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Cold Brew Dilution Calculator

Enter your concentrate amount and dilution ratio to find the water to add.

How it is calculated

The ratio field means parts of water per 1 part of concentrate, so a ratio of 1.5 is a 1 : 1.5 concentrate-to-water mix. The tool computes water = concentrate × ratio and total = concentrate + water. The concentrate amount must be above zero and the ratio cannot be negative; a ratio of 0 is allowed and simply returns the concentrate untouched. Results are shown to two decimals and always labelled ml. The tool does not convert units, so if you measure the concentrate in ounces or cups, the numbers are correct in that same unit but the ml label is wrong. Ice that melts or milk added later also counts as dilution, so include it in the ratio.

Worked example

You have 250 ml of cold brew concentrate and want a mix of 1 part concentrate to 1.5 parts water. Water = 250 × 1.5 = 375 ml. Total = 250 + 375 = 625 ml. The tool shows 375.00 ml of water to add and 625.00 ml of finished drink. Divided into 250 ml glasses, that is 2.5 servings at drinking strength.

Try this example →

Common mistakes

  • Typing the ratio as total parts. A 1:3 mix of concentrate to water needs 3 here, not 4; the field counts only the water, so 4 gives 33% more water than you meant.
  • Reading it backwards. A ratio of 0.5 is half as much water as concentrate (strong), not twice as much water; flipping it makes the drink far too weak or too strong.
  • Measuring the concentrate in ounces and trusting the ml label. The math works in any unit, but the result is only correct in the unit you entered.
  • Forgetting that ice and milk dilute the drink too. If you pour over a full glass of ice, use a lower ratio or the drink ends up watery.
  • Entering the volume of drink you want as the concentrate amount. The field is the concentrate you start with; the tool then adds the water on top, so entering 500 for a 500 ml target gives 500 ml of concentrate plus water, far more than 500 ml.

About this calculator

Cold brew is typically steeped as a concentrate far stronger than drinking strength — commonly around a 1:4 to 1:8 coffee-to-water steeping ratio — and meant to be cut with water, milk, or ice before drinking, usually in a roughly 1:1 concentrate-to-water ratio for a balanced cup, though some prefer it stronger or lighter. This calculator takes your concentrate amount and target dilution ratio and returns exactly how much water to add.

Getting the dilution wrong leaves cold brew either harshly bitter and over-caffeinated or thin and watery, so nailing the ratio matters as much as the steep itself. Home coffee brewers and café baristas use a dilution calculation like this to serve a consistent cup every time, whether they're pouring one glass or scaling up a batch for a whole pitcher.

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Comments (1)

  • Editorial team

    If you know the volume you want in the glass rather than the amount of concentrate, work backwards: concentrate = target divided by (1 + ratio). For 400 ml at a ratio of 3, that is 100 ml of concentrate, and the tool then confirms 300 ml of water and 400 ml in total. Enter that 100, not the 400. Ice melting adds water on top. What ratio does your concentrate usually need?

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