We had our first HOT day in New England, so it was time to make cold brew. I love to do it with my Bodum French press. It’s super fast and straightforward to clean up. I had some leftover George Howell Dota, so this was a good use.
I made Howell Dota in my french press cold brew style
To make cold-brew coffee with a French press, you can follow these steps:
- Coarsely Grind the Coffee Beans: To ensure a smoother extraction, cold brew coffee is typically made with coarsely ground coffee beans. Measure out the amount of coffee beans you’d like to use, and grind them to a coarse consistency. I use about a 20-grind on my Baratza Encore. The typical ratio for cold brew is 1:4 to 1:5 coffee-to-water by weight. For example, you could use 1 cup of coffee grounds to 4-5 cups of water.
- Combine Coffee and Water: Add the coarsely ground coffee to the French press. Pour cold, filtered water over the coffee grounds. I’m a stickler for using room temperature water. Of course, it quickly gets much colder in the fridge.
- Stir: Gently stir the mixture to ensure all the coffee grounds are fully saturated with water.
- Steep: Place the plunger on top of the French press without pressing it down, and let the coffee steep for 12-24 hours. The steeping time can vary depending on how strong you want your cold brew to be. Steeping at room temperature or in the refrigerator are both options.
- Press and Strain: After the steeping time is up, slowly press down the plunger to separate the coffee grounds from the liquid. This will also help filter out any remaining coffee grounds.
- Serve: Pour the cold brew coffee into a glass, and add any additional ingredients to taste, such as milk, cream, or sweetener. Cold brew coffee can be served over ice for a refreshing iced coffee drink.
- Store: Store any leftover cold brew coffee in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to a week.
These steps should help you make delicious cold-brew coffee using a French press. Enjoy!
