fats in it, it extracts coffee beans a bit differently than water, so a shorter immersion time usually results in a yummier flavor.

Now, milk cold brew or milk brew originates from Japan, with popular coffee shops serving it to customers since 2021, like Berth Coffee Roastery, Kurasu Kyoto, and more. It’s a great way for people who don’t like bitterness or even those who don’t like coffee to enjoy a good cup.

It’s quite popular in Japan, but it’s rare in the States or other countries. I’ve only really seen it online or in a few cafes where the owner tried it in Japan and brought it to their own cafes to sell. It’s quite an easy method to experiment and create yummy drinks with, and offer something new and exciting!

What Does Cold Brew Coffee Milk Taste Like?

Upon tasting, it’s super smooth and kind of like a blend between a latte and cold brew coffee. It has a really interesting taste because normally, strong coffee has a watery texture, but since the milk is the liquid, it’s extremely milky. It’s almost thick, in a sense, and when I first tried it, it took me a bit to adjust to the flavor.

It’s different from any coffee I’ve tried before, but delicious! It’s softer, smoother, and creamier, which makes it great for people who don’t like a strong coffee flavor.

Cold Brew Coffee Milk vs. Latte

Now, you might be thinking, isn’t this just a latte? But milk brew and a latte differ in the amount of milk and coffee they have, and also in flavor. The milk brew coffee is much milkier than a latte, and richer since it doesn’t have any water. The coffee flavor is softer but still strong, just not as bitter or bold as regular espresso.

A latte has less milk and espresso shots that add some liquid to the texture. It’s normally much bolder in flavor, and if the shots aren’t brewed correctly, you can taste the unpleasant flavors readily. However, it’s easier to mask the flavor with sugar or flavors.

Cold Brew with Milk Recipe: Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make cold brew coffee with milk:

• Ground Coffee Beans — For cold brew coffee, you’ll want a coarse grind, something similar to the size of sea salt. If the grind is too small, the coffee overextracts and gives you a bitter and sour flavor. Honestly, the coarser the better if you’re not sure.
• Milk — I like using 2% or whole milk for a creamy flavor, but I think a non-dairy alternative would also work well! Just note that some milks can impart a subtle flavor into the coffee (like coconut or almond milk).
• Sugar (Optional) — I normally brew the coffee unsweetened and adjust for sweetness afterwards, but you can also add it straight into the bottle if you know you want it sweet. Granulated sugar is the default, but a liquid sweetener like honey or agave could work well!

How to Cold Brew with Milk

1. Grind Coffee Beans. Use a coarse setting on your coffee grinder and grind the coffee beans into a cup or bowl. If you’re unsure what setting to use, grind a little bit of coffee and look at the grounds. The grounds should be about the size of coarse sea salt.
2. Mix Coffee and Milk. Add the ground coffee and milk to a large bottle or container, making sure all the coffee is covered or touching the milk.
3. Milk Brew Coffee. Give it a good mix, then cover and leave it in the fridge for 10 – 14 hours. Avoid leaving the milk brew for more than 14 hours, otherwise you risk overextracting. If you want to leave it overnight, I would make it the night before and strain it out the next morning.
4. Strain Coffee. Once fully brewed, strain out the coffee grounds via a sieve or cheesecloth, then sweeten the milk if desired.
5. Assemble Drink. Add ice to a separate glass and pour the milk brew coffee on top.
6. Mix and Enjoy! Serve with a straw if desired and enjoy!

Tips for the Best Cold Brew Coffee in Milk

• Use a Different Ratio: Normally, a 1 to 8 ratio of coffee to water is good for milk brew, since you want a stronger coffee flavor compared to a 1 to 10 or 12 ratio for cold brew coffee. However, you can always use fewer or more coffee beans than milk, depending on how strong or subtle you want it. Experiment until you find the perfect balance!
• Brew in a French Press or Use a Tea Bag: Instead of straining out the coffee solids after, you can prevent that by steeping the coffee and milk in a French Press. You can also put the coffee grounds in a tea ball, an empty tea bag, or a coffee filter you tie on top.
• Use Different Coffee Beans: Try this method with different coffee roasts and origins to get a different flavor! Lighter roasts should have a fruitier, lighter profile, while dark roasts are more nutty, smoky, and robust.

FAQ’s

Can you cold brew coffee in milk?

Yes, you can! It’s a popular brewing method in Japan, and you can find it in some coffee shops, more notably, more experimental or specialty coffee shops that introduce new methods and brews.

What is the best milk for milk brew?

I like using 2% or whole milk, but any creamy milk works for a softer, creamier flavor. I think oat milk would be the best milk alternative due to its creamy texture!

Can you brew this hot?

Yes, you can use hot milk to infuse coffee like cold brew; however, I think the flavor would be less smooth and slightly bitter since heat is added. I would also think that the coffee would not need to be steeped in the milk as long, since the heat extracts a lot of flavor beforehand. Maybe for a couple of hours, like 6 hours instead of 12 or 14.

Other Iced Coffee Recipes to Try

This milk brew coffee method is super fun and definitely worth trying! To keep that experimenting momentum, here are some other iced coffee recipes to try next:

• Washington Americano
• Chocolate Shaken Espresso
• Strawberry Horchata Latte
• Dalgona Coffee Milk Tea
• Greek Frappe