You can make cold brew coffee in many different methods. Among many methods, using a French Press is quite popular. Many coffee lovers use this technique to make cold-brew coffee. So, if you have a French Press in your home, you can make tasty and relaxing cold brew coffee. But how to make cold brew coffee in a French Press? 

Take a French Press machine and put your coffee grounds with water in it. Then you can refrigerate it for 12 to 24 hours to let it soak. Lastly, put the plunger (a handle attached to the filter) down to get your filtered coffee. Then comes the customization part where you can show your creativity to match your taste.

In this article, we have discussed the French Press and its working mechanism along with the cold brew-making process. Moreover, the advantages and disadvantages are also included here. We have recommended some brands of French Press for cold brew coffee and shared some tips and tricks for you.

What Is A French Press? How Does It Work?

French Press 

A French Press is a familiar coffee brewing machine.  You may have used it or seen it. People call it differently in different places like;

• French Press 
• Plunger Pot
• Press Pot. 

It has a container made of glass or stainless steel and a plunger. This plunger is a handle-like thing attached to the filter so that you can push it down and filter your coffee.

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How A French Press Works

You can use a French Press for both cold and hot brewed coffee. What is the working mechanism of this device? 

Well, when you put your coffee grounds and water in the French Press, this is the starting point. You have to wait to soak the coffee grounds. If you are going for hot coffee, the waiting period can be a few minutes. But for cold brew, you have to refrigerate it for 12 to 24 hours. After soaking or steeping, the actual work of the French Press takes place.

When you press the plunger or handle down, the filter inside the container separates the coffee grounds and brewed coffee. Then you can pour the coffee extracts into a cup or glass. This is how a French Press works to brew tasty coffee.

Cold Brew Coffee In A French Press (Making Process)

Suppose you have a French Press machine and want to drink soothing cold-brew coffee. What can you do? Obviously, use this device to get your favorite coffee. But how to make cold brew coffee in a French Press? Here we are providing some simple steps to make cold brew coffee. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup of coffee grounds (Coarsely ground)
• 4 cups of cold or room-temperature water
• Ice cubes 
• Sweeteners, milk, toppings, syrup, cream etc. (Optional)

Steps to Follow 

1. Take Coffee Grounds 

Take fresh beans and grind them coarsely (medium-sized) or you can take pre-ground coffee simply. But make sure it is coarsely ground.

2. Put Coffee Grounds and Water into the French Press 

Put the coffee grounds and cold or room-temperature water into the container of the French Press. Take 4 cups of water for every 1 cup of coffee grounds. 

3. Stir

Give it a stir and make sure the coffee grounds are covered with water.

4. Soaking or Steeping 

Put the lid of the French Press and place it in the refrigerator for about 12 to 24 hours. It is the process of soaking or steeping so that you can get flavorful coffee. For a mild coffee taste, 12 hours is good to go but for a stronger taste, you should wait 24 hours.

5. Press the Plunger 

After steeping, press the plunger down slowly. It will separate the coffee extracts. 

6. Pour and Customize 

Then pour it into a glass and customize it as you want. You can add milk or water to make it mild. Add sweeteners or any toppings whichever you like. This is how your cold brew coffee is ready. 

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Using A French Press 

Can you make cold brew in a French press? Yes, you can and we have already discussed how to make cold brew coffee in a French press. But using a French Press does not only give positive outcomes. It comes with some disadvantages which are necessary to learn. Let’s find out both the advantages and disadvantages of using a French Press in the following table.

Advantages of Using a French Press

• Using a French Press, you can control the flavor of your coffee. It is possible to adjust the steeping time and flavor.

• The design of the French Press is quite simple and it is easy to use.

• This is an eco-friendly process because there is no paper filter.

• A French Press has versatile usage. You can make both hot and cold brewed coffee and loose-leaf tea too.

