Coffee Recipes & Brew Tips

What you need

• 20 g coarsely ground coffee
• 300 ml hot water, just off the boil

How to make it

1. Add coffee to a French press rated for hot water. Pour in the water and stir gently.
2. Steep about 4 minutes. Press slowly without forcing the plunger, then pour all the coffee into your mug.

Dr. Roast tip: A starting ratio of 1 g coffee to 15 ml water. Increase water for a lighter cup; pour promptly so the grounds stop steeping.

What you need

• 20 g medium-ground coffee
• 180 ml hot water
• 120 g ice, plus serving ice if wanted

How to make it

1. Set a rinsed filter and dripper over a heat-safe server containing 120 g ice. Add the coffee.
2. Wet the grounds with 40 ml hot water; pause 30 seconds. Slowly pour the remaining 140 ml.
3. Let it drain, swirl to melt the ice, and serve.

Dr. Roast tip: The ice is part of your brewing water. Do not make a normal full-water batch and then add all this ice.

Hario brewing guides

What you need

• 120 ml cooled strong brewed coffee
• 60 ml milk or oat drink
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract
• Ice

How to make it

1. Stir the syrup and vanilla into the cooled coffee.
2. Shake coffee, milk and ice in a food-safe shaker with a secure lid for 10 seconds. Pour into a glass.

Dr. Roast tip: Cool the coffee first. Shake cold liquids only; never seal hot coffee in a shaker.

What you need

• 60 g coarsely ground coffee
• 600 ml cold filtered water
• Clean jar, lid and coffee filter

How to make it

1. Mix coffee and water in the jar, making sure all grounds are wet. Cover and steep in the refrigerator for 18–24 hours.
2. Strain through a fine sieve, then a paper coffee filter. Keep the filtered coffee covered and refrigerated.
3. Taste a little. Start with it as brewed; add water or milk if you prefer it gentler.

Dr. Roast tip: This 1:10 batch is the base for our cold drinks, not a commercial concentrate. Yield is less than 600 ml because grounds retain water. Our small-batch approach: make what you will drink within 3 days; this is a freshness target, not a shelf-life guarantee.

Cold brew basics — Starbucks at Home

What you need

• 120 ml ready-to-drink cold brew
• 120 ml chilled unsweetened coconut water
• Ice
• Optional: 1 mint leaf or 1 tsp vanilla syrup

How to make it

1. Fill a glass with ice and add the coconut water.
2. Pour in cold brew, stir and taste. Add the optional mint or syrup if you like.

Dr. Roast tip: Begin at equal parts. More coconut water makes a lighter drink; more coffee keeps the roast in charge. Coconut water and coconut milk make very different drinks.

A little backstory: Nespresso publishes a coconut-water coffee with vanilla and mint. Our simpler cold-brew version is a serving idea inspired by that combination; no single inventor is claimed.

Coconut-water inspiration — Nespresso

What you need

• 180 ml ready-to-drink cold brew
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp hot water
• 45 ml cold pasteurized cream
• Small pinch cinnamon
• Ice

How to make it

1. Dissolve sugar in the hot water; cool it. Stir into the cold brew and pour over ice.
2. Whisk the cold cream just until airy but pourable. Spoon it over the coffee and dust lightly with cinnamon.

Dr. Roast tip: Skip the cream for a simpler spiced cold brew. Whipped oat toppings vary; use one intended for whipping if making that swap.

What you need

• 180 ml ready-to-drink cold brew
• 1 thin strip washed orange peel, with little white pith
• 1 tsp maple syrup, optional
• Ice

How to make it

1. Twist the peel over the glass to release its aroma. Add ice and cold brew.
2. Stir in syrup if wanted. Rest the peel on the rim; remove it when the aroma is strong enough for you.

Dr. Roast tip: Use the peel rather than squeezing acidic juice into dairy. Add fresh garnishes at serving time, not to your stored batch.

What you need

• 150 ml ready-to-drink cold brew, regular or decaf
• 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa
• 2 tsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp hot water
• 60 ml milk or oat drink
• Ice

How to make it

1. Make a smooth paste with cocoa, syrup and hot water. Cool it.
2. Stir in the coffee and milk, then pour over ice.

Dr. Roast tip: Cocoa clumps in cold liquid. Making a paste first is the tiny trick that saves the entire operation.

What you need

• 150 ml ready-to-drink cold brew
• 1 tsp cocoa + 1 tbsp hot water
• 2 tsp maple syrup
• 2 washed mint leaves
• 60 ml milk or oat drink
• Ice

How to make it

1. Dissolve the cocoa with hot water and syrup; cool. Lightly clap the mint between clean hands.
2. Combine coffee, cocoa mixture and milk over ice; add mint and stir gently.

