How To Make AeroPress Cold Brew Coffee At Home: Easy 9 Steps Recipe

At a glance:

 

Considering which beans to use? We’ve compiled a list for you. When making your selection, bear in mind that coffees with less acidity typically yield a more balanced and smoother cold brew.

This recipe is designed to create a single cup of cold brew. However, it can be effortlessly doubled if desired. We’ll be preparing a concentrate of cold brew coffee, which will later be diluted with water to make it palatable. If you need more, consult our guide on cold brew preparation and select a different brewing method.

This technique is quite similar to the standard process of brewing coffee with an inverted AeroPress. The only variations are the coffee-to-water ratio, the water temperature, and the steeping time.

Don’t worry if you can’t locate your AeroPress, you can always make cold brew using a French press.

How To Make AeroPress Cold Brew

This is arguably the simplest method of making cold brew coffee. The only drawback is that an AeroPress isn’t designed to produce large quantities of cold brew. Each brewing cycle only yields 1-2 cups. But considering you get a delightful cup of cold brew with just 2 minutes of effort, I’d say it’s well worth it.

1. Weigh 30 Grams of Whole Coffee Beans

Choose your beans and weigh out 30 grams ready for grinding. This level of precision ensures the right intensity for your cold brew.

Always measure your coffee by weight, not volume, as beans of similar size can vary in weight due to different densities.

2. Coarse Grind Your Beans

For a 24-hour cold brew steeping, it’s crucial to grind your beans as coarsely as possible, even coarser than for a French press.

Grinding too finely can lead to over-extraction, introducing unwanted acidity and bitterness. If you’re thinking of reducing the steeping time to 4, 8, or even 12 hours, you could experiment with a finer grind size, but this isn’t typically advised. Patience pays off with a better-tasting cold brew.

3. Set Up Your AeroPress in Inverted Mode and Add Coffee

If you’ve used your AeroPress for a while, you’ve likely tried brewing with it inverted, i.e., placing the plunger into the top of the brewer and flipping it upside down.

Inverting the AeroPress is key for a 24-hour steeping. So, go ahead and set up your AeroPress in inverted mode, place it on your scale, and add the ground coffee.

4. Add Room Temperature Water and Stir Gently

Ideally, add 132 grams of room temperature water. Despite this being a cold brew, the water doesn’t need to be cold at this stage. Using room temperature water and steeping at the same temperature will produce solid results. No need to refrigerate it for steeping, which would only slow down the process.

After water addition, gently stir with a paddle or spoon to make sure all coffee grounds are in contact with the water. Cover the top of the AeroPress with a filter or cup to prevent anything from falling into the coffee.

Pro Tip: Use the best quality water you can. Avoid distilled water (insufficient minerals) and pure mineral water (excessive minerals). Depending on your location, tap water might be a good option.

5. Steep for 24 Hours at Room Temperature

Now comes the waiting game. Set your coffee aside and go about your day. When you return after 24 hours, your coffee will be ready.

Pro Tip: Keep the coffee out of direct sunlight. Choose a spot where it won’t be affected by light or heat.

6. Rinse a Paper Filter and Place in the Basket

Now that 24 hours have passed, it’s time to rinse your paper filter. This step might seem minor but it helps to remove any paper taste that could affect your coffee.

7. Attach Filter to the AeroPress, Flip Over and Pour into a Glass

After rinsing, attach the filter to the AeroPress. Place your cup upside down on top of the brewer to prevent coffee from dripping everywhere as you flip the AeroPress over.

You can either press it down to finish quickly or remove the plunger and let it drip for a minute or two.

Pro Tip: Before pouring coffee concentrate into your glass, place your glass on a scale and zero it. This way you’ll know exactly how much concentrate you have.

8. Clean Your AeroPress

Once you’ve extracted your coffee, discard the grounds and rinse your AeroPress. It’s a breeze to clean!

9. Complete Your Cold Brew with Water or Milk

What you have now is a coffee concentrate. It’s quite potent. This is when you add water (or milk) to create a delicious, drinkable cup of cold brew. Start with equal parts water and coffee, adjusting to taste.

So, if you have 100 grams of coffee concentrate, start by adding 100 grams of water (the same type you used earlier). Depending on your preference, you might want to add more or less water. Finish with a couple of ice cubes and enjoy!

Pro Tip: Experiment with different water quantities. Split your concentrate into 4 cups, adding different amounts of water to each. This way, you can discover your preferred ratio for a consistent cold brew.