French Press Cold Brew: Yes, It's Possible. Heres How.

fRENCH PRESS COLD BREW: EASY RECIPE AND GUIDE

French press cold brew to the rescue!

As much as I look forward to summer, I know it’s a trap. The soaring temperatures and blazing sun drench you in sweat and drain your energy. I cannot think of a crueler irony than to face an inviting clear summer’s day only to have your motivation and spirit drowned in a warm lake of salty sweat.

JUMP TO RECIPE

The good news is you don’t have to brave the herd at Starbucks to enjoy the rejuvenating elixir that is an icy glass of cold brew. In this guide, I’ll teach you the secret to making cold brew coffee using a French press.

Ingredients and Equipment

• 85 grams (3 oz) whole bean coffee
• 510 grams (17.2 fl oz) filtered water
• Burr coffee grinder
• 34 oz. French Press
• Fine filter* (optional)
• Digital scale (optional)

At A Glance:

Brew Time:

5 mins prep + 12-24 hours steep

Yield:

~2 cups concentrate

*The optional fine filter could be a standard paper filter, fine metal filter, or cheese cloth. It simply serves as a secondary filter to screen out any sediment your French press might let through.

French Press Cold Brew Recipe Basics

Yes, you can. A French press coffee maker is a wonderfully versatile and affordable piece of coffee gear. It can brew richly flavorful hot coffee and it can also make cold brew coffee that’s delightfully sweet and smooth. If you don’t have a French press at home, check out our list of the best French Press models to get started.

A French press has a filter and plunger already installed, making it a near-perfect tool for making cold brew at home. If you have one, there’s no need to waste money on a special cold brewer, especially since cold brewing is one of the easiest coffee-making methods.

You only need to consider three quite forgiving variables: brew ratio, grind size, and brew time.

How To Grind Coffee For Cold Brew

Cold brew coffee requires a coarser grind than any other brewing method, including hot French press coffee. Because the brew time is so long, a fine grind leads to over-extraction and unpleasant bitter flavors – not to mention more sediment in your brew.

For this reason, it is hard to buy pre-ground coffee for cold brew unless a brand offers coffee specifically for cold brewing. Plan to buy whole bean coffee for cold brewing and grind it at home with a grinder for cold brew coffee.

I aim for slightly coarser than I would grind to brew coffee in a French press with hot water.

Cold Brew French Press Ratio

The ratio of coffee to water for making cold brew in a French press is much higher than brewing hot coffee. For one, we are making a concentrate designed to be diluted (1). For two, the cool temperature and coarse grind mean you need more coffee to extract the same flavor. In case you’re curious, this is why cold brew is always so expensive at coffee shops.

The cold brew coffee ratio can be measured by volume or weight. I much prefer to use weight because it is more consistent. The amount of coffee grounds in a cup varies considerably depending on the grind, the roast, and how you pack it. But 100 grams of coffee always weighs 100 grams.

I like to use a 1:6 ratio of coffee to water, measured by weight. For 100 grams of coffee, I add 600 grams of water. But if you don’t have a scale, you can use a 1:4 volume ratio. Use 1 cup of ground coffee for every 4 cups of filtered water.

How to Make Cold Brew in a French Press

Now that you have all your ingredients, let’s make the perfect French press cold brew coffee at home. I’ve broken this easy recipe down step by step, and you can follow along with this quick video tutorial:

Step 1. Weigh And Grind Coffee Beans

Weigh 85 grams of whole coffee beans and grind them to a coarse grind using a burr grinder. If you don’t have a scale, use 9 tablespoons (just over ½ cup) of coarsely ground coffee.

Add the ground coffee to your French press.

Pro tip: If you don’t have a burr coffee grinder at home, don’t be tempted to use a blade grinder. Instead, seek out a local roaster or coffee shop where you can buy beans ground to order.

Step 2. Add Water

Set the French press on your scale and tare it to zero. Add 510 grams of room-temperature, filtered water. If you don’t have a scale, add 2 cups + 2 tablespoons of water.

I like to pour the water in a slow, circular motion to ensure all the grounds are saturated.

If any dry grounds are floating on the top, I’ll use the back of a metal spoon to press them into the water.

Put the lid on the French press, but don’t let the filter touch the water’s surface.

Pro tip: Using the right water to brew your coffee is surprisingly important; after all, coffee is mostly water (2). Filtered water is the best choice for its neutral flavor and moderate mineral content.

