How to Easily Make Cold Brew in a French Press at Home

If you're tired of the same old hot coffee all the time, cold brew is the solution.

In addition to tasting delicious, cold brew offers a distinct flavor profile compared to its hot-brewed counterpart.

Cold brew is lighter and earthier, yet still packs a full punch of caffeine.

Follow the steps in this guide to learn how to make cold brew in a French press, and you'll soon have a great morning routine!

What is cold brew coffee?

Cold brew coffee is coffee made by steeping coarsely ground coffee beans with cold tap water for 12 to 24 hours.

The flavor profile of cold brew is very mellow and smooth, while the taste of hot-brewed coffee can be bitter and acidic. Cold brew also has a lower acidity level.

The best part about making cold brew coffee is that you can use your favorite coffee beans and a French press; what's not to love?

Read along to find out everything you need to brew French press coffee at home, like the best coffee to water ratio, steeping time, the best coffee beans to use, and so much more!

Can you make cold brew with a French press?

If you're looking for an easy way to make cold brewed coffee at home, a French press is a great option.

A French Press is the easiest way to enjoy fresh coffee ready to be served over ice or mixed with milk.

Cold brewed coffee offers a smooth, mild flavor that you can enjoy at any time of day.

If you already own a French press, you can easily make cold brew coffee using it. It works perfectly for this purpose, as it utilizes the same components as a dedicated cold brew maker.

Tip: You can also make decaf cold brew! Check out this recipe here.

You'll have the beaker where you'll add the ground coffee and cold water. After steeping, you can easily press the coffee grounds to the bottom, leaving you with a clean, cold brew.

Cold brew French press coffee to water ratio

The best coffee-to-water ratio for cold brew coffee made with a French press is a 1:10 ratio.

This will result in a strong-tasting coffee that is perfect for drinking as is, but also works remarkably well in cold brew recipes.

Depending on the size of your French press, you can make a good amount of cold brew coffee at once.

Below, I've listed a table with the coffee-to-water ratios:

Amount of water:	Amount of coffee:
200 ml	20 grams
400 ml	40 grams
600 ml	60 grams
800 ml	80 grams
1000 ml	100 grams

Now that you know how much coffee you will need to make a batch of cold brew coffee with your French press, it's time to read a bit more about the steeping time, grind size, and coffee beans to use:

How long to steep cold brew in a French press?

The perfect steeping time for cold brew coffee in a French press is 15 hours.

Shorter than this, and the coffee might be a bit underwhelming. On the other hand, steeping for a longer time might extract flavors you don't want.

I've been making cold brew coffee for a long time now, and I've experimented with various steeping times in the past.

The 15-hour mark is the perfect steeping time, in my opinion.

It will result in a cold brew coffee that is enjoyable to drink as is and in various cold brew recipes. It's very versatile.

For this recipe, you'll use the 15 hours mentioned above.

However, if you want to adjust the steeping time, I highly recommend steeping your cold brew coffee for at least 12 hours.

Shorter than 12 hours will result in a cold brew coffee that doesn't taste as good as it could be. Those extra few hours make a big difference in taste.

You can also steep your cold brew for longer than 15 hours if you don't mind getting bitter tones in your coffee. I'll talk a bit more about this below, as the grind size also impacts this:

The best grind size to use for cold brew coffee

For the perfect cold brew coffee at home, use a coarse coffee grind size.

Because cold brew coffee has a long steeping time, you want the grind size to be coarse, so the coffee beans can slowly release their flavor.

• If you go too fine, you'll over-extract the coffee, leaving you with a sour-tasting cold brew.
• If you grind your coffee beans too coarsely, you'll under-extract the cold brew coffee, resulting in a bitter-tasting brew.

It's all about finding that perfect balance in steeping time and grind size.

Have a look below for the grind size I like to use when making cold brew with my French press:

What coffee beans are best used?

One of the great things about making cold brew coffee at home is that you can customize it to your liking.

I recommend using a medium- or dark-roasted coffee to make cold brew in a French press.

Over the years, I've tested many coffee beans with various roasts, and the medium- and dark-roasted coffee beans have consistently tasted great.

A light roast doesn't taste that great and is better used to brew pour over coffee, where the coffee can really show its true flavor.

• If you prefer a smooth, easygoing cold brew coffee, I will opt for a medium-roasted coffee.
• If you prefer a robust cold brew coffee with distinct flavors, I suggest opting for a dark-roasted coffee.

If you get the chance, I will try this recipe with both coffee beans. This way, you can taste them side by side and see which of the two you like better.

How to make cold brew in a French press

Below, I've listed an easy step-by-step guide on making cold brew in a French press. There are photos for each step, so you can easily follow along with me.

Here's how to make cold brew coffee in a French press:

1. Coarsely grind your coffee beans and add your ground coffee to the French press beaker:

2. Pour cold tap water on top of the ground coffee beans:

3. Give this a stir, so all the coffee grounds are equally wetted:

4. Cover this and let it steep for the next 15 hours:

5. After 15 hours, add the plunger to the French press:

6. Press on the plunger and pour your freshly made cold brew coffee into a nice glass:

Now that you've seen how to make cold brew in a French press, you can use the recipe card as a future reference, or have a look below for the ratios I'm using:

Conclusion

The moment I got my first French press, I was hooked. The flavors are amazing, and making cold brew coffee with it is a breeze.

The only downside to making cold brew coffee this way is that you don't have access to your French press while the cold brew coffee is steeping.

However, if you make your cold brew batch right before going to bed, or maybe a bit earlier, you'll have a batch of cold brew coffee waiting for you, and you can then use it to make a cup of morning coffee.

Just don't forget that there are more ways to make cold brew at home; check out this article for more information.

Now that you've made this easy cold brew coffee using your French press, you can drink it as is, or you can make amazing recipes with it. Have a look below for some awesome cold brew recipes!

Do you prefer drinking cold brew as is, or do you like it in recipes?

Let me know by leaving a comment down below. If you have any other questions regarding coffee, you can also contact me directly by pressing the “Contact Me” button at the top!

Cold brew recipes to try

• Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew Coffee Recipe: Easy to Make
• Honey Almondmilk Cold Brew: Easy Recipe to Make At Home
• Coconut Cold Brew Coffee: Easy 4 Ingredient Recipe to Make

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