A few months back I made the decision to toss the Keurig. No, I am not a total tree hugger and find that the Keurig is completely wasteful, yet yes, there is a little tree hugger inside of me that thinks it is completely wasteful! I start my days very early, 5am conference calls to be exact, and the ease of this instant coffee maker was simply beautiful. I would even use my vintage porcelain tea cups because somehow it made sipping coffee seem quaint and elegant. Anyhow, I admit, I read an article on Facebook, and it must be true [insert sarcasm], about how the Keurig was wasteful and non-sanitary. I also have a little OCD person in side of me, or as my brother would say I have obsessive compulsive personality disorder (apparently there is a difference) and I couldn’t get any of this out of my head. The easiest solution…pack the machine back in the box and revert back to the old school way of making coffee, the French press (oddly enough not French but patented by the Italians)! So the moral of this story, well nothing really, but rather I wanted to share how to make a cold brew, and if it wasn’t for my French press I wouldn’t be making it.
Here are a few fun facts about cold brew and the French press:
1. My French press is from Ikea, costs $10, and works just fine.
2. A French press requires a coarser grind of coffee than does a regular drip coffee maker (finer grounds, when immersed in water, have lower permeability and are more likely to seep through and/or around the perimeter of the press filter and into the coffee).
3. Cold brew is a great way to use older coffee beans which would taste stale brewed hot.
4. Cold brew is easy to make.
5. Cold brew is perfect for large batches of coffee and can be stored for about a week.
What You Need
Ingredients
2/3 cup whole coffee beans (darker roast is preferable)
3 cups room temp or cold water, preferably filtered
Equipment
Coffee grinder
French press coffee maker
Step 1: Grind 2/3 cup of coffee beans. Remove French press lid and pour grounds into the bottom of your French press (remember to keep your ground coffee course).
*If you want to make a smaller quantity than use the following rule: 2 tablespoons coffee beans per 1 cup of water or 1/3 cup ground coffee to 1 1/2 cups of water.
Step 2: Add 3 cups of room-temperature water and stir to incorporate (you only need to stir for a few seconds).
Step 3: Place the French press plunger (lid) on top and store in the fridge overnight (press down only enough to secure lid).
*I typically put mine in at about 8pm and it is ready in the morning. Different coffee beans will respond to the steeping phase differently. Once you choose your coffee bean, it may take a few times to figure out the best length of time for this process. You can also steep at room temperature for 12 hours. Because the plunger will be sticking up, this fits best in your fridge door as it will be tall.
Step 4: Plunge or filter the coffee (both methods are acceptable).
Method 1: Plunge. This is how I make my cold brew. Simply press down on the plunger carefully to push all the grounds to the bottom. Done. Pour.
Method 2: Filter. Some prefer not to plunge the coffee, as it may release bits and pieces from undissolved solids that are better left behind. So in place of plunging, slightly push the plunger in about an inch or two down to secure it into the French press. Using a decanter, coffee filter, or cheesecloth, pour the coffee into your cup or storage container of choice (mason jar, coffee cup, etc).
Step 5: Enjoy your cold brew! Iced coffee can be kept refrigerated for about a week. I keep mine in large mason jars as seen below.
*I will post how to make these awesome chalkboard mason jars in another DIY post.