Iced coffee has grown in demand among people patronizing coffee shops as well as individuals making coffee in their own homes. Remarkably, it has solidly put itself in first place as the superior coffee for French press users. You get the most out of your coffee experience when you make French press cold brew.
It is likely that you know about a French press coffee machine and how to make cold-brewed coffee, but you probably haven’t tried them both together before. It’s high time to transform the status quo, and this tutorial on French press cold brew coffee will teach you how to do just that in an elegant manner!
The French press is a popular form of home coffee brewing, offering a straightforward way to get the maximum flavor out of your favorite coffee beans. It is an efficient and precise method. For many generations, home brewing utilizing this method has been popular, but its potential for creating cold-brew coffee has only recently been discovered. Additionally, the popularity of cold brew coffee has rocketed upward in a very short period of time, largely because it is more sought-after than iced coffee.
Clever advertising has caused confusion over how to make cold brew coffee using a French press. Despite what numerous companies imply, making iced or cold coffee is not simply pouring hot coffee over ice–it is much more than that. Instead of making traditionally heated French press coffee, cold brew is all about the temperature of the water and the amount of time it’s brewed.
Rather than boiling the water, French press cold brew coffee utilizes room temperature water for the brewing process. This has been widely considered to be the optimal coffee for making in a French press for a variety of reasons, for example;
- Cold brew coffee produces a less acidic coffee. It reduces acidity by up to two-thirds compared to traditional brewing.
- It produces a healthier coffee because the antioxidants are released from the coffee beans without being destroyed by high temperatures.
- While it takes a long time to make, cold brew coffee can be kept for up to 10 days and used in various food and drink recipes.
- The cold brew coffee is naturally sweeter, meaning you can avoid the addition of extra sweeteners.
- Using room temperature water and leaving it out of the fridge will speed up the osmosis process, allowing you to enjoy the French press cold brew that much more quickly!
Cold Brew vs. Iced Coffee
Cold brewed coffee is currently a highly popular beverage at cafés. In the summer, it always sounds refreshing.
Cold Brew vs. Iced Coffee Facts
- Cold Brew is slowly brewed in cold or room temperature water, rather than being quickly brewed with hot water.
- Cold brew is higher in caffeine – cold brew contains 100-200 mg of caffeine, compared to about 95 mg of caffeine in a traditional cup of coffee.
- Regular coffee only tastes fresh on the day it’s made, whereas cold brew coffee stays fresh for 5-7 days when refrigerated.
How To Make Cold Brew In A French Press
Using a French press to create cold brew is not tremendously dissimilar to making coffee with hot water. You will have to have the equipment for brewing and all the necessary components for the beverage you have selected (coffee beans or pre-ground coffee, milk, syrups, and so on). If beans are being utilized, they need to be ground to a medium-coarse consistency. You can bypass the requirement of having a kettle using this technique. Making this cold brew coffee will produce a concentrate suitable for drinking.
Grind and prepare the coffee beans
The amount of ground coffee you use in your French press should be 1-3 times the amount of water, based upon the size of the press. For a 4-cup French press, you should use a single cup of coffee grounds. This will be a bit denser, but you can always thin it out with some water if you need to. If you make it too feeble, there’s not much that can be done.
Add Water
Pour the rest of the French press container with lukewarm water. Based on our prior example, this would be equal to 3 cups of water. Make sure there is enough space to insert the plunger to get the coffee out when it’s done.
Stir
Mix very softly until each individual ground coffee bean is moist. It is suggested that you repeat this process twice in the next day to make sure the cold brew has the same level of saturation. This will guarantee that all the taste and stimulant properties of the coffee beans are brought out, thereby preventing you from losing any of your coffee.
Wait
Let the cold brew mixture sit for a day at an ambient temperature. If you put icy water in the refrigerator, it is best to wait around 36 hours before consuming it. Honestly speaking, there is no precise amount of time that one should wait. Some individuals have stated that their ideal taste for cold brew is attained after only a few hours, while others attest that waiting a few days to a week yields a more desirable taste.
Press
After allowing the cold brew mixture to steep for the appointed amount of time, decent down the plunger to remove the cold brew coffee from the ground beans. After pushing down the plunger, transfer the cold brew into a different vessel and mix it with water until it’s at the strength you prefer.
Taste, Test, and Enjoy
This part is simple, taste your cold brew. Then, test different coffee beans, additives, and ratios. Finally, and most importantly, enjoy your cold brew coffee!
Tools to Make the Best Cold Brew
Creating a cold brew is not very costly, and you may already own the necessary items.
Burr Grinder
For the best results in grinding beans, I suggest using a high-quality Burr Grinder. The most optimal method for achieving a uniform grind size for beans is to use a Burr Grinder. This grinder permits customization of the grind by enabling you to toggle the size of the grounds used. It can create coarse grains ideal for French Press and cold brew coffee, mid-sized ones for regular drip coffee, and finely ground beans for espresso.
