Making a cold brew in French press is really simple. All you need to have is a French press, Burr grinder, filtered water, and coffee beans and you’re ready to go!
Yes, It’s a super easy and budget-friendly option too!
The Best Coffee beans for French Press Cold brew
The best coffee to use for Cold brew is a nice Medium dark or Dark roast. Sweetness is the most desirable taste characteristic of cold brew and darker roasts spend more time in the roaster, developing more sugars, and giving your cold brew a delightful sweet taste.
Lightly roasted coffee beans are preferred to preserve delicate terroir flavors, but these flavors often remain under-extracted in cold brew. That’s why I don’t recommend using them for cold brew
Also, the dark roasts have a bold flavor profile, which remains prominent even when the cold brew coffee is diluted with ice or milk.
My personal favorite is dark-roasted coffee beans from Stone Street.
Read a guide on Cold Brew Coffee
How to make Cold Brew in a French Press
Making cold brew in a French press is a breeze. Here’s a quick guide to get you started
What you’ll need
- French Press Coffee maker
- Coarse Coffee Grounds
Step-by-Step Guide:
1. Grind the Coffee beans
The Best Coffee grind size for Cold Brew is Coarse! The coarser the grind, the better the cold brew. Fine grounds are often over-extracted and produce bitter and harsh flavors.
Moreover, fine coffee grounds can also clog the metal screen of the French Press.
Choosing the right grind size for cold brew is very important, as the wrong grind size can ruin the taste.
For Ultimate freshness, Grind the coffee beans a few moments before brewing coffee.
2. Coffee to water ratio for cold brew
The golden ratio for French Press cold brew coffee is 1:5 to 1:8 (depending on the taste) which means 1 gram of coffee for every 5 mL of water.
You’ll need 50 grams of ground coffee for 250 mL water.
This ratio will brew a strong cold brew concentrate that you can dilute with water, ice, or milk later on.
3. The Temperature of Water
For cold brew, no heating or boiling of water is required, nor is it necessary to cool it down.
A cold brew is prepared by using water at “room temperature” for steady and slow extraction.
It’s also important to use filtered water that is free from any off-flavors that can affect the taste of your final drink.
4. The steeping time
After adding coarse coffee grounds and water to French Press give it a quick stir and let it steep overnight at room temperature.
The steeping time for a “French press cold brew” depends on personal preferences of taste and flavors.
Generally, the time frame of 16 – 24 hours is considered ideal for brewing cold brew coffee.
After the steeping time, gently push the plunger down to separate the cold brew drink from the coffee grounds. Don’t stir the mixture before pushing the plunger, otherwise, the coffee grounds will create a mess and clog or escape from the filter of the French Press.
For a milder brew, steep for 12 hours. For a stronger brew, steep for 16-24 hours.
- Never steep it for less than 12 hours otherwise you will end up with an under-extracted and weak brew.
- Never steep it for more than 24 hours otherwise your drink will become overly bitter.
5. How to serve French Press Cold Brew
The process will produce a strong cold brew concentrate. For serving, combine the concentrate with ice cubes, milk, or extra water to dilute the flavors.
Adding chilled frothed milk is a great way to incorporate a creamy texture and cut bitterness. You can also sweeten it with sugar, honey, or flavored syrups.
Customize your servings by playing with dilution, dairy additions, and sweeteners to achieve your ideal smooth and refreshing French press cold brew.
The best thing is You can store the cold brew concentrate in the fridge and use it whenever you want an Iced Coffee drink. It will remain fresh in the fridge for 7-8 days. I usually prepare a full pot of French press Cold Brew concentrate on weekends and use it for the whole week.
Why use French Press for Cold Brew?
Using a French Press for cold brew results in a smoother, richer coffee with a fuller body and more flavor.
Here are some reasons why I personally love to use French Press for making cold brew coffee.
The Design: First French Press is an immersion brewer, its design allows for the coffee to steep in the water for an extended period, resulting in a smooth and rich flavor.
The Metal Filters: French Press has a built-in filter, which separates the coffee grounds from the liquid, making the process of filtering the coffee very simple. There’s no need for disposable paper filters!
Convenient: French Press is easy to use and clean, making it a convenient option for making cold brews at home.
Discover Other Recipes
FAQs
Should you use Paper filters for Making Cold brews in French Press?
You can use a paper filter alternatively if you want a clean drink with smooth flavors. Using a paper filter will filter out the oils and sediments that make your drink muddy. However, I wouldn’t suggest doing that.
Is Cold brew Stronger than regular French Press Coffee?
French Press cold brew uses more coffee-to-water ratio and is steeped for a very long time compared to hot French press coffee.
That’s why Cold Brew is sharp, strong, and has higher levels of caffeine than regular French Press coffee.
What’s the Difference between Cold Brew And iced Coffee?
Cold brew is made by steeping coarsely ground coffee beans in cold water for an extended period, usually 16-24 hours.
Iced coffee, on the other hand, is brewed hot using a French press or any other brewing method, and then chilled with ice.
French Press Cold Brew Recipe
Equipment
- French Press Coffee Maker
- Coffee Grinder (Optional)
Ingredients
- 32 oz Filtered Water
- 150-180 grams Coarse Coffee grounds
Instructions
- Grind the Beans: Weigh around 150 – 180 Grams of coffee beans and grind them to coarse settings You can use pre-ground coffee too! Just make sure that the grind size is coarse.
- Mix the Coffee and the water: Add the coffee grounds to the French Press and pour 32 oz water over it. Gently push the coffee grounds downwards with a ladle and soak them
- Let it Steep Overnight: Let this mixture sit for 12–16 hours so the water extracts flavors from the coffee grounds
- Push the Plunger: The next morning, Gently plunge the plunger all the way down to separate the coffee ground from the brewed coffee.
- Serve and Enjoy: This cold brew coffee will be very strong and sharp. If you like it that way drink it straight!However, I like to pour this cold brew concentrate over ice to prepare iced coffee.You can also add milk, creamers, or sweeteners to make your drink fancy
