How to Make Cardamom Cold Brew Coffee at Home

There's a specific kind of summer morning in Lebanon — the air still cool before the heat sets in, a glass of cold coffee sweating on the table, the faint perfume of cardamom rising from the cup. It's not something you find at your local coffee shop. It's a ritual passed down from grandmothers who steeped coffee overnight and served it ice-cold to family before the day started.

Cold brew coffee is the closest modern method to that tradition. And when you add real green cardamom to the steep? You get something that is less "trendy iced coffee" and more ancient memory translated into a glass.

In this guide, we'll walk you through exactly how to make cardamom cold brew at home — the ratios, the steep time, the serving ideas — using Yasma Mazaj Ground Coffee. And if you want the convenience of having it ready the moment you open your fridge, we'll introduce you to Yasma's brand-new Cold Brew pods: the easiest way to get authentic Lebanese cold brew without the wait.

Why Cold Brew? And Why Cardamom?

Cold brew coffee is brewed with cold or room-temperature water over a long steep — typically 12 to 24 hours. The slow extraction produces a result that is significantly less acidic than hot-brewed coffee, with a smoother, sweeter, rounder flavour profile. There is no bitterness. No harsh edges.

For coffee drinkers who love flavour but struggle with high-acid coffees, cold brew is a revelation. And for people who already drink Yasma Mazaj capsules — that smooth, medium-intensity Lebanese Arabica — cold brew is a natural extension of the same philosophy: coffee that is gentle on the body, generous in flavour.

Why add cardamom?

Cardamom is the spice that has been inseparable from Arabic and Lebanese coffee for centuries. It adds warmth, a faintly floral sweetness, and a digestive benefit that makes coffee sit more easily. In a cold brew steep, cardamom behaves differently than in hot coffee — it infuses slowly, so the flavour is subtle and aromatic rather than sharp. The result is a cold brew that tastes like it came from somewhere far more interesting than a filter bag.

Here's why the combination works so well:

Lower acidity. Cold brewing extracts far fewer acidic compounds than hot methods. Gentler on the stomach, kinder on the teeth — and cardamom adds its own soothing digestive properties on top of that.

Natural sweetness. Lebanese Arabica beans brewed cold develop a natural sweetness without any sugar. The cardamom adds a faintly floral layer that complements it perfectly.

Wellness in every cup. Green cardamom has been used in Middle Eastern medicine for centuries. It supports digestion, freshens breath, and brings antioxidant properties to your morning routine.

Make once, drink all week. Cold brew keeps in the fridge for up to 7 days. Prep once on Sunday night and you have fresh cold coffee every morning — without touching the kettle.

How to Make Cardamom Cold Brew at Home

You don't need special equipment. A mason jar, a fine mesh strainer or coffee filter, and some patience are all it takes.

The coffee-to-water ratio guide

Step 1 — Grind and measure

Coarse grind works best for cold brew. Yasma Mazaj Ground Coffee is pre-ground at the ideal coarseness for cold water extraction — no adjustments needed. Measure 60g for a standard one-litre batch.

Step 2 — Add cardamom

Lightly crush 5 to 6 green cardamom pods with the flat of a knife and add them to your mason jar along with the grounds. You want the seeds cracked open but not powdered — this controls how quickly the flavour releases during the steep.

Step 3 — Add cold water

Pour one litre of cold filtered water slowly over the grounds and cardamom. Stir gently to make sure all the coffee is saturated. Do not use hot water — cold brew only works with cold or room-temperature water.

Step 4 — Steep in the fridge

Cover the jar and place it in the refrigerator. Steep for a minimum of 12 hours. Eighteen to twenty hours gives the richest, most balanced flavour. You can go up to 24 hours for a stronger concentrate.

Step 5 — Strain

Pour the steeped liquid slowly through a fine mesh strainer lined with a paper coffee filter into a clean jar or pitcher. Let gravity do the work — do not press or squeeze the grounds, or you'll release bitterness into the final cup.

Step 6 — Serve and enjoy

Pour over a tall glass of ice. Add oat milk, almond milk, or enjoy it straight. If you made a concentrate, dilute with equal parts cold water or milk before serving. Store any remaining cold brew in a sealed jar in the fridge — it stays fresh for up to 7 days.

The Yasma Cardamom Cold Brew Recipe

Ingredients:

• 60g Yasma Mazaj Ground Coffee
• 1 litre cold filtered water
• 6 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• Ice, to serve
• Oat milk or almond milk (optional)
• 1 tsp honey or cane sugar (optional)

Method:

1. Add ground coffee and crushed cardamom pods to a large mason jar or pitcher.
2. Pour cold filtered water over the grounds. Stir gently to combine.
3. Cover and refrigerate for 18 to 20 hours for the best flavour.
4. Strain through a fine mesh strainer lined with a paper filter into a clean jar.
5. Pour over a glass of ice. Add milk or sweetener if desired.
6. Store remaining cold brew sealed in the fridge — good for 7 days.

