How to Make Iced Coffee with a French Press
Making iced coffee with a French press is a very easy way to make a delicious cup of iced coffee. With this method, you can brew the coffee so that it fits your personal preferences, and you don’t have to wait in line at your local coffee shops, to enjoy your own cold brew beverage.
We are so excited to share this French press recipe with you, which will walk you through the step-by-step process of making coffee, using the French press method.
You get to enjoy a delicious, iced coffee that doesn’t take a long time to make, and provides you with a tasty batch of cold brew to enjoy drinking.
Brewing Method
There are many different brewing methods, so what makes the best coffee? Is using a French press really the best way to make a glass of iced coffee? Let’s first explore the different Bruyne methods, then we will look at why use a French press.
Regular coffee is made by using a coffee pot, that makes drip coffee, or by using K cups in a Keurig maker. Usually, your average coffee maker will make regular hot coffee, but it needs paper filters to keep the coffee grounds separate from the brewed coffee. A regular cup of coffee is a great way to start off the day, no matter if you want a strong cup of coffee, or if you want to make it into a fancy type of coffee.
Cold brewing is yet another method to prepare coffee. This involves a cold brew coffee maker, which can be as simple as a mason jar and a mesh filter to contain the coffee grounds. The coffee filter, keeps all of the grounds from falling in the water, allows the cold coffee to brew slowly, and at a cold temperature. Usually, this is done overnight in the fridge.
You can make a cold brew concentrate, by adding more coffee grounds with less water as well. Cold brew coffee concentrate is ideal when making iced coffee, that way as the ice melts, the coffee balances out additional water.
The brewing process for regular coffee is done in a few minutes, compared to cold-brew coffee which has a longer brewing process, but some can argue a more flavorful taste. There are times when cold brew, it is better than hot brew coffee, depending on what you’re making with it. Especially if you are one of the cold brew lovers, this especially makes delicious, iced coffee.
The type of beans you choose to brew when making coffee is also important. The best type of coffee beans are whole beans. Whole beans are a higher quality and result in a high-quality coffee to start off the day.
In addition to brewing regular coffee, or making cold brew, you can also make coffee in a French press no matter if you’re wanting hot coffee or iced coffee.
Why use a French Press?
Using a French press to make coffee is actually a very good way to prepare coffee. Because the coffee grounds are completely immersed in the water, you get a fuller-tasting cup of coffee. Especially if the coffee grounds are more citrus flavored in general.
To make coffee in a French press, you are going to want to use coarse ground coffee beans. This can be whatever type of coffee you prefer.
Coffee Grounds to use in a French Press
To make the best coffee in a French press, you are going to want to use a course grind. A coarser grind will give you the best flavor, although you can use a medium grind if needed.
To make iced coffee using a French press, rather than using a light roast coffee, we recommend using a dark roast. Don’t worry about using too much coffee grounds, because when mixing part coffee to the ice, the strong coffee made in your French press will become diluted, and result in the perfect tasting iced coffee.
Now, let’s look at the recipe for how to make iced coffee in a French press. Our recipe below includes special equipment you will need from the kitchen, ingredients we recommend including, as well as a step-by-step walk-through of how to make this recipe. Let’s get started!
Iced Coffee RecipeSpecial Equipment: A French press coffee maker
Ingredients and Substitutions for French Press Iced Coffee
Coffee. To make iced coffee in a French press, you are going to want to use whole coffee beans that are ground about like coarse sea salt.
Water. You’re also going to want to use water to mix in with the ground coffee. We recommend that you add cold water or room temperature water to a saucepan, then heat it until it becomes very hot water. You could also use cold filtered water if you prefer. Please note that room temp water or cold water heats faster than adding warm water to the pan.
The number of cups of water added to the French pass will depend on how much strong coffee you are making. The water ratio should be approximately 6 ounces of water for every 4 tablespoons of ground coffee.
Milk. After the iced coffee is brewed, you can add your choice of milk, creamer, or milk alternative such as almond milk to your glass.
Ice Cubes. Ice cubes are also an important ingredient to add to your iced coffee after the coffee has been brewed in the French press. You can use your favorite type of ice cube.
