With the warmer weather heating things up, it’s time to trade in your morning cup of coffee for an icy, cooler version with cold brew. While it might seem like making it would require you to simply let hot coffee sit out and then dump a bunch of ice, cream, and sugar into it, cold brew is actually much more complex.

That’s why you should make a big batch of it at home over the weekend so you can enjoy it all week long. No more blowing your budget at the coffee houses! Here’s how to do it.

Tips Before You Begin Your Cold Brew

– Get a good grind. The larger the grind, like raw sugar particles, the better. Grind it in batches to achieve this effect.

– Use more coffee to water. Stick to the one ounce of coffee per cup.

– Go slow with the strain. Use a cheesecloth and a strainer to do it like a pro.

– Don’t squeeze or press the coffee grounds. You’ll just wind up with a bitter taste.

All you need for this is 8 ounces of your favorite whole coffee beans and 8 cups of filtered water. For equipment, a coffee grinder, cheesecloth, fine mesh strainer, and 2 pitchers with lids (or even jars) with a 3-quart capacity each to hold your cold brew.

Create Your Cold Brew

1. Grind the beans as discussed above so they are coarse.

2. Combine the ground coffee and water into your pitcher or jar and stir well. It’s perfectly fine if the coffee floats up to the top. Stir it so the coffee gets wet.

3. Be patient and let this mixture steep in your fridge overnight. It should sit undisturbed for a minimum of 18 hours but no more than 24 hours.

4. After you’ve waited sufficiently enough, strain the coffee grounds out. You’ll line a fine-mesh strainer with a cheesecloth and set this on top of a large measuring cup (your blender carafe can work in a pinch too). Repeat this step as many times as necessary if your strainer is small.

5. Remember not to squeeze! Be patient!

6. Transfer your creation into an air-tight jar or container to be stored for no more than 2 weeks. To enjoy a glass of your creation, fill your glass with one cup of ice cubes, then add a half-cup of your cold brew. Add a half cup of cold filtered water to that and then stir. Add your cream and sugar to your specifications and relish the deliciousness!