A Scale
What is the secret to making the tastiest cold brew each time? Weighing your beans! No matter if you measure food in ounces or grams, this reasonably priced and reliable food scale will make your life easier. Have it handy to rapidly measure the weight of your coffee beans for making a perfect cup.
A French Press
It’s not necessary to employ a French Press when you make cold brew, however if you make it frequently, then I strongly urge you to try one. Using a bag for coffee grounds is more convenient because it is not as messy and simplifies the task compared to a jar and a cheesecloth, which can be a hassle to clean up as you have to get rid of the used grounds. Repeatedly producing it can be cost-efficient in the long run due to its extended durability.
How To Clean A French Press
Using a French press to prepare cold brew coffee offers a great variety of advantages that will improve your coffee drinking experience. However, there is one potential downfall: the cleanup! Letting the beans steep in water for an entire day may produce stubborn stains on the glass, as well as getting into all the little corners and crevices.
At first, we recommend moving your cold brew to a container such as a flask, jug, or mason jar when it’s ready to be consumed. The scratches on the glass do not appear to be getting worse right now, but if they remain without treatment, it can cause problems. To clean the French press, you can simply:
- Loosen the grounds from the bottom with water before pouring them into a sieve and disposing of them.
- Use boiling water and soap to fill the pot to the top and let it stand for a few minutes.
- Use the plunger to loosen the remaining coffee grounds before flushing them out with water.
- Take a sponge to wipe away any stains or marks from the side of the French press.
Another way to Cold Brew Coffee: Mason Jar Cold Brew Method
- To prepare cold brew coffee in a mason jar, coarsely Grind Coffee Beans in a coffee grinder. It’s best to use a Burr Grinder, which allows you to select the coarseness of the grounds and produces evenly sized coffee grounds. The beans should be much more coarse than typical coffee grinds. I like to see some beans still partially intact.
- Add coarsely ground coffee to a mason jar, and then add room temperature water. Use a long-handled spoon to press the beans down into the water, and then allow them to “brew” at room temperature for about 12 hours. If you know you won’t get to the coffee for more than 24 hours, it’s okay. Allow the cold brew to steep in the refrigerator to slow down the brewing process.
- Use a nut milk bag or cheesecloth to filter out coffee grounds, then pour cold brew coffee over ice to enjoy.
It doesn’t matter which technique you opt to use, the cold brew is still left to steep for an equal period. Steep cold brew between 16-24 hours.
If you require more time for the cold brew to steep, for example, if you will be away for a day, place the cold brew in the refrigerator to slow the process. This will permit steeping for 48 hours.
Cold Brew Coffee Ratio
The first attempt I made at cold brewing resulted in a weak tasting drink the following day.
Cold brew coffee needs twice as much coffee as a usual drip-brewed cup of joe.
The proportion of cold brew coffee can also be adjusted depending on what you plan to use it for. I tend to have my cold brew with coconut milk as my creamer and liked to have it served with ice. You can also warm up a cold coffee and drink it hot, but you will require more water as the ice won’t be melting and diluting it. You can make a latte or flavored coffee beverage by making an extra-potent cold brew and then blending it with cow’s milk, almond milk, or any other plant-based milk.
- Cold Brew to Pour over Ice: use 1 ounce of coffee beans per 1 cup of water. I typically make 3 cups of coffee, so I use 3 ounces of coffee beans. This is the most common cold brew coffee ratio.
- Cold Brew to Reheat and Enjoy Hot: Prepare cold brew as above, with 1 cup of water per 1 ounce of beans, and then add hot water to taste. To make a weaker brew, add 2 parts cold brew coffee to 1 part hot water. For a stronger brew, use a 4:1 ratio.
- Cold Brew Concentrate for Iced Lattes: use 3 ounces of coffee beans per 2.5 cups of water. To prepare an extra brew to keep on hand for the week, use 6 ounces of coffee to 5 cups of water.
Cold Brew Ratio in Grams
- Cold Brew to Pour over Ice: use 28 grams of coffee beans per 1 cup of water (or 85 grams per 3 cups). This is the most common cold brew coffee ratio.
- Cold Brew to Reheat and Enjoy Hot: Prepare cold brew as above, with 1 cup of water per 28 grams of coffee beans, and then add hot water to taste.
- Cold Brew Concentrate Ratio for Iced Lattes: use 85 grams of coffee beans per 2.5 cups of water. To prepare an extra brew to keep on hand for the week, use 170 grams of coffee to 5 cups of water.
Cold Brew Concentrate
If you are searching for something to replace espresso in a recipe, cold brew concentrate may be the perfect option.
If you’re a fan of lattes and would like to make one yourself, it’s an excellent choice.
Is Cold Brew Stronger Than Regular Coffee?
Yes, cold brew is stronger than regular coffee. The extended brewing process leads to more of the coffee grounds being dissolved into the liquid, resulting in a bold cup of coffee with increased caffeine levels in comparison to regular coffee. It is ideal for imbibing over ice cubes without diminishing the taste.