coffee, lately.

July 23, 2012

cold brew i’m not a coffee snob. i admit, there are things i can be snobbish about, but coffee isn’t one of them. the number of bodega coffees i consumed on morning commutes to my last job should tell you this. still, i recognize a delicious cup of coffee. rich and nuanced and something you can smack your lips at.

lately, we’ve been guzzling cold brewed coffee made at home. if you’ve not already been schooled on the delights of cold brew by your local suspendered and bearded barista, let me explain the process as understood and executed by yours truly.*

1. put typical number of heaping spoonfuls of roughly ground coffee into your trusty french press
2. fill up with cold water and cover, but don’t plunge the mesh filter
3. refrigerate overnight
4. in the morning, plunge that filter, pour that coffee, top off with simple syrup (one part sugar, one part water, boiled, simmered and cooled).

perfect for the steamy mornings we’ve been having lately and one more reason to retire that drip coffee maker taking up all your kitchen counter space.

*if you wanna get really intimate with iced coffee brewing, check out this class.

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36 Comments

  • Reply rebecca July 23, 2012 at 1:09 pm

    been thinking about replacing our coffee maker with a french press… i'll get there… slowly but surely.

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  • Reply Robyn July 23, 2012 at 1:11 pm

    i am a bit of a coffee snob. that would pass the test!

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  • Reply Joy July 23, 2012 at 1:12 pm

    can't wait to try this!

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  • Reply SARAH July 23, 2012 at 1:24 pm

    thank you for demystifying 'cold brew' for me! I've been afraid to ask the coffee snobs.

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    • Reply Erin July 23, 2012 at 4:28 pm

      ha! so glad to have helped!

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  • Reply Lottie July 23, 2012 at 1:51 pm

    that is such a good idea and so much easier than i thought, i will have to give this a go.

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  • Reply J+H @ Beyond The Stoop July 23, 2012 at 2:27 pm

    the timeliness of this article is perfect… just bought my first french press this weekend!!

    cheers.

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    • Reply Erin July 23, 2012 at 4:29 pm

      amazing! hope you love it!

      1
  • Reply Amanda Jane Jones July 23, 2012 at 2:42 pm

    I always love the images you pair with your posts.

    1
    • Reply Erin July 23, 2012 at 4:30 pm

      thanks, amanda. so glad you do!

      1
  • Reply Rhianna Nelson July 23, 2012 at 2:58 pm

    I'll definitely try this when the weather warms up down here. It sounds sumptuous šŸ™‚ Rhi xx

    The Wildest of Dreams

    1
  • Reply Milynn luong July 23, 2012 at 3:00 pm

    Hmm, I've never made cold brew coffee before, let alone using a french press. I've always just brewed hot coffee and then threw ice in it. But this seems like the perfect solution for saving time in the morning by making it the night before.

    2
  • Reply Lynette July 23, 2012 at 3:07 pm

    I love cold-brewed coffee too! I add maple syrup, a touch of real vanilla, and almond milk with the steeped coffee and blend on high. The result? A frothy, creamy coffee. So good!

    2
    • Reply Erin July 23, 2012 at 4:30 pm

      sounds delicious!

      2
  • Reply AbbieBabble July 23, 2012 at 3:27 pm

    I am not a coffee snob, either- I drink far too much of it to be one. That having been said, I'm with you 100% when it comes to french press. So delicious!

    2
  • Reply Kayla Poole July 23, 2012 at 3:36 pm

    I'm a semi coffee snob, but still enjoy a cup from the bodega, too šŸ™‚

    As for this, I have no clue why I've yet to try to make cold brew myself. On it now, thanks!

    2
    • Reply Erin July 23, 2012 at 4:30 pm

      thatta girl.

      1
  • Reply Elise Martinez July 23, 2012 at 4:14 pm

    I've always wanted to get a French press… But my hubby and I rarely drink coffee… I just love how they look. Maybe I should get back into drinking coffee. Have a lovely week!

    2
    • Reply Erin July 23, 2012 at 4:31 pm

      you could brew tea in one, too!

      2
  • Reply Sarah July 23, 2012 at 4:37 pm

    Thank you for this post, this sounds much simpler than I thought it would be! How well does cold-brew keep? For example, if I were to make a batch of this and pour it off into a different container, would it still be tasty on day 3?

    2
    • Reply Erin July 23, 2012 at 4:39 pm

      good question! we always drink up our cold brew right away, so i've never really stored it! aficionados, chime in!

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  • Reply Darianne July 23, 2012 at 6:37 pm

    I like cold coffee, not hot coffee as much. Eh, I'm somewhat of a coffee snob.

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  • Reply bigBANG studio July 23, 2012 at 6:46 pm

    I am, admittedly and regrettably, a coffee sn*b. Just the term makes me cringe, but it's true. And we are big cold brew peeps in the summer. My secret? Sweeten with VT grade B maple syrup. YUM. I add a tiny drop of almond extract if I'm feeling frisky, too.

    2
  • Reply Sam | ashore July 23, 2012 at 7:31 pm

    WAIT WHAT? This whole time I've been thinking that cold brew coffee requires fancy cold-brew-specific coffee and one of those cone filter things. But really I can just make it with my french press and regular old grounds? mind. blown.

    2
    • Reply IndiaMorgan July 23, 2012 at 8:13 pm

      You CAN buy coffee grounds made especially for cold brew. I'm not sure exactly what the difference is, but Stumptown offers cold brew beans for the same price as a regular lb and it's super yummy made with a French Press!

      2
  • Reply Sarah July 23, 2012 at 10:57 pm

    I have never liked coffee from a french press, but everyone says it's the best, so maybe I should give it another shot? Any tips?

    2
    • Reply Erin July 26, 2012 at 1:30 pm

      it's totally simple! i'd just say it's nicest to use a course grind because you get less coffee-silt (i made up this phrase, but i think it's apt)!

      2
  • Reply clairemaxwell July 24, 2012 at 10:36 am

    Thank you for this! LOVE iced coffee.

    2
  • Reply NA July 24, 2012 at 12:07 pm

    I'm portuguese and in my country the second king drink is coffee after the wine of course. You cannot begin your day without drinking a strong espresso. We don't cultivate coffee but we have created the best mixtures with the robusta, arabic or liberica coffee varieties.
    Talking about cold coffee drink there is one very good invented by the algerians called Mazagran. It's very refreshing and you must try: http://phenomenalphoods.com/?p=1010

    2
  • Reply Katherine July 24, 2012 at 7:19 pm

    I tried cold brewed coffee for the first time a few weeks ago and it was delicious – I've been thinking about attempting it at home, so thank you for posting this! Any french press recommendations? šŸ™‚

    1
  • Reply BlueBetty July 25, 2012 at 6:06 pm

    Cold brew coffee is one of my favorite summer time treats. I always have some in a craft in my fridge.

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  • Reply April July 29, 2012 at 4:31 pm

    We have these french press mugs that work great, but I never think of making cold brew in them. I'm on it!

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  • Reply Joanna May 9, 2018 at 10:10 pm

    I really need to know how many teaspoons of coffee to how much water I have a french press but I feel I am missing the proper amount of water???

    2
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