# brew

/ˈbɹu/ (US) · /bɹˈuː/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/brew
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. to make tea or coffee

verb · CEFR B1

to make a hot drink by letting tea leaves or coffee sit in hot water.

For teachers: to prepare a beverage by steeping or infusing ingredients in hot water.

- I will brew a fresh pot of tea while we wait for the others to arrive.
- She preferred to brew her coffee using a French press, believing it extracted a richer flavour than a standard drip machine.

Usage: Often used with 'up' in informal contexts.

### 2. to make beer

verb · CEFR B1

to make beer using grain and yeast.

For teachers: to produce beer by steeping a starch source in water and fermenting the resulting liquid.

- My uncle started to brew his own beer in the garage last year.
- The monastery has continued to brew traditional ales for centuries, following a recipe that remains a closely guarded secret.

### 3. developing or gathering

verb · CEFR B2

to start to form or develop, usually said about a storm or a problem.

For teachers: to be in a state of preparation or gathering; used of weather or social/political unrest.

- I think a storm is brewing because the sky is getting very dark.
- Political analysts warned that a major crisis was brewing in the region long before the first protests actually began.

Usage: Usually used in the continuous 'brewing' form.

## Examples

- I will brew a fresh pot of coffee for our guests.
- You should let the tea brew for at least three minutes to get the best flavor.
- While the baristas worked to brew the morning orders, a political storm was beginning to brew in the city council over new zoning laws.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.