Make Homemade French Press Cold Brew Coffee in just 5 minutes of active working time. Homemade cold brew is extra-smooth, extra-strong, less acidic, and much cheaper than the store-bought equivalent. You only need a French press, cold water, and ground coffee (vegan, gluten-free).
You may like some more coffee recipes: Dalgona Coffee, Nutella Coffee, Vietnamese Coffee, Filter Coffee, Beaten Coffee, and Pumpkin Spice Cold Brew.
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About French Press Cold Brew
French Press Cold Brew Coffee is cold-brewed coffee made using a French press. Coffee made by this method is stronger, smoother, and less acidic than coffee made by other brewing methods.
It is one of the easiest ways to brew coffee. The good news for cold brew lovers is that now you can make your own cold brew, just like your favorite coffee shop at home, using this method.
Although you can buy cold brew coffee made in a French press in most coffee shops, making it at home is more economical, and you can customize the drink according to your taste. Plus, you know exactly what ingredients are going in your cold brew.
You only need coarsely ground coffee, water, and a French press to make homemade French press cold brew coffee, so make yourself a batch. I promise; you will never buy it again!
You can drink it black (it is very strong though) or with milk or water, or use this perfect cold brew coffee concentrate to make Vietnamese Coffee, Pumpkin Spice Cold Brew, Iced Caramel Macchiato, or other iced coffee drinks.
You can also add hot water or milk to make a hot cup of cold-brewed coffee.
You can also use it to make Coffee Overnight Oats.
I made this recipe in my 12 oz press, but you easily double or triple it if you have a bigger press.
Ingredients
Coffee – Use any coarse ground coffee to make a cold brew. Do not use a medium or fine grind. Otherwise, the coffee will turn cloudy and have a muddled flavor.
Use high-quality coffee for the best taste.
You can give a twist to the classic cold brew by using flavored coffee.
Water – You will need cold or room-temperature water. Use filtered water if your tap water is chlorinated. The proportion of coffee to water is very important, so keep that in mind. I have explained it in the post below.
French Press – You will need a French press coffee maker to make this cold brew. I use a Bodum original 12 oz press which I ordered from amazon.
Once you have cold brew coffee concentrate ready, you can drink it with water or creamer. Whole milk, toned milk, almond milk, cashew milk, oat milk, choose whichever you want, and go with it.
You can add caramel sauce or chocolate sauce to your coffee to give it a fun twist. Vanilla extract, lavender syrup, and hazelnut syrup are also some great add-ons.
How To Make French Press Cold Brew Coffee
Place 2 oz of coarsely ground coffee at the base of your French press (I used a 12 oz press).
Pour 2 cups of cold filtered water or room temperature water over the coffee and stir gently using a spoon.
Note – The coffee-to-water ratio is very important. It should be approximately 1:8 by volume or 1:16 by weight.
Cover the press with a cling wrap and keep it on the kitchen counter for 8-24 hours, depending on how strong you want the coffee. I prefer 12 hours of brewing time.
Note – Why keep the press on the counter and not refrigerate it, you may ask? Things are more soluble at higher temperatures than at lower temperatures. If you refrigerate your brew, you are effectively limiting solubility or extraction. But if it’s very hot where you live, you can refrigerate it after 3-4 hours of brewing.
Once the coffee is brewed, remove the plastic wrap and place the lid of the French press.
Push down the French press plunger gently.
Note – Do not push the plunger all the way down. That will agitate the coffee grounds, and they will release a bitter taste.
Strain cold brew concentrate into a large glass jar or pitcher. Store refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
Tip – If some coffee granules are floating in the ready coffee and you are not ok with them, then strain the brew using a fine mesh strainer, cheese cloth, coffee filter (paper filter), or a nut bag.
To serve, dilute ½ cup cold brew with ½ cup water or milk.
If serving with ice cubes, use the ice with ½ cup cold brew concentrate with ¼ cup water.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can grind light roast or dark roast coffee beans using a coffee grinder to make this cold brew recipe. Add the whole beans to the grinder and do one pulse to give you coarsely ground coffee beans. Do not ground the beans to a fine powder because this cold brew requires coarsely ground coffee only.
Well, it’s named “cold brew” because of the brewing method, but you can also use the brewed coffee to make hot coffee. Just top the concentrate with some hot boiling water or hot milk and mix, and your hot coffee is ready.
It’s best to brew this coffee for at least 8 hours and a maximum of 24 hours.
The longer you set the coffee to brew, the stronger it gets. If you like your cold brew to be very strong, let it brew for 24 hours.
The easy ratio of coffee to other liquids is 1:1. But you can customize it according to taste. If you like strong coffee, add more concentrate; if you want lighter coffee, increase the quantity of water or milk.
To make a cold brew without caffeine, use a coffee alternative such as chicory root or dandelion root instead of ground coffee.
Storage Suggestions
You can store a batch of cold brew concentrate for about 2 weeks in the refrigerator in a mason jar or an airtight glass container.
Just be sure to store freshly brewed concentrate instead of diluted brew. Then when you want to make coffee, pour the cold brew mixture over ice, add water or milk, and enjoy it fresh.
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Recipe Card
Homemade French Press Cold Brew Coffee Recipe
Equipment
- French Press I used a 12 oz press to make 2 cups of brewed coffee
Ingredients
- 2 ounces coarsely ground coffee
- 2 cups cold or room-temperature water (use filtered water if your tap water is chlorinated.)
Instructions
- Place coffee at the base of your French press.
- Pour water over the coffee and stir gently using a spoon.
- Note – The coffee-to-water ratio is very important. It should be approximately 1:8 by volume or 1:16 by weight.
- Cover the press with a cling wrap and keep it on the kitchen counter for 8-24 hours, depending on how strong you want the coffee. I prefer 12 hours of brewing time.
- Once the coffee is brewed, remove the plastic wrap and place the lid of the French press.
- Push down the French press plunger gently.
- Note – Do not push the plunger all the way down. That will agitate the coffee grounds and they will release a bitter taste.
- Strain cold brew concentrate into a large glass jar or pitcher. Store refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
- Tip – If some coffee granules are floating in the ready coffee and you are not ok with them, then strain the brew using a fine mesh strainer, cheese cloth, coffee filter, or a nut bag.
- To serve, dilute ½ cup cold brew with ½ cup water or milk.
- If serving with ice cubes, use the ice with ½ cup cold brew concentrate with ¼ cup water.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!