Dr. Roast tip: Fresh mint gives aroma without a toothpaste-level commitment. Leave peppermint essential oils out of the kitchen experiment.

What you need

• 120 ml chilled tonic water
• 60 ml cooled espresso or 90 ml strong cold brew
• Ice
• Thin orange slice

How to make it

1. Fill a roomy glass with ice, then add tonic.
2. Pour the coffee slowly down the inside of the glass. Garnish and give one gentle stir.

Dr. Roast tip: Tonic brings its own sweetness and bitterness. Start with this small serving; use sparkling water for a less sweet variation. Pour slowly because it foams.

What you need

• 150 ml chilled ready-to-drink cold brew
• 1 small scoop vanilla ice cream
• Optional: cocoa dusting

How to make it

1. Put the scoop in a roomy glass.
2. Pour the cold brew slowly over it. Dust with cocoa and serve with a spoon.

Dr. Roast tip: Milk in the ice cream; check your chosen product for other allergens. Add coffee a little at a time so the foam stays in the glass.

What you need

• 60 ml espresso, cooled
• 60 ml whole milk
• 60 ml cold pasteurized whipping cream
• 1½ tsp sweetened condensed milk
• Tiny pinch salt
• Fresh orange zest
• Ice
• Optional: 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

How to make it

1. Whisk cream, condensed milk and salt until thick but still pourable. Include olive oil only if you want that variation.
2. Add ice and milk to a glass, then the cream. Drizzle cooled espresso along the inside to make stripes.
3. Finish with a little freshly washed orange zest. Sip, then stir if you prefer a blended drink.

Dr. Roast tip: No espresso machine? Try 90 ml cooled strong brewed coffee; the stripes and intensity will differ.

A little backstory: A published recipe from the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club credits Tone Coffee in Melbourne. Its author adds olive oil as a variation. This is our adapted serving, not a claim to Tone’s original formula.

Tiger Bomb inspiration and attribution

What you need

• 120 ml strong hot brewed coffee
• 1 tsp unsalted butter
• 2 tsp pure maple syrup
• Tiny pinch salt
• 60 ml warm milk, optional

How to make it

1. Put butter, maple syrup and salt in a deep heat-safe mug. Pour in hot coffee.
2. Stir to melt, then use a handheld frother carefully below the surface until combined. Add warm milk if wanted and drink promptly.

Dr. Roast tip: Butter can separate as it cools. Froth again gently. For iced coffee, skip the butter and make a maple latte instead; no hot-liquid shaking.

A little backstory: Java Momma describes the Salty Canadian as a current viral butter-and-maple coffee. We treat it as a modern serving trend, rather than presenting it as an old Canadian national tradition.

Salty Canadian inspiration — Java Momma

What you need

• 1 scoop vanilla ice cream
• 30–60 ml freshly brewed espresso

How to make it

1. Put the ice cream in a small bowl.
2. Pour espresso over it immediately before serving. Eat with a spoon.

Dr. Roast tip: A small splash of strong hot brewed coffee also makes a lovely home variation, with a lighter texture.

A little backstory: Lavazza’s affogato recipe pairs espresso and vanilla ice cream. We keep this classic combination simple and leave unsupported invention dates out of the story.

Affogato — Lavazza

What you need

• 120 ml ready-to-drink cold brew
• 60 ml oat drink
• 1 tsp tahini
• 2 tsp maple syrup
• Ice

How to make it

1. Whisk tahini and maple syrup with 1 tbsp of the oat drink until smooth.
2. Whisk in the remaining oat drink and coffee. Pour over ice and stir before each sip.

Dr. Roast tip: Contains sesame. Tahini settles; this is a drink-now experiment. Start with ½ tsp if you want just a hint of sesame.

What you need

• 100 ml cold pasteurized whipping cream
• 25 ml espresso or moka coffee, chilled
• 1½ tsp sugar
• Cocoa dusting, optional

How to make it

1. Dissolve sugar in the coffee while warm, then chill the coffee.
2. Whip cold cream to soft peaks. Gently fold in the cold coffee.
3. Cover and refrigerate for an hour. Divide into two small cups and dust with cocoa. Eat with a spoon.

Dr. Roast tip: This is a small home adaptation. Espresso crema is the foam on a shot; crema di caffè is a chilled creamy dessert.

A little backstory: Lavazza Italy describes this mousse-like coffee dessert as a menu item in many traditional Italian bars. That supports its Italian café connection, not a precise inventor or birthplace.