Step 3. Wait 12 Hours (Or More)

Let the coffee and water sit in a cool, dark place for at least 12 hours. The cooler it is, the longer it will take.

I usually steep mine in the fridge, which I find takes around 20 hours.

I know you want your coffee now, but don’t be tempted to rush this process, or you’ll end up with a decanter full of slightly coffee-flavored water.

Pro tip: Making coffee is about getting the flavorful compounds from the beans into your cup. Heat, pressure, and a fine grind all speed the process, which is why espresso takes 30 seconds. Cold brew does the opposite, relying on a long, slow steep for complete extraction.

Step 4. Pour And Filter

Slowly press the plunger down a few inches, just enough to stabilize it for the upcoming pour.

You can pour the cold brew concentrate into a sealable container and store it in the fridge at this stage. But if you’ve used a French press before, you know there is likely still some sediment in your brew.

So you may want to use a secondary filter like a pour over dripped in this photo.

I do this by pouring slowly through a pour over dripper fitted with a paper coffee filter.

If you don’t have a pour over brewer, you can loosely tie a piece of cheesecloth around the opening of your container to strain the coffee grounds.

Pro tip: Don’t push the plunger all the way down. It will agitate the grounds, causing them to release more bitter-tasting solubles.

Step 5. Enjoy Your Hacked Cold Brew!

You are ready to enjoy a deliciously smooth cup of cold coffee.

When preparing your drink, remember that we’ve made cold brew coffee concentrate, so you probably don’t want to sip it straight up.

Dilute your concentrate 1:1 with cold water or milk, and add a few ice cubes.

Or get more creative with your cup of cold brew! My favorite coffee drink in the summer is 1:1 cold brew concentrate and frothed oat milk drizzled with a touch of maple syrup. The concentrate is also perfect for iced coffee recipes!

Pro tip: A batch of cold brew concentrate keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Final Thoughts

Although time-consuming, cold brew French press coffee is one of the easiest ways to make coffee at home. It doesn’t require any fancy equipment or skilled techniques. As long as you have a French press and a healthy amount of patience, a refreshingly cool cup of coffee is yours to enjoy!

Now that your refreshment is ready, sit back, embrace the sun, and start planning what to do with this fine summer day!

FAQs

Does cold brew coffee have more caffeine?

Yes, cold brew coffee has more caffeine than a regular cup of coffee made with a drip coffee machine. That’s because cold brew is made with much more ground coffee, even when you account for dilution of the concentrate. Contrary to popular opinion, it’s unrelated to the long brew time or water temperature (3).

What’s the difference between cold brew and French Press cold brew?

The difference between cold brew and French press cold brew is the brewing method. French press cold brew is simply cold brew coffee made in a French press; it is identical in flavor to cold brew made by any slow-steeping method. However, it may yield more sediments in the cup than other methods if you skip the second filtration.

What kinds of coffee is best for cold brew?

The best coffee for cold brew is a matter of personal taste. You can make cold brew with any coffee you enjoy – blends or single origins, dark or light roast coffee. Cold brewing tempers the acidity of a coffee, enhances the sweetness, and produces an ultra-smooth brew. The important thing when choosing beans for cold brew isn’t the type of coffee; it’s getting the appropriately coarse grind size.

Is cold brew less acidic that hot brew?

Yes, cold brew is less acidic than hot brew, provided you use the same beans. Certain acids in coffee are only extracted when you make coffee with hot water, no matter how long you extend your brewing time. This is why cold brew is popular with those suffering from heartburn or acid reflux.

What is the difference between cold brew and iced coffee?

The difference between cold brew and iced coffee is the brewing method. Cold brew coffee is coffee brewed in cool water over many hours, whereas iced coffee is brewed hot in minutes but then chilled for serving. The two methods extract different compounds from the coffee, so cold brew and iced coffee have different flavors even when prepared with the same beans.

References

1. Stumptown Coffee Roasters. (2015, May 19). Five Ways to Make Iced Coffee Better. Retrieved from https://www.stumptowncoffee.com/blogs/news/five-ways-to-make-coffee-better
2. Makela, K. (n.d.). Coffee and Water – How to Use High Quality Water to Brew the Best Coffee. Retrieved from https://www.baristainstitute.com/node/275
3. Brown, A. (2021, November 15). How much caffeine is in cold brew coffee? Retrieved from https://perfectdailygrind.com/2021/11/how-much-caffeine-is-in-cold-brew-coffee/