Cold brew coffee is great -- it has all the caffeinating and cooling properties of an iced coffee, but it's brewed without any heat. Coffee grounds are soaked in cool water for several hours at a time to extract the rich coffee taste without the bitterness or acidity. The only downside? Cold brew at your favorite coffee shop can cost upwards of $5.
The good news is that you can make it at home in your French Press -- here's how.
How to Make Cold Brew Coffee in a French Press
Cold Brew Recipe
- 6 oz. (About 3/4 cup) of coarsely ground coffee
- 28 oz. cold water
Place the grounds in the base of your French Press and cover with cold water. Don't push down your French Press plunger just yet, and place your French Press in a cold, dark place for 12-15 hours (we use our refrigerator). Then, push down your plunger and pour over ice. Add milk, flavoring, or simple syrup if desired.
A few tips:
- We like to use our H.C. Valentine Signature Coffee, because the notes of rich chocolate and velvety caramel with blueberry undertones are really brought out during the cold brew process.
- Make sure to use coarsely-ground coffee. Otherwise you'll get coffee grounds and sediment in your cold brew (not tasty).
- This process yields a strong brew -- if it's too strong for your taste, add more ice, water, or milk to dilute.
- Want to skip this process entirely, but still love cold brew coffee? Buy our Signature French Roast Cold Brew Concentrate here and mix with water or milk.
