# How do you make coffee? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** coffee\ **Created:** [October 21, 2008, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-coffee/468904 "2008-10-21T17:14:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2008, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-coffee/468904/41 "2008-10-22T18:24:54Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > This must be the 4th or 5th thread on this in the past couple of months. Oh well, I’m always happy to push my agenda of cold-brewed coffee. Sixteen TBSP of coffee grounds in a pitcher with 64 ounces of water. Let it sit on the counter overnight, up to 24 hours. Strain out the grounds through a fine sieve and drink iced or heat in the micro. Never gets bitter, doesn’t have to be refrigerated, and you get the added benefit of all the subtle flavors that can disappear when you pour boiling water over coffee. I’ll try it and see. Any reason this can’t be done in a French press rather than filtering it through paper? My taste buds aren’t the most refined, and I usually make enough coffee for two-three days, and nuke as necessary. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2008, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-coffee/468904/42 "2008-10-22T19:40:15Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > I’ll try it and see. Any reason this can’t be done in a French press rather than filtering it through paper? > > My taste buds aren’t the most refined, and I usually make enough coffee for two-three days, and nuke as necessary. You can make it in any container that holds water. I don’t know why you would use a paper filter in any part of this process. It’s unnecessary. We took some containers of cold-brewed on our RV trip this summer, and I heated it up in a pan on the stove every morning. I thought it tasted just fine, but then I doctor mine with cream and sweetener. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2008, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-coffee/468904/43 "2008-10-22T19:44:01Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I don’t know why you would use a paper filter in any part of this process. Because a paper filter is a kind of fine sieve? > [@](#): > > Strain out the grounds through a fine sieve ---
**Author:** ![velvetjones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5f9b8f/32.png) [@velvetjones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velvetjones)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2008, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-coffee/468904/44 "2008-10-22T19:48:52Z")
The cold brewed coffee thing I’ve never heard before. Sounds interesting. I usually don’t like coffee that’s reheated in the micro, tastes different somehow. But I’m going to try this and see how it is. Some days I’m just too damn lazy to make coffee per my method below and having coffee ready in the fridge would do the trick if it tastes OK. I use a [Chemex](http://www.chemexcoffeemaker.com/). Used to make coffee in the French Press until I read about it possibly raising cholesterol. Now we do it this way. 3 Tbsp of coffee/12 oz mug. Put the filter in the carafe, put the coffee in the filter. Pour boiling water over the whole thing. I usually buy whole bean coffee from Starbucks or Peets and grind it myself. ---
**Author:** ![Ceejaytee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ceejaytee/32/2956_2.png) [@Ceejaytee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ceejaytee)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2008, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-coffee/468904/45 "2008-10-22T20:26:20Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > What if I don’t have a microwave? Heat in on the stove. I don’t see that it would make a difference. > [@Chefguy](#): > > You can make it in any container that holds water. I don’t know why you would use a paper filter in any part of this process. It’s unnecessary. I use a paper filter just to get out the tiny sediment that remains at the bottom. I used to skip this step, but I find that my coffee gets a bit stronger and a bit more bitter over time if I don’t filter it out. It doesn’t make a huge amount of difference, but it doesn’t take any more time than not using the paper filter, so what the heck. In the end as you say, cold brewed coffee is ridiculously easy to make and tastes fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2008, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-coffee/468904/46 "2008-10-22T21:40:16Z")
I just made some of the cold brewed stuff. I’ll let it sit overnight and try it in the morning. It works out to 2 TBSPs/cup, doesn’t it? That seems strong. I think I normally only use 1 TBSP/mug of coffee. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2008, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-coffee/468904/47 "2008-10-22T21:53:53Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > I just made some of the cold brewed stuff. I’ll let it sit overnight and try it in the morning. > > It works out to 2 TBSPs/cup, doesn’t it? That seems strong. I think I normally only use 1 TBSP/mug of coffee. You really need the extra grounds. That’s why some people object to this method: it tends to cost more to make. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-coffee/468904.md?page=2)