Overnight French Press Cold Brew
This overnight French press cold brew is the smoothest, least bitter way to make iced coffee on a hot summer morning. Coarse‑ground coffee steeps slowly in cold water for 12–18 hours, creating a strong, low‑acid concentrate that holds up beautifully to ice, milk, and cream without watering down. Perfect for heat waves, weekend batch‑brewing, and as the base for homemade coffee slushies.
Servings: 4
Calories: 15kcal
Ingredients
US Measurements
- 1 cup coarsely ground coffee medium‑dark or dark roast recommended
- 4 cups cold or room‑temperature filtered water
- Ice for serving
- Milk cream, or oat milk, to taste
- Simple syrup or sweetener of choice to taste (optional)
Metric Measurements
- 100 g coarsely ground coffee
- 960 ml cold or room‑temperature filtered water
- Ice for serving
- Milk cream, or oat milk, to taste
- Simple syrup or sweetener of choice to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Add the coarsely ground coffee to the French press carafe.
- Pour the cold water over the grounds and stir gently to fully saturate.
- Place the lid on the French press with the plunger pulled all the way up.
- Transfer to the refrigerator and steep for 12–18 hours.
- In the morning, press the plunger down slowly and steadily.
- For extra clarity, strain the concentrate through a fine mesh sieve lined with a coffee filter.
- Fill a glass with ice, pour in the concentrate, and dilute 1:1 with water or milk. Sweeten if desired.
Notes
- Cold brew concentrate keeps in the refrigerator for up to 1 week in an airtight container.
- For stronger concentrate, increase coffee by 25% or steep up to 18 hours.
- For smoother, clearer cold brew, strain through a coffee filter after pressing.
- Freeze leftover concentrate in ice cube trays to use in coffee slushies, iced lattes, or blended drinks.
- A 1:1 dilution with water or milk is a great starting point—adjust to taste.
- Works with any French press size; scale the ratio up or down as needed.
