Last Updated on January 27, 2024 by Ibrahim Bat
There are two distinct approaches to preparing a cold cup of coffee in a French press. These are; cold brew and iced coffee.
Cold brew is obtained by brewing coffee grounds in cold water, while iced coffee is obtained by brewing coffee grounds in hot water and then cooling it down with ice.
Both approaches produce drinks with distinct flavor profiles. Since it’s not the topic of this article, I will set aside the comparison between cold brew and iced coffee for now.
However, if you want to read a more detailed text on the subject, we have previously dealt with both topics in detail:
If we return to iced coffee, you can easily brew iced coffee in your French press at Starbucks or cafes.
In this article by Best Coffee at Home, we will address how to brew iced coffee with your French press in all detail, provide a solution to the common “watery taste” problem encountered while brewing iced coffee, and tell you everything you need to know to brew a delicious cup of iced coffee.
How to Make Iced Coffee With French Press?
“Iced coffee is usually obtained by meeting with ice after a brew made at standard ratios. However, this method results in a weak and watery coffee due to the rapid melting of the ice.”
With the recipe I will give in a moment, you will completely solve this problem and obtain a very strong cup of iced coffee. I used James Hoffmann’s French press recipe, Japanese Iced coffee, and regular iced coffee recipe to create this recipe. The result is a strong, intense, and rich cup of coffee.
Note: This recipe is for one person. If you will brew for more than one person, don’t forget to multiply the measurements in the recipe by the number of people. Lastly, I recommend reading the entire text from beginning to end before making the recipe with me.
What You Need for French Press Iced Coffee?
- French press
- Coffee beans
- Hot Water
- Ice cubes
- Timer
- Scale
- Thermometer (optional)
- Burr Grinder (optional)
Step 1) Calculation
Filter coffees are generally brewed at a 1:16 coffee-to-water ratio. That is, 16 g of water is used for every 1 unit of coffee grounds. However, brewing at this ratio will make the taste of your iced coffee watery.
The reason for this is the rapid dilution of the coffee, with the ice melting when the hot coffee is poured over it. But an effective way to prevent this is brewing the coffee more concentrated.
In the French press, we will brew iced coffee at a 1:10 coffee-to-water ratio instead of 1:16. So when hot coffee is poured over the ice, the ice will melt, but a watery taste will not form in your coffee. Because we used less water than needed while brewing the coffee and transferred part of the water, we needed to the ice.
I know it seems a bit complicated, but it’s not. Let’s go over the numbers. For 15 g (0.5 oz) of coffee, we should use 240 ml (8 oz) of water at a 1:16 coffee-to-water ratio. But we will use 150 ml (5 oz) of water using the 1:10 ratio.
What about the remaining water? We will use the missing 90 ml (3 oz) of water as ice. So even if the coffee dilutes when we pour the hot coffee over the ice, a watery taste will not form.
In summary, what we need for 1 person’s iced coffee are:
- 15 g (0.5 oz) coffee beans
- 150 ml hot water
- 90 ml (3 oz) ice cubes
Step 2) Heat the Water
Heat your water to 203 °F (95 °C) if you have a thermometer. If you don’t have a thermometer, boil the water, turn off the heat source, and let it rest for 1- 1.5 minutes.
Step 3) Grind Your Beans
You can use any beans you enjoy consuming as coffee beans. I think medium-roasted coffee beans are more suited to iced coffee.
If you are using pre-ground coffee or grinding your coffee in coffee shops, ask the barista to grind your coffee suitable for a French press.
If you have a burr grinder, grind your coffee beans coarsely.
Related: Best Free Coffee Subscription Trials & Tasting Samples
Step 4) Preheat
Pour some hot water into your French press and attach the plunger. Then swirl your French press gently to preheat. Then pour the preheating water into the sink.
Step 5) Add Coffee and Hot Water
Place your French press on the scale. Add the coffee grounds and tare your scale. Then pour 150 ml (5 oz) of hot water. Make sure all grounds get wet during this pouring.