• This is quite affordable (not expensive)

• It can give you the experience of rich and bold coffee

• Using French Press For coffee requires minimal equipment or you can say only the French Press is needed as equipment.

• This device has a pleasant design.

• A French Press can provide you with quiet operations, no loud noise.

• French Press doesn’t require an electricity connection.

Disadvantages of Using a French Press

1. Sometimes you might find some coffee grounds in your cup. It can be a result of improper filtering.

1. As you know French Press requires coarsely ground coffee. It might seem problematic sometimes.

1. It is not travel-friendly.

1. This device requires longer brewing time.

1. Sometimes it can not extract all the flavors.

1. It has a smaller capacity so you can only brew a limited volume of coffee.

1. It is better to use when you are brewing multiple cups of coffee. Not a good choice for a single serving.

1. It can be temperature-sensitive.

1. To get the best results, you may have to go through some trial and error phases.

1. As it is heavy or bulky, it is not portable.

What Type Of Coffee (Other Than Cold Brew Coffee) Can You Make On A French Press?

You can make cold brew coffee in your French Press. But will you only use it for cold brew coffee? French Press has versatile usage. So, you can use it other than cold brewing. 

1. Regular Hot Brew

This is the most common use of a French Press device. You can make a hot brew with hot water. Skip the refrigerating part and soak for a few minutes. This is how you are ready to go.

2. French Press Espresso 

Make a strong concentrated hot brew and enjoy the espresso feeling. It won’t be the actual espresso but an espresso-like beverage. 

3. Iced Coffee 

You can make it as cold brew or even hot brew and serve it over ice.

4. Flavored Coffee 

You can add any flavor or spices to your coffee to customize it. Such as cinnamon, cardamom, vanilla beans, chocolate syrups etc.

Tips And Tricks Of Using French Press For Cold Brew Coffee 

Now you know how to make cold brew coffee in a French Press. But you should always keep an eye on some essential things. It will help you get the best quality coffee. Here we are presenting some tips and tricks that might help.

• To prevent over-extraction, avoid using finely ground coffee beans. Always take coarsely (Medium-sized; like breadcrumbs) ground coffee beans.

• Use filtered water and freshly ground beans. 

• Keep the coffee to water ratio as 1:4 which means 1 cup of coffee ground for every 4 cups of water.

• For mild flavor, steep or soak for 12 hours and strong flavor go for 24 hours.

• Always press the plunger slowly downwards. Don’t pull it at once.

• Choose a French Press machine which has a double Filtration mechanism. 

• You can add milk or water to make your coffee mild.

• Use a timer to track the time of steeping. It helps prevent over-extraction. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)

1. What is the measurement of coffee and water for cold brew coffee in a French Press? 

As we have mentioned earlier, the easy measurement ratio is 1:4. So, keep the coffee-to-water ratio as 1:4 which means 1 cup of coffee ground for every 4 cups of water.

2. Is it possible to make cold brew coffee in French Press using hot water?

We suggest using cold or room-temperature water for the cold brew coffee. Though it is possible to make a cold brew with hot water, it will take a long time to cool down. Moreover, due to over-extraction, you might get bitter coffee.

3. How should the plunger be during steeping? 

Keep the plunger up or as it is during steeping. Avoid pushing it down during the time. After steeping, you can slowly put the plunger down. Otherwise, keep it as it is.

4. How to store the leftover cold brew coffee? 

You can use any airtight container to store the leftover cold-brew coffee. But you have to keep it in the refrigerator to keep it fresh.

Conclusion 

To sum up, we can say that the French Press is a great device to make tasty and flavorful coffee. Now you know how to make cold brew coffee in a French Press. Follow our suggested steps and consider the tips and tricks to get the perfect cold brew coffee. You can pick French Press machines from our recommended brands. For any confusion regarding any kind of coffee or brewing method, you can check our website “Coffee Mart Blog” anytime you want. Enjoy your tasty and comforting coffee and keep experimenting with brewing methods.