Wait, You Can Make Cold Brew in a French Press? Yeah, and it's Ridiculously Simple.

You've probably seen those cold brew kits. The fancy jars with the tubes, the complicated filters, the waiting. They're cool, but honestly? A bit extra. The truth is, you already have the only special tool you need, hiding in plain sight on your kitchen shelf. We're talking, of course, about your trusty (and probably slightly dusty) French press. Using it for cold brew isn't just possible—it's downright perfect. It was practically designed for this.

Why the French Press is Basically a Cold Brew Machine

Cold brew, at its core, is just water + coffee + time. Forget pressure. Forget precise temperatures. It's pure immersion brewing. And what's a French press? A glorified immersion brewer. The mesh plunger filter? That's your built-in separator. It means no pouring back and forth through paper filters, no messy cheesecloth, no coffee silt in your teeth. You're just swapping hot water for cold, and steeping for hours instead of minutes. The simplicity is kind of beautiful.

Your Three-Ingredient Coffee Alchemy

Okay, let's brew. You need three things. Coarse coffee. Cold, filtered water. And patience. Seriously, get coarse grounds—like beach sand, not flour. If your grind is too fine, you'll get a weirdly bitter and cloudy brew. Aim for a 4:1 or 5:1 water-to-coffee ratio to start. So, 80 grams of coffee to 1,000 grams (or 1 liter) of water. It sounds specific, but it’s the easiest way to get consistent results. Dump the grounds in the press, pour in the water, give it a gentle stir to make sure everything's wet, put the lid on, and then... walk away. That’s the hardest part.

The Great Plunge: The Only "Fancy" Step

Time’s up—12 to 18 hours later, your masterpiece is ready. This is the most satisfying part. Place the press on a stable surface, grip the plunger, and push down slowly. Keep it slow and steady to keep fine grounds from getting agitated and slipping through. When it hits the bottom, you're done. You've just filtered a full batch of cold brew concentrate. No spillage, no separate devices. Pour it into a clean jar or pitcher, stick it in the fridge, and you've got coffee for days.

Pro Tip: It's a Concentrate, Not Your Final Cup

This is where beginners get tripped up. Straight out of the press, you've got a super-strong concentrate. It's designed to be diluted. Try starting with a 1:1 ratio of concentrate to water or milk. Or pour it over a full glass of ice. Taste it. Need it stronger? Add more concentrate. Too strong? Add more water. You're in total control. This is the joy of making it yourself. You tailor it to you.