How to Make Cowboy Cold Brew

When the summer sun starts rising high and the trail dust kicks up, hot coffee might not be what your body’s craving—but that doesn’t mean you have to skip your cowboy fuel. Enter: Cowboy Cold Brew—a bold, smooth, slow-steeped version of your favorite rugged roast.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through exactly how to make Cold Brew Cowboy Coffee using our Quarter Horse Cowboy Blend—crafted for the cowboy who likes their coffee strong, smooth, and saddle-ready, even when it’s served cold. Let’s ride.

What Is Cowboy Cold Brew?

Cowboy coffee is traditionally hot—boiled over an open fire, rough around the edges, and full of character. However, when you have less time and resources available, Cowboy Cold Brew takes that same unfiltered attitude and slow-brews it for hours, giving you:

• A smoother taste with less acidity.
• All the boldness, without the bite.
• A strong brew perfect over ice, in cocktails, or sipped straight from a mason jar.

Think of Cowboy Cold Brew as the ranch-hand’s answer to iced coffee—but with more flavor and grit when you don't have the time or the kindling to start a fire. In other words, sometimes you just gotta make do with what you got.

Why Use the Quarter Horse Cowboy Blend?

Our Quarter Horse Cowboy Blend is built for this. It’s a medium-dark roast that balances rich, chocolatey undertones with a kick of smoky boldness—perfect for slow brewing.

Why it shines in cold brew:

• Low acidity: Makes for a smoother finish.
• Full-bodied: Stands up to ice, milk, or whiskey (if you're feelin’ fancy).
• Bold flavor: Keeps its character even after a long steep.

It’s the kind of brew that doesn’t back down, whether you’re sipping it on a porch swing or packing it for a day in the saddle.

What You’ll Need:

You don’t need fancy equipment—just the cowboy basics:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Quarter Horse Cowboy Blend, coarsely ground.
• 4 cups cold, filtered water.
• Patience (about 24 hours worth).

Tools:

• A canteen, large mason jar, pitcher, or cold brew container.
  
• A cup, mug, or second jar/container for pouring/drinking.

Optional:

• Cheesecloth, coffee filter, or a fine mesh strainer (if you mind the grit).
• Ice (not likely to have this readily available while on a trail).
• Milk or cream (also might not have this readily available).
• Whiskey or bourbon (for the wild ones).

Step-by-Step: How to Make Cowboy Cold Brew

1. Grind It Coarse: Grind your Quarter Horse Cowboy Blend beans coarse, like sea salt. This limits the absorption surface area (compared to finely ground), keeps your brew from getting bitter, and makes straining easier later on if desired. Tip: If you don’t have a manual grinder while on the trail, then—again—make do with whatever you got and crush the coffee beans until they resemble a coarse grind. The grind consistency won't be uniform, but we're rough'n it on this one. 

2. Mix with Water: In a large mason jar or pitcher, combine:

• • 1 cup ground coffee.
  • 4 cups cold water.
  • Stir until all the grounds are wet. Don’t worry about perfection—this is cowboy brewing, not chemistry. Want a stronger brew? Use a 1:3 ratio instead (1 cup coffee to 3 cups water).

3. Let It Steep: Cover the container and let it sit:

• • 24 hours in your saddle bag, tent, or on the countertop (room temp).
    
  • This slow steeping extracts all the deep, bold flavors without the bitterness you’d get from hot water.

4. Serve It Up: Serve it straight-up or over ice if available/preferred. Straining optional. You can also add some milk, cream, sugar, or your favorite whiskey to doctor it up a bit more.

Cowboy Cold Brew FAQs:

Q: Is this the same as regular cold brew?

A: No, this is a bit more minimalistic and grittier in spirit. Cowboy cold brew skips the high-tech gadgets and focuses on bold simplicity.

Q: Can I heat it up later?

A: You can, but we'd recommend against it since doing so will distort the flavor. If you do heat it up, just strain out the grounds to minimize over-extraction.

Q: How long does it last?

A: Store it in a sealed container and it’ll stay fresh for up to 3-5 days. However, and just like the question above, strain out the grounds to minimize over-extraction. But let’s be honest—you’ll probably finish it way sooner.

Final Thoughts on Cowboy Cold Brew:

Whether you’re wrangling cattle in some pasture or just wrangling your inbox in some office, Cowboy Cold Brew gives you a bold, smooth caffeine fix that’s tough enough to keep up and cool enough to survive summer. It's not like traditional Cowboy Coffee brewed hot over campfire, but it'll get the job done. At Wrangler Coffee Company, we’re not about complicated coffee rituals. We’re about bold, honest brews that honor the hard-working cowboy way of life, and some times that means making the most out of what you have—campfire or not.