Cold Press 16 Oz Recipe

Combine coffee and water

Place 1.5 cups coarsely ground coffee in a large jar or pitcher. Pour 6 cups cold, filtered water over the grounds, ensuring all grounds are saturated. Stir gently once or twice to make sure dry pockets are eliminated.

Steep

Cover the jar with a lid or plastic wrap and let steep at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 16 to 20 hours. Longer steep (up to 24 hours) yields a stronger concentrate; shorter steep (12–16 hours) yields milder flavor.

First strain

After steeping, place a fine mesh sieve lined with a coffee filter or double-layer cheesecloth over a large bowl or second pitcher. Slowly pour the coffee + grounds mixture through the sieve to separate most of the liquid from the grounds. Use a spoon to lightly press the grounds in the sieve to release trapped liquid, but avoid forcing grit through.

Second fine filter

For a clean, grit-free cold press, pour the strained coffee through a second filter (fresh coffee filter or another layer of cheesecloth) into the final storage pitcher. This step removes fine particles and yields a smooth beverage.

Adjust strength and sweeten

Taste the cold-pressed coffee. If it’s too strong, dilute with cold water in small increments (1 tbs at a time) until you reach the desired strength. Stir in up to 1 tablespoon simple syrup (or other sweetener) if you prefer sweetened coffee.

Serve

To serve a 16 fl oz cold-pressed drink: fill a 16 oz glass with 1 cup ice (optional). Pour about 12 fl oz cold-pressed coffee into the glass, then add 4 fl oz milk or non-dairy milk if you like a creamier drink. Stir gently and serve cold.

Store

Transfer leftover cold-pressed coffee to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 7 days. Shake or stir before serving, and dilute or add milk/sweetener to taste.

Ensure all equipment (jar, sieve, cheesecloth) is clean. Use a fine filter for the final pass to avoid sediment. If you prefer a stronger concentrate for iced drinks, use the same method but reduce the final dilution when serving. Dispose of used grounds (they make good compost).