There are three ways to make cold brew with AeroPress. There’s the traditional 12 to 30 hour method. But, you could try the quick method developed by the inventor of AeroPress. Alternatively, there’s a device called a PuckPuck that gives a cup of cold brew in around three hours.
It’s important to also understand that there is a huge world of difference between iced coffee and cold brew. These are not the same. Iced coffee utilizes hot water whereas a cold brew never sees hot water during the brewing process.
Cold Brew Overview
- The Traditional Method: Setup your AeroPress as usual but use cold or room temperature water and allow it to sit in the fridge for up to 30 hours.
- Quick ; Dirty Cold Brew: Created by Alan Alder, inventor of the AeroPress. This gives you a cup of cold brew in two to three minutes.
- Use a PuckPuck: This is a slow drip device that can give you a cup of cold brew in about three hours.
- Frequently Asked Questions
The Traditional Method
You can go the traditional route in making a cold brew with an AeroPress. You simply set up your device and fill it with one to two scoops of fine-ground coffee. Then pour in cold or room temperature water. Cover the AeroPress with the top of the plunger (don’t push down) and let it sit in the fridge for 12 to 30 hours.
After that time, pull it out of the fridge, line it up with your cup and depress the plunger. Be sure to stop pushing if you feel any resistance and wait a bit before continuing. This will give you a great tasting cup of cold brew.
Quick ; Dirty Cold Brew
If you don’t have the time or patience to wait 12 to 30 hours for some cold brew, the inventor of AeroPress, Alan Alder, created an elegant solution. Absolutely no hot water goes into the making of this and only takes two minutes max!
However, you should use a super fine grind like you would for espresso or Ibriki (aka Turkish, Arabic or Greek coffee). But, instead of the quick swirl with the stirring tool like you would for hot coffee, you will stir the grounds for at least one minute before you depress the plunger.
According to Alder, he has played and tinkered around with different combinations and techniques and found this to be the best way to get the quickest cup of cold brew available. The trick is the stirring for at least a minute, therefore you cannot skip this step. Consider the process below:
- Setup your AeroPress as if you were going to make a hot cup with a filter in the cap and attaching the chamber.
- Pour in one well-rounded scoop of ground coffee, fine is preferable but Turkish style will work as well.
- Add enough cold or room temperature water into the chamber
- Use the stirring tool and agitate for 1 minute – this is the most important step
- Depress the plunger in a careful and gentle manner
- Add more cold or room temperature water for an eight ounce glass of cold brew
Use a PuckPuck
AeroPress has a contraption that allows you to make a slow-drip cold brew. It’s called a “PuckPuck.” This is an attachment you put on the top of your coffee which requires only cold water. It provides a gentler extraction process for a smooth, sweet tasting cup of cold brew.
You just assemble your AeroPress as usual and then put the water chamber in the same place as you would the plunger. Put the lid on and let the water drip into the grounds. It has a flow rate of 50 drops per minute, so it takes around three hours to brew. This is much shorter than traditional cold brew, but longer than Alder’s quick version.
Frequently Asked Questions
Isn’t Cold Brew the Same as Iced Coffee?
No, cold brew isn’t the same as an iced coffee. Iced coffee first brews with cold water which is then poured over ice to make it cold. More ice and/or cold water goes into the glass or vessel to ensure a frigid temperature.
Cold brew, on the other hand, never comes into contact with hot water during the brewing process. You use a certain amount of coffee grounds in a filter and you fill it with room temperature water. You leave this on the counter or in the fridge for anywhere from 12 hours to 30 hours but never anything less than six hours.
How Do You Make Iced Coffee with an AeroPress?
Making iced coffee with an AeroPress is very much the same as you would hot coffee. Place some ice in the cup you intend to use to make the coffee. Put one rounded scoop of medium-coarse coffee for eight ounces of hot water. Stir the grounds around for about 10 seconds and allow the grounds to steep for around a minute.
Gently depress the plunger and remove the AeroPress from the cup or vessel you’re using. At this point you can add cold water, more ice or both along with your favorite cream and sweetener.
Can You Make a Cold Brew Hot?
When all you have is cold brew and you decide to change your mind in the morning and want a hot one instead, you can make it that way. Plus, this is infinitely healthier in terms of acidity. Cold brew typically has 67% less acidity than most brewed coffee. AeroPress also reduces coffee’s high acidity, even for a hot cup.
However, you shouldn’t put it in the microwave because this has the potential to actually burn the coffee concentrate. So, it’s better to pour in a bit of boiling water to heat it up. However, you can warm the cold brew for about 10 seconds in the microwave, but you’ll still need to add the boiling water to warm it up.
Hi, I’m Jen Williams, chief editor and writer for ThirstPerk.com.
I’ve been drinking coffee and tea for most of my life, but it wasn’t until I started working at Thirstperk.com that I became an expert on the subject. I’m a total caffeine addict who has spent hours upon hours reading about and experimenting with the different types of coffees out there in my search to find the perfect cup of joe.
I’ve been a tea lover for as long as I can remember as well. I grew up in a house with a mom who loved to drink herbal tea, and I think that’s where my love for tea first began. These days, I’m always on the lookout for new and interesting teas to try, and I love experimenting with different brewing methods and flavoring combinations.