How to Make Cold Brew in a French Press
My husband started making cold brew in a french press over a year ago and we have really perfected the method and ratio to where I actually like our cold brew better than any coffee shop! Although it yields a small batch, it’s super easy to do in the evening so you can enjoy a delightful cold brew coffee the next afternoon or morning! Plus it has a lot less acidity than your average cup of joe, which some (me!) very much prefer.
When I’m craving a little cold caffeination cold brew usually hits the spot for me. It’s less acidic than hot brewed coffee and it’s just as easy to make. But for a while, I thought that making cold brew at home required a huge pitcher (i.e. fridge space I don’t have), cups of coffee grounds, and an exorbitantly long time to make it. So I started to wonder if you could make cold brew in a French press, and I happily found out you can! And I think if you want to make your own cold brew, using a French press is one of the easiest ways to go. I make a small batch in the French press the night before I want to enjoy and it’s perfect the next morning. With a touch of sweetness and a little milk, you will forget about Starbucks. Let’s make it!
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What do you need to make cold brew in a french press coffee maker?
Making cold brew employs a different brewing method than we typically think of when we think of cold coffee drinks. I always thought the only way to make coffee is with heat! But with cold brew you don’t need any hot water. You essentially are just letting coffee steep in cold water, in the refrigerator, only the brew time is much much longer than your typical cup of regular coffee.
Coffee grounds – You need to grind the coffee yourself from whole beans! We always go for medium roast as that is our preference in general but you may find you prefer a dark roast or light roast. Play around with it and see what you like! This is a delicious + affordable coffee you can get from Amazon! The real key to super fresh and delicious homemade cold brew is buying whole-bean coffee and grinding it fresh for each batch. Pre-ground, grocery store coffee is usually a finer ground which isn’t ideal for cold brew. It also loses its fresh flavor so quickly after it is opened which will result in a less-than-amazing-tasting cold brew.
Water – Use filtered water for the best taste! We swear by our Alexapure water filter.
French press – I love this particular French press. We have gone through a few and this is by far my FAVORITE. It’s high-quality, especially the mesh strainer, which is arguably the most important part of a French press. We’ve had some that do not keep out all of the grounds and this one has yet to let one granule through. Plus it comes with replacement strainers!
Coffee grinder – Yes, this is a small investment but if you really want to make cold brew at home that won’t make you want to dump it out and buy a $7 coffee from a coffee shop, grinding your own coffee fresh will save you money in the long run!
How to make cold brew in a french press in 5 easy steps
1: Make sure your French press is cleaned and ready to go!
2: Grind those coffee beans! Add the coffee grounds to the base of your French press. To make cold brew, you’ll want a coarse grind. If you are having a coffee shop grind for you, ask for it ground for French press use. If you have my handy dandy coffee grinder, I have it set between 4 and 6 cups on coarse.
3: Add cold water or room temperature is fine. You just don’t want to add hot water or even warm water.
What is the ratio of coffee to water in a French press cold brew?
The amount of ground coffee is about 1/2 cup, with about 4 cups of water, making the coffee-to-water ratio 1:8.
4: Steep in the refrigerator overnight. Press the plunger down about halfway before putting it in the fridge. This is to keep the plunger handle from hitting the top of your fridge, preventing it from spilling.
5: The next morning, press the French press plunger down as far as you can go and enjoy! You can store any extra in a mason jar in the fridge.
How long can you leave cold brew in a French press?
This is going to come down partially to your personal preference. For me, this homemade cold brew recipe is perfect in about 10 hours.
A lot of cold brew recipes will call for a longer time to steep. But I think it’s mostly agreed that you should not let it steep longer than 24 hours.
So, if you plan to enjoy your cold brew in the afternoon, you are probably fine to leave it in the press until then. But taste it and see what you think at both points to get an idea of what you like best.
Cold brew add-ins
Some delicious add-ins for your cup:
- cold foam
- almond milk
- oat milk
- maple syrup
- vanilla bean syrup
- honey lavender syrup
Honestly, whatever you want! These are just some of my favorites.
Why you’ll love making homemade cold brew
- Cold brew has a delightful, less acidic taste than iced coffee which is great if you have a sensitive stomach like me. It also just has a more pleasant taste in my opinion.
- Although the brewing process is long, it’s mostly a hands-off process!
- Brewing in the French press is easy and yields a flavorful cold brew that is perfect paired with any kind of milk/cream and syrup.
- It’s almost as easy as buying a store-bought cold brew concentrate but way cheaper and has been a huge money saver for me!
- While you can definitely make cold brew in larger batches, I prefer making it in the French press for its compactness and low-fuss process. I also find that like hot-brewed coffee, it just tastes better fresh. So, I’m not really interested in making a huge batch anyways.
- And last but not least, this is a super low-risk recipe, all that’s required is some coffee grounds and water after all–its worth trying!
Tried this recipe?
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PrintHow to make cold brew in a french press
When I’m craving a little cold caffeination cold brew usually hits the spot for me. It’s less acidic than hot brewed coffee and it’s just as easy to make.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- brew time: 10 hours
- Total Time: 10 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 2 1/2 cups 1x
- Category: drinks
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp whole coffee beans, coarse grind for french press
- 4 cups water
Instructions
- Place coffee in a clean French press.
- Add water and press the plunger down about halfway. The water should be about 1 1/2 inches from the top, if yours can fit a little more water, it’s fine to add it.
- Store in the refrigerator overnight, for at least 10 hours.
- Press the plunger down and enjoy your cold brew! Add ice and any desired cream/sweetener.
- Store any extra in an air-tight container or jar in the fridge.