Sweetener. You can also add your desired sweetener to taste before serving. One great option for sweetener is to make a simple syrup, you could also use another sweetener such as honey, maple syrup, Stevia, or your sweetener of choice.
How to Make Iced Coffee with a French Press
The first step to making iced coffee in a French press is to heat the water. Into a small saucepan add cold water. Place the pan over a burner and turn it to high heat. Heat the water until it just begins to simmer.
Please note that the amount of water added to the pan depends on how much iced coffee you are making. A good rule of thumb is that you want 6 ounces of water for every 4 tablespoons of coffee grounds.
Next, add your coarsely ground coffee into your trusty French press. Pour the hot water over the coffee grounds. Stir to combine the coffee grounds with the hot water. Let them rest for four to five minutes.
After they have rested, gently press the French press plunger down to separate the coffee grounds from the brewed coffee.
Fill a glass with ice cubes, then pour the coffee from your French press over the ice cubes. Add a splash of milk and sweetener as desired. Enjoy your delicious French press iced coffee.
Tips & Tricks
To get the best results when making iced coffee in the French press, make sure that you make the coffee extra strong so that the ice doesn’t dilute it too much. Then, we recommend that you mix the coffee grounds and water together and let them rest. This will give your coffee the best flavor.
How to Serve
Your French press coffee is best served over ice. This recipe is made with French press coffee that is extra strong, so when it is added to ice, it is not disappointing. You can flavor this iced coffee with creamer, milk, sugar, or your favorite sweeteners.
Different Flavors
Your iced coffee can also be flavored with different types of flavors if you wish. You can add chocolate syrup, caramel syrup, or vanilla syrup to your iced coffee to make it flavorful.
Variations
There are many different variations for making coffee in a French press. You can use French press coffee to make pretty much any coffee recipe. Only note that if you are going to add ice to it, you will want to make the coffee double strength, meaning 4 tablespoons of ground coffee for every 6 ounces of water, otherwise you can use 2 tablespoons of coffee grounds for every 6 ounces of water.
Cold Brew Recipe
You can also use the French press to make cold-brew coffee if desired. To do this, add the coffee grounds into the French press, then add lukewarm water. Strain the coffee grounds and water together, then place in the fridge overnight to brew. The next morning, use the plunger to press down the coffee grounds before pouring out the cold-brew coffee.
Storage
Room temperature. Iced coffee made with a French press is best enjoyed fresh. If it’s left at room temperature too long, it could become extremely watery depending on how much ice is added to the coffee. For best results, drink the iced coffee within an hour or two.
In the fridge. French press coffee can be made in advance as well if you wish. Simply prepare the coffee as instructed above, let it cool, then place it into the fridge until you are ready to enjoy it. Serve over ice as desired.
The Perfect Cup of Iced Coffee
If you are looking to enjoy the perfect cup of iced coffee, then we strongly recommend that you try preparing coffee using a French press. It’s so easy to do, and it tastes surprisingly delicious.
Because the coffee grounds get to mingle with water much longer than your normal brew method, French press coffee is very flavorful and makes and delicious cup of iced coffee. We hope you’ll give this recipe and try, and we hope you enjoy it!
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How to Make Iced Coffee with a French Press
Equipment
- french press
Ingredients
- 6 Tbsp coffee grounds
- 6 oz water
- milk or creamer to taste
- 3/4 cup ice cubes
- sweetener as desired
Instructions
- The first step to making iced coffee in a French press is to heat the water. Into a small saucepan add cold water. Place the pan over a burner and turn it to high heat. Heat the water until it just begins to simmer.
- Please note that the amount of water added to the pan depends on how much iced coffee you are making. A good rule of thumb is that you want 6 ounces of water for every 4 tablespoons of coffee grounds.
- Next, add your coarsely ground coffee into your trusty French press. Pour the hot water over the coffee grounds. Stir to combine the coffee grounds with the hot water. Let them rest for four to five minutes.
- After they have rested, gently press the French press plunger down to separate the coffee grounds from the brewed coffee.
- Fill a glass with ice cubes, then pour the coffee from your French press over the ice cubes. Add a splash of milk and sweetener as desired. Enjoy your delicious French press iced coffee.
