Brew it cold and drink it hot! Today we are learning how to make the popular drink that many of us love – cold brew! Make this cold brew concentrate today and enjoy it throughout the week.
Cold brew is a delicious way to get your energy boost during a hot summer day (or if you are a brave one, in winter too) and one of the best things about it is that it doesn’t need any special equipment. But if you already own a French press coffee maker, you’ll love using it to make your cold brew coffee concentrate with ease. Especially if you don’t have paper filters or simply want to try new brewing methods to make your own cold brew.
But before we get started, let’s get a quick view of what a cold brew and French press are.
What is cold brew?
Cold brew is one of the most popular coffee drinks across the world, since it’s got what people love from coffee without the bitter taste that a shot of espresso typically has. Normally, cold brew has a very high coffee to water ratio. To put it in perspective, the drip coffee most people drink is anywhere from 1 part coffee to 16 or 20 parts water. On the other hand, cold brew is often 1:4 or 1:8 – so much stronger than other brewing methods. That’s why you don’t drink cold brew straight from the mason jar – it’d have too much caffeine! The most important thing when it comes to cold brew is mixing it with water, juice, milk or even just ice.
To make a cold brew the regular way, you’ll need coarse coffee grounds and room-temperature water, plus a lot of steeping time – and we mean a lot, anywhere between 8 to 24 hours. This slow and low temperature brew makes cold brew taste different from hot brewing methods, resulting in a less acidic and often tastier beverage.
As we mentioned, the main difference between cold-brew and other methods relies on the water temperature of the extraction of coffee. Most coffee methods use really high temperatures, close to boiling, in order to extract the properties of coffee, and take only a couple of minutes. However, cold brewing focuses on time rather than temperature, taking anywhere from 4 up to 24 hours to brew the coffee, depending on the chosen method. The differences between each method vary greatly, so in order to find your perfect drink, you have to go through different methods, pick the perfect roasted beans and the ideal water.
Often, the longer the extraction time, the smoother and less acidic coffee you’ll get. Definitely, a cold brew is easier on the palate than a shot of espresso, especially considering cold brew is often diluted with other beverages, such as water, milk, tonic water, etc – of course, as always, it all comes down to personal preference.
There is a misconception that cold brew is stronger, and although it can be if you want it to be, it can also be weaker. It is true that because it’s brewed with a higher ratio of coffee to water, the resulting concentrarte can have more caffeine than the same volume of hot brewed coffee, including espresso. However, people typically don’t drink cold brew concentrate straight. They usually cut it with water, ice, or anything else, which pushes the caffeine content back down to a normal range.
What is a French Press?
French press coffee is a method of brewing coffee that is done via a French Press. If you don’t already have one, you have probably seen it once or twice: simply put, it is like a plunger with a strainer. With a French press, you can brew ground coffee in a container by brewing, pressing, and straining at the same time. Once the coffee is brewed, the ground coffee beans are pressed to the bottom of the container, resulting in a strong and bold coffee.
French press makers are popular for many reasons. One of them is that it allows you to taste the strong flavor in your selected coffee beans. By avoiding the use of paper filters, you can keep the flavor and oils that are usually lost through those filters. French press doesn’t soak up flavor, and in fact, adds little tiny bits of coffee grounds in your coffee, which makes for an even stronger flavor. You get to taste all the flavors and experience coffee as it should be experienced. In general, by using a French press instead of a drip machine you get a complete saturation of the coffee and avoid impurities which often come with other machines.
Now, let’s get to our cold brew recipe: you’ll find this is the easiest way (or one of the easiest, at least) to make a delicious glass of cold brew, all ready to be enjoyed… in 8-24 hours, but trust us, the wait will be worth it!
Ingredients
1/4 cup of your favorite ground coffee
9 ounces room temperature water
ice OR 6 ounces hot water
Tools
French press
Instructions
- Place the coffee grounds in the French.
- Add the room temperature water and stir.
- Put the French press into the refrigerator for 12 hours.
- Plunge the press to filter and it’s ready to use!
How to serve cold brew made in a French press
Serve in a glass of ice for cold coffee, or mix 2 ounces cold brew with 4 ounces hot water for a smooth hot coffee.
What type of grinder do I need for French press?
Remember, for a French press to brew a great cup of joe, your coffee needs to have a coarse grind. As with every other brewing method, the grind size affects a lot. For French Press, you leave the water in contact with the coarse coffee grinds for 5 minutes. Finer grinds will most likely get stuck in the filter and end up in your cup, which is an undesirable cup of coffee.
We have an article that details what is the best grinder for making the best coffee with a French press, we recommend you to check it out if you haven’t yet! (I’ll add the link later here)
Tips
Refrigerate for a longer or shorter time to customize the strength of the brew to your liking.
Try adding your favorite creamer or sweetener.
Make sure to use really coarse ground coffee in order to avoid coffee grounds and sediment in your cold brew.
If the brew is too strong, you can add more ice, water, or milk to dilute.
Cold brew, as a concentrate, can last for several days, to about a week and a half, when refrigerated.
It is important to keep it in a good airtight container in a dark place .
However, if it’s been diluted with milk, it should be consumed within a few days.
Choose between darker roast or a light roast: darker has a stronger flavor, but lighter roasts has more caffeine.
Fun facts about cold brew coffee made in a French press
Cold brewing coffee makes a coffee concentrate with less acidity and bitterness.
Cold brew served hot does not taste the same as the same kind of coffee brewed hot.
National Coffee Day is September 29th.