Step 6) Wait & Stir & Wait
This recipe aims to keep the iced coffee as far away from the watery taste as possible. For this reason, we will use a long brewing time as in James Hoffmann’s French Press recipe. Thus, we will get a more intense cup of coffee.
First, wait for 4 minutes. Then gently stir and break the crust that forms on the surface of the mixture with a spoon. Finally, attach the plunger and wait for another 5-6 minutes.
Step 7) Press the Plunger
Press the plunger just enough to reach the surface of the mixture. If you press all the way, the coffee grounds that have settled at the bottom will stir, and more sediments will get into your cup.
Step 8) Add Ice and Serve
Add 90 grams (3 oz) of ice cubes to your cup and pour your coffee over the ice cubes. Wait about 2 minutes for your coffee to cool. Finally, add as much ice as possible to replace the melted ice. Your coffee is now ready to serve.
Serving Tips for French Press Iced Coffee
Add dairy, oat, coconut, or almond milk to soften your coffee.
If you want to sweeten it, add maple, chocolate, caramel, or vanilla syrup.
If you’ll sweeten your iced coffee with sugar, add the sugar while the coffee is still hot. Otherwise, dissolving sugar in cold coffee can be challenging.
Final Thoughts on French Press Iced Coffee
This recipe is a good starting point for making an iced coffee at home with your French press. When you crave a cold coffee, you don’t have to wait hours (usually 12-24 hours) to brew a cold brew.
On the other hand, always feel free to play with the variables given in the recipe, such as ratios, brewing times, and water temperature. Indeed, I drank hundreds of iced coffees with a watery taste before I came up with this recipe.
Ultimately, I reached the strong, intense, and full-mouth feel cup of coffee I was looking for. By modifying this recipe, you, too, can find your perfect formula.
I highly recommend reading the articles I have provided within the text. For the easy following, I’ll drop them again under here in reading order. Finally, don’t forget to comment here when you have created your perfect recipe.
Recommended Readings
French Press Iced Coffee Recipe
Equipment
- 1 French Press
- 1 Timer
- 1 Scale
- 1 Thermometer
- 1 Burr Grinder
Ingredients
- 15 gr Coffee Beans
- 150 ml Hot Water
- 90 gr Ice Cubes
Instructions
- CalculationWhat we need for 1 person’s iced coffee are:15 g (0.5 oz) coffee beans150 ml hot water90 ml (3 oz) ice cubes
- Heat the WaterHeat your water to 203 °F (95 °C) if you have a thermometer. If you don’t have a thermometer, boil the water, turn off the heat source, and let it rest for 1- 1.5 minutes.
- Grind Your BeansYou can use any beans you enjoy consuming as coffee beans. I think medium-roasted coffee beans are more suited to iced coffee.If you are using pre-ground coffee or grinding your coffee in coffee shops, ask the barista to grind your coffee suitable for a French press.If you have a burr grinder, grind your coffee beans coarsely.
- PreheatPour some hot water into your French press and attach the plunger. Then swirl your French press gently to preheat. Then pour the preheating water into the sink.
- Add Coffee and Hot WaterPlace your French press on the scale. Add the coffee grounds and tare your scale. Then pour 150 ml (5 oz) of hot water. Make sure all grounds get wet during this pouring.
- Wait & Stir & WaitThis recipe aims to keep the iced coffee as far away from the watery taste as possible. For this reason, we will use a long brewing time as in James Hoffmann’s French Press recipe. Thus, we will get a more intense cup of coffee.First, wait for 4 minutes. Then gently stir and break the crust that forms on the surface of the mixture with a spoon. Finally, attach the plunger and wait for another 5-6 minutes.
- Press the PlungerPress the plunger just enough to reach the surface of the mixture. If you press all the way, the coffee grounds that have settled at the bottom will stir, and more sediments will get into your cup.
- Add Ice and ServeAdd 90 grams (3 oz) of ice cubes to your cup and pour your coffee over the ice cubes. Wait about 2 minutes for your coffee to cool. Finally, add as much ice as possible to replace the melted ice. Your coffee is now ready to serve.
