I’m Kayla. I’ve used a Bodum 34 oz French press for years. I make hot coffee most days. But this summer I started making cold brew in it. I thought it might be a hassle. It wasn’t. It was chill, literally. If you want the long-form deep dive, I put together a separate cold brew coffee with a French press play-by-play that covers water chemistry, bean origin tests, and more.
You know what? It changed my mornings. If you’re totally new to the idea, Kaldi’s Coffee has a clear, step-by-step primer on making cold brew with a French press that lines up closely with what I describe here.
My setup (simple and real)
- Press: Bodum Chambord, 34 oz
- Grinder: Baratza Encore (coarse grind)
- Beans I tried: Kirkland Colombian (Costco), Stumptown Holler Mountain, and a local Guatemalan from Coava
- Water: Cold tap water plus a few ice cubes
- Storage: A mason jar with a lid
Nothing fancy. My counter is small, and I have a cat who thinks foam is food. So I keep it tight and tidy.
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How I make it (and what actually worked)
Here’s the method that finally gave me smooth, strong cold brew without grit.
- Weigh 80 grams of coffee. Coarse grind. Think chunky bread crumbs.
- Add grounds to the French press.
- Pour in 4 cups (about 1 liter) of cold water.
- Stir with a chopstick. Don’t go wild. Just wet all the grounds.
- Set the lid on top, but don’t push down.
- Let it sit in the fridge 14–16 hours. Overnight is fine.
- In the morning, press the plunger down slow. Like, 20–30 seconds slow.
- Pour the coffee into a mason jar. If I want it extra clean, I pour through a paper filter or a fine tea strainer.
That’s it. It makes a concentrate. I mix it half coffee, half water or milk. Oat milk with a dash of maple syrup? Yes, please. For another perspective on ratios and steep times, I also like referencing this practical cold brew recipe from Buttered Side Up.
Real examples from my kitchen
- First try: I used a dark, oily espresso roast from Trader Joe’s. Tasted muddy. Bitter finish. I thought I messed up. Nope—just the wrong beans. Lighter roast worked better.
- Second try: Stumptown Holler Mountain, 16 hours in the fridge. Tasted like cocoa and a little cherry. No stomach burn. I poured over ice, added oat milk. I smiled at 6 a.m., which is rare.
- Picnic batch: I made cold brew on Friday night for a Saturday park hang. I did 1:1 with water, added a splash of vanilla (French vanilla syrup). Friends said it tasted “like chocolate milk for grown-ups.” We went through the whole jar.
- Busy Monday: I used Kirkland Colombian, 14 hours, then filtered through a V60 paper cone. Zero grit. I made three iced lattes in five minutes. Even my partner said, “Okay, this slaps.” He never says that about coffee.
- Lazy Sunday: I tried something different—served a small scoop of vanilla ice cream in my cold brew and sipped a glass of crisp French white wine alongside it. Sweet, rich, and surprisingly refreshing.
Taste and texture
Cold brew from the press is smooth. Less sharp acid. More chocolate. Sometimes a little nutty or cherry, depending on the bean. I still get some fine silt if I don’t paper-filter. Not a deal-breaker, but I notice it in the last sip.
Pros, in plain talk
- Cheap gear, easy steps
- Big flavor, low acid
- Makes a few days of coffee at once
- Great over ice with milk or plain
Cons I actually ran into
- Waiting overnight is… waiting
- Some grit if you don’t filter again
- Cleanup can be messy
- If you slam the plunger, grounds escape and you’ll be mad
If the overnight steep feels like forever and you’re itching for something to do, consider jumping into a casual Kik chat—the curated directory of Kik girls lets you meet new people to swap memes, playlists, or even coffee hacks with, making those 16 hours fly by. Alternatively, if you’re hanging around Palm Beach Gardens and want to line up a real-world hangout while your brew rests, browsing the Skip The Games Palm Beach Gardens guide can connect you with locals and suggest chill spots where a jar of homemade cold brew doubles as the perfect conversation starter.
A quick fix for cleanup: I scoop the wet grounds into a bowl with a spatula, let them dry a bit, then toss. Sometimes I use a mesh sink strainer to catch tiny bits. Way easier on the drain.
Small tips that helped me
- Don’t pick dark, oily beans. Choose medium or light for cleaner taste.
- Wrap the top with plastic wrap if your fridge smells like onions. Learned that the hard way.
- If the press sticks when you push, hold the spout with one hand and press slow with the other.
- Try a 1:5 ratio for concentrate (80 g coffee to 400–500 g water) if you like it bold. Cut with water or milk when you pour.
- Want zero grit? Press, then pour through a paper filter. It adds one minute. Worth it.
How it stacks up vs. store-bought
I love the Starbucks bottled cold brew, but it tastes thin to me now. Mine has more body. More cocoa. Less sour. And it costs way less per cup. I did the math once on the back of a receipt—my batch was about a third of the price.
Who this fits
- You want iced coffee that’s smooth, not harsh.
- You’ve got a French press already.
- You don’t mind waiting overnight.
- You like to make a batch and relax all week.
If you need coffee right now, this will test your patience. I still do hot French press on rush days.
The verdict
I give French press cold brew a 4.5 out of 5. It’s easy, forgiving, and tasty. The only knocks: the wait and a bit of grit if you skip the paper step. But the flavor? Lovely. My stomach? Happy.
One last note. I thought I’d miss the hot morning ritual. I didn’t. I still love a hot mug, but this cold brew feels like a small treat I made for future me. And future me says thanks.