How to Make Cold Brew Coffee in the French Press? (Correctly)

Whether you want to refresh yourself on a warm summer afternoon or treat your friends to home-brewed coffee, cold brew has to be your go-to drink in the sunny season. Just pour some cold brew into a glass with some ice or add a dash of milk if you wish to, and you will have a wholesome summer beverage to sip on.

Can’t wait to make some cold brew for yourself? Well, we are about to learn how to make cold brew in the French /press.

What is cold brew coffee?

Brewed at a cold temperature, cold brew is a much less acidic form of brewed coffee that beautifully holds the beans’ flavors. The brewing process relies on time to extract flavor from coffee beans and thus, it is a slow yet efficient way of making good coffee. You can easily realize the roasted, chocolaty taste along with a remarkable smoothness with every sip. 

Cold brewing involves steeping coarsely ground coffee beans in cold or room-temperature water for 12 to 24 hours. When you strain this, you get the cold brew concentrate. It has a great mouthfeel, is known to have more caffeine than regular coffee, and comes with a well-rounded flavor.

Equipment and material you will need to make cold brew in a French press

1) French Press coffee maker

2) Coffee grinder

3) Filtered cold water

4) Choice of coffee beans

A step-by-step method to make cold brew in a French press

Step 1

Choose the coffee beans that are suitable for cold brew coffee. Begin by grinding your coffee beans in a coarse setting. You'll want to use about 1 cup of coffee grounds for every 4 cups of water.

Step 2

Once your coffee beans are ground, add them to the French press.

Step 3

Pour cold water over the coffee grounds until the French press is about three-quarters full‍.

Step 4

Give the mixture a good stir to ensure that all the coffee grounds are fully saturated with water.

Step 5

Put the lid on the French press and let it steep in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours.

Step 6

Once the steeping time is up, slowly press down on the plunger to separate the coffee grounds from the liquid.

Step 7

Pour the cold brew coffee into a glass and serve over lots of ice to make an iced cold brew. You can add milk or cream if you want to have a cold brew latte. You can stir up mocktails and cocktails of your choice by adding sweeteners or flavorings.

Benefits of making cold brew in a French press coffee maker

If you happen to have a French Press at home, you can not only make excellent hot coffee, but a glass full of refreshing cold brew also. There are a few reasons why you should definitely try cold brewing in your French press. Let’s have a look.

Convenience

A French press is an easy and convenient way to make cold-brew coffee. Simply add coarsely ground coffee and cold water to the press, let it steep overnight, and then plunge the press in the morning to filter out the coffee grounds.

Control

With a French press, you have complete control over the strength and flavor of your cold brew. You can adjust the ratio of coffee to water to your liking, and you can also experiment with different types of coffee beans to find your perfect brew.

Versatility

The French Press cold brew concentrate can be used to make a variety of mocktails like lemon coffee. You can also add any flavoring agents to your press for a refreshing taste‍.

Flavor

French press cold brew has a distinct flavor profile that many coffee lovers prefer. It tends to be smoother and less acidic than other methods of cold brewing, which can make it more enjoyable to drink, especially for people with sensitive stomachs.

Some additional tips to make an amazing cold brew

By now, we all know that making a cold brew at home is no rocket science. All it takes is some good-quality coffee and patience. However, if you keep certain things in mind, your coffee will turn out to be better than expected.

First of all, use filtered water to brew your coffee. Secondly, and most importantly, don’t be in a rush to plunge out your cold brew. Give it 24 hours to help extract the flavors properly.

Now, let’s talk about storing your cold brew. You can store your brew in the fridge for 7-10 days. Using it beyond that is not recommended.‍

Conclusion

To sum it up, you can easily make a cold brew in your French press at home with just a few simple steps. Just allow your coffee ample time to steep in the refrigerator, and use the best beans that you can to prepare your brew. There’s nothing much that you have to worry about here. In fact, if you wish to introduce your kids to coffee-making, this would probably be the best method to start with.

Moreover, keep experimenting with different coffee-to-water ratios and brewing times to find the taste that hits the right notes for you. Also, to ensure maximum freshness, you can store your cold brew in an airtight container for up to a week.