5 Tips for the Best Cardamom Cold Brew Every Time

1. Use whole crushed pods, not ground cardamom

Ground cardamom releases too aggressively during a long cold steep and can turn bitter. Whole pods that are lightly cracked infuse slowly, keeping the flavour aromatic and pleasant rather than overpowering.

2. Don't rush the steep — 12 hours is the minimum

Unlike hot brew where 4 minutes is enough, cold water is slow. Under-steeping gives you weak, watery coffee with very little cardamom character. Eighteen hours is the sweet spot for a full-bodied, flavourful cup.

3. Use filtered water

Cold brew is mostly water. Tap water with chlorine or mineral imbalance will noticeably affect the taste of the final cup. Filtered or spring water lets the Lebanese Arabica flavour speak clearly without interference.

4. Coarse grind means cleaner cold brew

Fine grinds over-extract in cold water and cloud the cup. Yasma Mazaj Ground Coffee is ground at the ideal medium-coarse level — which means it's ready to use straight from the bag with no adjustments needed.

5. Make a full batch on Sunday

Cold brew keeps for 7 days in the fridge. Make a one-litre batch on Sunday night and you have fresh cold coffee every morning of the week — without touching the kettle once.

Skip the 18-Hour Wait: Yasma Cold Brew Pods

If you love the idea of cardamom cold brew but the grinding, weighing, and straining sounds like too much for a Tuesday morning — Yasma's new Cold Brew pods were made for you.

Each pod is a precisely measured bag of premium roasted ground coffee sealed in a food-grade pod that you steep directly in water. Think of it like a giant tea bag, but for coffee. No loose grounds. No straining through a filter. No mess. Just drop, wait, and drink.

How it works — 4 simple steps:

Soak it. Drop 1 pod into 1 litre of cold water. That's it — no measuring, no grinding.

Chill it. Place in the fridge and steep for 12 to 24 hours. The pod stays in the whole time.

Mix it. Remove the pod. Add water, milk, oat milk, or enjoy straight over ice — your choice.

Drink it. Stir and enjoy. Store remaining cold brew in the fridge for up to 7 days.

Each box contains 3 pods. Each pod makes up to 10 cups. That's 30 cups per box.

Two variants available:

The Original Blend is 100% Lebanese Arabica — smooth, medium dark roast, naturally sweet with no bitterness. The Cardamom Infused adds real cardamom directly into the pod, so the spice infuses right into the brew during the steep. Full aromatic flavour, zero extra effort.

Both variants are made in Lebanon. Both are 100% Arabica. Both deliver just 2 calories per cup and 0g of fat — pure coffee, nothing else.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Yasma Nespresso capsules to make cold brew?

No — Nespresso capsules are designed for hot espresso extraction under pressure. For cold brew, use Yasma Mazaj Ground Coffee or the new Cold Brew pods, which are specifically made for cold water, long-steep brewing.

How long does homemade cold brew stay fresh?

Strained cold brew stored in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator stays fresh and flavourful for up to 7 days. After that, it begins to lose its brightness. Yasma Cold Brew pods — once brewed and the pod removed — also keep for 7 days.

Is cold brew stronger than regular coffee?

Cold brew concentrate can be much stronger — but Yasma's ready-to-drink style recipe (60g per litre) produces a smooth, everyday-strength cup. If you make a concentrate (100g per litre), simply dilute 1:1 with cold water or milk before drinking.

Does cardamom cold brew have less caffeine than hot coffee?

Not necessarily — cold brew can have similar or slightly higher caffeine depending on the ratio. The difference is that cold brew is usually consumed more slowly, over ice, and the absence of acidity means it feels gentler on the body even at the same caffeine level.

Can I steep the cold brew with oat milk instead of water?

We recommend steeping in water first, then adding oat milk when you serve it. Steeping directly in milk can cause spoilage before the 12-hour mark is reached. Brew in water, strain, then add whatever milk you like at serving time.

Cold Brew the Lebanese Way

Cold brew coffee is not a trend — it's the oldest way to make coffee refreshing. And cardamom is not a gimmick — it is the spice that has been sitting next to Arabic coffee for a thousand years, doing exactly what it does here: making something good into something unforgettable.

Whether you steep Yasma Mazaj Ground Coffee overnight with whole cardamom pods, or drop a Cold Brew pod into a litre of water before bed, the cup you wake up to carries the same story: Lebanese Arabica, grown with care, brought to Canada, made for summer.

Start with the recipe above. Try both the Original and Cardamom Infused pods. Find what fits your morning. The only rule is that it should taste like something.