Cold Drip

Cold drip and cold brew sound similar. They’re two different methods.

With cold brew, ground coffee steeps for hours in cold water — passive contact. With cold drip — also called Kyoto-style or drip tower — cold water drips through a bed of ground coffee in a slow, controlled stream. Active, drop by drop. A session takes 4 to 12 hours, depending on the drip rate.

The equipment

Cold drip towers are easy to recognize: a water reservoir on top with an adjustable valve, a chamber of ground coffee in the middle, and a collection vessel at the bottom. Large versions in Japanese coffee bars can run several liters at once. Smaller home versions start around €30–60.

Flavor profile

Cold drip produces a brighter, cleaner cup than cold brew. The drop-by-drop extraction preserves more subtle flavor notes — less bitterness, more floral or fruity character. It’s less concentrated than cold brew concentrate, but more nuanced.

Getting started

Start with a medium-fine grind size — finer than drip coffee, coarser than espresso. A drip rate of 1 drop per second is a good starting point. Slower means more extraction, faster means less. Set the rate and let the tower do its work.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between cold drip and cold brew?

Cold brew is immersion: ground coffee steeps for hours in cold water. Cold drip is percolation: cold water drips slowly through ground coffee. Cold drip gives a brighter, cleaner cup. Cold brew is fuller, richer, and usually more concentrated. Both use cold water, but the extraction technique is fundamentally different.

How long does cold drip take?

4 to 8 hours on average. Some setups run for 12 hours or longer. The drip rate determines this — slower dripping means more extraction and a different flavor profile. Most people start a batch in the evening and have fresh coffee ready by morning.

What grind size do I use for cold drip?

Medium-fine is a good starting point — finer than drip coffee, coarser than espresso. Grind size and drip rate work together: a finer grind naturally slows the flow, a coarser grind speeds it up. Adjust one variable at a time until you land on the flavor you want.