Can You Leave Coffee In A French Press Overnight?

We wanted to know if you can leave coffee in a french press overnight and if so, how good would it be? So we decided to find out. After all, French press brewing is increasingly becoming popular.

While this brewing method is appreciated for its simplicity, there are questions concerning contact time that need answering. In this article, we will cover all you need to know about timing and the French press.

Yes, you can leave coffee in the French press overnight. However, it has to be cold-brewed coffee. Doing the same with regular coffee will lead to over-extraction.

We will have a deep look into immersion brewing and what it entails other than discussing the French press. Read on to find out more.

How Long Can You Leave Coffee In A French Press?

The French press coffee brewing method is a classic that has been used for a long time. While not everyone is fond of this brewing process, the result it offers is flavorful and delicious. However, to achieve this, you need to have the right tips and tricks in hand.

A fact that is common knowledge is that brewed coffee does not stay fresh for long. With this in mind, it’s crucial to figure out why it goes bad and how to circumvent the situation.

French press coffee, in particular, is affected by this stated rule. 

As much as the brewing process promises simplicity, things may go wrong as it utilizes immersion brewing.

The French press brewing process takes 2-4 minutes to be completed. Also, the coffee tends to be good for only 30 minutes after brewing. The only way to maintain its freshness for longer is by storing it in a carafe or an airtight thermos.

Common Mistakes Ruin Coffee

There are common mistakes made by those uninitiated to the finer brewing methods and other novice coffee drinkers. Firstly, they attempt to get a fresh cup out of stale beans. Unfortunately, while you may freshly brew the cup, the stale taste will remain.

It is why avid coffee drinkers are encouraged to grind their coffee beans. For French press users, in particular, coarsely ground coffee beans should do the trick.

The second mistake is leaving coffee in the French press machine after pressing. It results in over-extraction, which leads to a bitter-tasting cup of coffee.

Oxidization takes place during the coffee brewing process. The contact with water and the coffee beans will cause beans to release acids, aromatics, and oils into the water. These are what give the coffee its flavor.

However, the oxidization process doesn’t cease to continue once you finish brewing your coffee. When coffee is left sitting for too long, oxidization continues.

The problem is, with the initial brewing process, all the good flavors are released. Once contact time is exceeded, all you get is grounds with bitter and dull compounds, hence the bitter coffee. Therefore, you should make only the amount that you wish to drink.

As mentioned before, French press brewing makes use of the immersion method. A deeper look into this method will give you a deeper understanding of what it is and how it works.

How Do You Make Immersion Coffee?

Immersion coffee is one of the oldest methods of coffee brewing. To get the required flavor, both heat and pressure are necessary. As a result, immersion coffee boasts of its unique and enriching flavor.

The primary distinguishing factor with other brewing methods, such as pour-over and drip coffee, is you get to dictate its brewing time.

Some practical tools for preparing immersion coffee include; grinder, timer, kettle, and a digital scale. You can get a pour-over coffee kettle at Barista Warrior.

A grinder is necessary as it will ensure you have the correct grind size. Both manual and electrical coffee grinders are available in the market. It ultimately comes down to preference. However, it’s best that whichever grinder you choose, it has coarse to fine grind settings.

Having a digital scale allows efficiency and the required coffee output. With the machine, you get the recommended weight for your water and your coffee. The recommended ratio for most coffee is the ‘Golden ratio,’ which stipulates using 15 grams of water for every gram of coffee.

There are various immersion methods that a coffee drinker can try.

• Cupping

This simple brewing method is mainly utilized by coffee companies when tasters are evaluating coffee before purchase. The Specialty Coffee Association has a specific guideline on how cupping should be conducted.

Generally, measured coffee that has been precisely ground is combined with hot water (also measured) in a cup or bowl for some time. Then, the contents of the cup are smelled and gently stirred (once).

Since the ground coffee is large, it saturates and sinks. This fact leaves the brewed coffee at the top, ready for drinking. The particular taster then dips and takes a spoonful of coffee.

• French Press

Unlike the cupping process that leaves you enjoying a spoonful of coffee, the French press allows drinkers to take an entire cup.

You can get your hands on a French Press at Barista Warrior.

• Clever Brewer

The clever brewer utilizes a steep-and-release kind of method. It works similarly to the French press when it comes to coffee and water measurement. After the brew sits for the recommended time, the apparatus is placed on a cup or carafe.

It is designed in a manner that the coffee is released from the bottom. This method guarantees a cleaner cup of coffee since a cloth or paper filter is used when coffee is released into the cup.

There have been other variations of immersion brewing introduced over the years. They are the complete immersion brewing and the cold brew immersion.

The fuller immersion brewing works the same as immersion brewing, with the only difference being the coffee grind size. Fuller immersion brewing utilizes finely ground beans.

For the cold brew immersion, coffee is brewed with cold water instead of the water being hot. To extract the flavor, a lot of contact time (6-24 hours) is required compared to the usual 2-4 minutes. I will cover this process in detail in the next section.

Can You Leave Cold Brew Coffee In A French Press Overnight?

Cold brew coffee or immersion, as mentioned, is coffee brewed using cold water. The cold brew utilizes the French press. The principle regarding grind size is the same as that of using hot water to brew.

A cold brew French press uses a coarse grind. Using a fine or medium grind would reduce the time required for brewing. However, the finer grind will also reduce the flow rate during filtering. As a result, the process will be both tedious and annoying.

It is no secret that cold brew takes longer to brew compared to regular coffee. However, since the coffee grounds require a longer time to steep, coffee drinkers are advised to brew the coffee overnight. This way, the beverage will be ready by morning.

You typically require more than 12 hours for the brew to produce a rich cup.

There are multiple reasons why coffee drinkers prefer cold brew. First, the flavor offered is less bitter and acidic compared to regular coffee. Additionally, it offers a smooth taste and is easy on the body. Finally, unlike regular coffee, cold-brewed coffee doesn’t offer discomfort.

Another reason is that cold brew coffee can last between 7 days to 2 weeks. So it is great if you prefer the convenience of brewing your coffee once for the entire week.

You may have reasons why you prefer regular French press coffee to cold brew French press coffee or vice versa. Either way, both types of coffee have a lot to offer in terms of flavor and richness.

FAQs

What Happens If You Leave Coffee In A French Press For Too Long?

Leaving the coffee in French Press for too long will lead to over-extraction. This causes the coffee to taste bitter or sour. It is recommended to transfer the coffee from the French Press to a pot or carafe after brewing.

Can You Drink French Press Coffee The Next Day?

Yes, you can drink French Press coffee the next day. However, it is recommended to store the coffee in the fridge, especially if you have mixed creamer or milk with it. If you don’t do this, it is best to avoid drinking the coffee the next day.

Which Is Better, Cold Brew Or Iced Coffee?

Cold-brew coffee offers more advantages compared to iced coffee. They include lower acidity levels, a more superior taste, and they can be easily prepared at home.