Crema di caffè — Lavazza Italy

What you need

• 60 ml espresso, cooled
• Ice
• 1 tsp sugar, optional
• 30 ml cold milk, optional

How to make it

1. Stir sugar into espresso while warm if wanted, then cool.
2. Froth or shake the cold espresso with a few ice cubes. Strain into a glass of fresh ice.
3. For a cappuccino-style variation, froth the cold milk separately and spoon over the top.

Dr. Roast tip: Use 90 ml strong cooled brewed coffee if you have no espresso machine, and call it a home variation. A Greek frappé is a different drink, commonly made with instant coffee.

A little backstory: Visit Greece describes freddo espresso and freddo cappuccino as Greek coffee recipes, despite their Italian names. The tourism board emphasizes taking time to sip and socialize. We support this scheduling policy.

Greek coffee culture — Visit Greece

What you need

• 90 ml strong brewed coffee, cooled
• 1 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
• Ice

How to make it

1. Stir the condensed milk into the coffee until smooth.
2. Pour over a glass of ice; taste before adding extra sweetened milk.

Dr. Roast tip: For the traditional filter experience, use a phin and follow its brewing guide. This shortcut uses ordinary brewed coffee; it does not claim to recreate every regional style.

A little backstory: Vietnam Tourism describes the phin as central to Vietnamese coffee preparation. Condensed milk is a familiar partner for bold coffee. This is a practical home adaptation, not a claim that the beans themselves come from Vietnam.

Vietnamese coffee culture — Vietnam Tourism

What you need

• 60 ml pasteurized whole milk
• 60 ml pasteurized cream
• 1–2 tsp maple syrup
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract

How to make it

1. Whisk everything in a clean small jar. Cover and refrigerate immediately.
2. Start with 1 tbsp in your coffee; shake gently before pouring.

Dr. Roast tip: Our recipe uses maple syrup rather than condensed milk. For a sweeter condensed-milk style, see the credited inspiration. Storage guidance is below.

Creamer inspiration — Eagle Brand

What you need

• 60 ml pasteurized milk
• 60 ml pasteurized cream
• 2 tsp maple syrup
• Small pinch cinnamon

How to make it

1. Whisk until the syrup is mixed through. Cover and refrigerate immediately.
2. Shake before use; start with 1 tbsp per mug.

Dr. Roast tip: Cinnamon does not fully dissolve. Use a tiny pinch and expect a little settling.

What you need

• 60 ml pasteurized milk
• 60 ml pasteurized cream
• 1 tsp cocoa
• 2 tsp maple syrup

How to make it

1. Warm 1 tbsp of the milk gently; whisk with cocoa and syrup into a smooth paste.
2. Add the remaining cold milk and cream. Cool promptly, cover and refrigerate. Shake before serving.

Dr. Roast tip: Warm just enough to dissolve cocoa; do not boil the whole jar. Begin with 1 tbsp in a mug.

What you need

• 60 ml canned coconut milk, mixed well
• 60 ml unsweetened oat drink
• 1–2 tsp maple syrup
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract

How to make it

1. Whisk everything together in a clean small jar. Cover and refrigerate immediately.
2. Shake well and try 1 tbsp in a small amount of coffee before pouring a full mug.

Dr. Roast tip: Separation can happen in coffee; different plant drinks behave differently. Contains coconut and oats; check labels for allergens and gluten if relevant.

What you need

• Chilled, well-filtered ready-to-drink cold brew
• A purpose-built nitro coffee system

How to make it

1. Follow your exact machine’s instructions for the permitted coffee, fill level, gas or supplied air system, cleaning and dispensing.
2. Serve into a clean glass and enjoy promptly.

Dr. Roast tip: Nitro uses nitrogen to change texture. A frother makes air foam, not nitro. Do not improvise pressure vessels, interchange gas cartridges or use dry ice.

NitroBrew equipment guidance

What you need

• 180 ml freshly dispensed nitro coffee
• 30 ml cold pasteurized cream
• 1 tsp maple syrup

How to make it

1. Lightly whisk cream and maple until pourable and airy.
2. Dispense nitro according to its equipment instructions, then spoon the cream on top.

Dr. Roast tip: Add the topping in the glass. Keep dairy out of the nitro system unless its maker expressly permits it.

What you need

• 180 ml freshly dispensed nitro coffee
• 1 thin strip washed orange peel

How to make it

1. Twist the peel above the freshly poured glass.
2. Rest it on the rim and enjoy while the foam is fresh.

Dr. Roast tip: Aroma rather than orange juice keeps the coffee in focus. Garnish after dispensing; keep solids out of the equipment.