How to Make Cold Brew Coffee: Using a Parisian Press
Written by Bacha Coffee | 04 October 2022
|3 mins | Coffee Preparation
Discover how you can enjoy cold brew coffee at home
Achieving cold brew coffee at home may be easier than you imagine. Simply take great coffee, add water and finish it with time.
What is cold brew coffee
The key difference between cold brew coffee and the traditional brewing methods you may be familiar with is that cold brew uses (as the name would suggest) cold water. While immersion brewing is still the method used, rather than relying on high heat to rapidly brew the coffee grounds and extract the flavour, cold brew instead employs time. Quite a fair amount at that.
Flavour
The combination of cooler temperatures and an extended steeping process has a profound effect on the final flavour. With the lower temperature, the acidity in the coffee beans is never fully released, and instead the chocolatey and earthy notes are extracted. The resultant coffee is naturally sweeter, with a smoother taste and a thick, velvety texture.
Other considerations
Cold brew concentrate is the undiluted form of cold brew coffee that is used as a base for iced coffee, similar to espresso being used for barista-style coffee drinks. It is made by simply increasing the ratio of coffee grounds to water. The standard would usually be 100g of coffee to 600ml of water, though a concentrate would use equal part coffee and water (otherwise known as a 1:1 ratio). This is perfect for those looking to brew large quantities of coffee—it requires less storage space, and provides the luxury of convenience as enjoying your coffee is as simple as adding water or serving over ice.
Traditional coffee is best enjoyed in the brief moments proceeding its brewing. Cold brew coffee on the other hand, will remain fresh for up to ten days when kept bottled and chilled in the refrigerator. It can be a versatile beverage, as despite what the name would suggest, cold brew coffee does not necessarily need to be enjoyed iced. You may heat the coffee on the stovetop without sacrificing any of the flavour and creating an entirely new experience.
Making cold brew coffee
Cold brew can be prepared using almost any filtration method, and the process does not require any specialised equipment or specific technique. You can make use of a cloth, a kitchen strainer or, of course, a French Press.
We would suggest the latter as it offers a tidy experience and is straightforward in its execution:
1. Grind your coffee to a coarse grind, similar to the size of peppercorns.
2. Add the ground coffee to your French Press, then pour room temperature water over the grounds.
3. Gradually add the water and stir gently, ensuring all grounds are wet.
4. Assemble the French Press and leave the mixture on your countertop or in the fridge, for a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 24 hours. We recommend 16.
5. After the time has elapsed, press down the plunger on your French Press until you meet resistance, then decant the coffee into a large container.
6. Serve at your leisure, and enjoy a great cup of coffee.
Tips from our coffee masters:
- If you are averse to micro fines (extra fine grounds), you can use a paper filter to further strain the coffee grounds and keep your brew as clean as possible.
- If you have purchased beans which are too acidic for your palate, try using them for cold brew. The longer brewing time will result in a sweet and rounded cup.
While you can use any coffee with cold brew, we would recommend a medium dark roast coffee. As previously mentioned, the acidity is largely diminished so the subtle fruity or floral notes of a light roast coffee may be lost in the process, but richer flavours like cocoa or nuttiness will be enhanced.