The average American drinks 2.1 cups of coffee a day. Collectively, Americans drink 4,630 cups of coffee each second. And September 29th is National Coffee Day.

Cold brew coffee, which has been around quite a while (we’ve had a Toddy cold brew system for 20+ years), has finally hit the mainstream.

Coffee drinkers find it has superior flavor; and in the summer, iced coffee is as easy as adding cold water to cold-brew concentrate from the fridge. (Here are some well-reviewed brands).

Companies from Folgers to Blue Bottle sell cold-brew coffee. You can buy large bottles of concentrate; you can buy grab-and-go 16-ounce bottles.

Yet, if you have a French press, you can make trendy cold brew coffee without purchasing a special cold brew system or a bottle of ready-brewed. The French press recipe is below. But first:
 
WHAT’S A FRENCH PRESS?

A French press is a coffee-brewing device consisting of a pot with a removable plunger made of fine mesh.

Coarse-ground coffee is added to the pot, followed by boiling water. The plunger device is placed on top. The coffee grounds float in the water.

When the coffee is ready to be poured, the plunger is employed. As it is pushed down, the grounds are pushed to the bottom. It does not use electricity; although you likely need it to heat the water.

If you have a French press, there’s no need to buy a cold brew system, or pricey bottles of cold brew coffee at retail.

Today, you can find coffee presses in stainless steel, in a stainless holder with a glass beaker (photo #1), and in plastic.

French presses are made in sizes from 1-2 cups to 10 cups or more. There are travel mug versions, of course: We use this coffee press “mug” from Bodum.

French press or coffee press is the name in English; although in In New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, the apparatus is known as a coffee plunger. In France it is called cafetière à piston; in Italy it is a caffettiera a stantuffo.
 
Brewing Tea In A French Press

You can use a French press to brew loose tea as well, but don’t use a press that is used to brew coffee. Even after washing, microscopic bits of coffee oil can cling to the glass or metal, imparting an unwelcome undertaste to the tea.

[1] The classic design of the modern French press (this one is from Bonjour). [2] One of the artisan cold-brews sold at retail (photo courtesy Jittery John’s).

The first known design for a plunge-type brewer was patented in 1852 by two French designers, Mayer and Delforge. You can see their design at PerfectlyGroundCoffee.com.

Per Brooklyn Roasting it was ahead of its time; manufacturing was not precise enough to snugly fit the filter within pot of the design.

Others tried their hand, but the first iteration of brewer that we know today was patented by Italian designers Attilio Calimani and Giulio Moneta in 1929. They employed a rubber seal around the edge of the filter.

The design evolved, with improved the function of the rubber seal.

The design we know today was patented by a Swiss designer, Faliero Bondanini, in 1958. It was manufactured in France and called a chambord. With a compact design and no required electrical outlet, it became a very popular brewing method.
 
HOW TO MAKE COLD BREW COFFEE IN A FRENCH PRESS

These instructions are proportions for an 8-cup French press. Remember that the “standard” cup size used by manufacturers was set long before coffee mugs and modern insulated travel mug containers were in use. So if you use a large mug, you’ll get 4 mugs worth from an 8-cup press, or three 16-ounce travel mugs.

Use only coarse-ground coffee. Smaller grains will slip through the mesh filter and produce unacceptable coffee.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PLACE the coffee in an 8-cup French press. Add the water. Stir the grinds to integrate with the water.

2. PLACE the French press plunger on top (do not plunge into the water) and place in the fridge for 12 hours.

3. PRESS down on the plunger, which pushes all the grounds to the bottom, underneath the mesh filter. Pour and enjoy cold with ice, or warm in the microwave.
 
TIP: Depending on how well the coffee is ground, a few grounds may escape into the coffee. Our mom further poured the coffee through a piece cheesecloth. We don’t.

[3] Fashionable restaurants bring coffee to the table in a French press (photo courtesy Kabuki Japanese restaurants). [4] It’s easy to grind your own beans for a French press, since the coffee is coarsely ground (photo of manual coffee grinder from FrenchPressCoffee.com).

We start with an important fact for the many people who want more or less caffeine:

There is no association between caffeine levels and flavor (e.g. strong coffee). The major difference comes from amount of coffee used and, most importantly, the brewing technique.

Cold brew has the most caffeine, followed by drip coffee and espresso.

Take this fun coffee trivia quiz.

Here are more fun facts from THE NIBBLE and BeFrugal.com.

 
Facts About Decaf

 
Here are more decaf coffee facts.

Updated August 2026

Got Beer? April 7th is National Beer Day, one of many National Beer Holidays. In modern times, it all began on April 7, 1933.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Cullen-Harrison Act, which legalized the sale of beer with an alcohol content of 3.2%. This was the first step toward the end of Prohibition*.

On December 5, 1933, the 21st Amendment to the Constitution was ratified, repealing the 18th Amendment, which was ratified on January 16, 1919. Imagine 13 years with no legal alcohol sales!

On January 16, 1919, the amendment was ratified as a part of the Constitution‡.

As important as these dates are, the following dates give you “official” reasons to celebrate with a beer. Invite your friends!

Below:

> The year’s 45 beer holidays.

> Beer trivia.

Elsewhere on The Nibble:

> The different types of beer, a photo glossary.

> The history of beer.

> What are hops?
 
 
THE YEAR’S 45 BEER HOLIDAYS

Beer lovers can plan an entire year of beer celebrations on these days. We’re not listing January 1st, National Hangover Day, as one of them.

 
There are also local beer events. Check to see what’s happening in your state!
 
 

[8] Without hops there would be no beer. Hops are the flowers of the female Humulus lupulus plant. Inside the cones are tiny glands filled with a yellow powder called lupulin, which contain alpha acids and essential oils that flavor the beer. They add bitterness to balance the sweet malt, provide unique floral or citrus aromas, and act as a preservative. (photo © Donovan Kelly | Pexels).
 
 
BEER TRIVIA

[1] The year’s beer holidays begin on January 18th with Baltic Porter Day. Enjoy it with some salted almonds (photo © The Nibble).

[2] February is Stout Month, and September 28th is National Guinness Day, celebrated the birthday of Arthur Guinness, creator of what became the world’s most famous stout. The brewery was founded in 1759—with a 9,000-year lease (photo © Erik Jacobson | Unsplash)!

[3] March 20th is National Bock Beer Day. There are five different styles of bock. Most are dark beers, but some blonde versions are made. We serve them with mini smoked sausage links (photo © The Nibble).

[4] April 17th is National Saison Day. Session beers are lower alcohol, designed so one can drink multiple pints over an extended social gathering or “session,” without getting overly intoxicated. It was also made to be consumed by farm laborers. All saisons are farmhouse ales, but not all farmhouse ales are saisons. More about it (photo © Beer Connoisseur).

[5] On July 12th, celebrate with a Michelada a Mexican beer cocktail of lager, lime juice, hot sauce, and Worcestershire, often with a Tajín rim. Here’s the recipe (photo © The Nibble).

[6] National IPA is the first Thursday of August. This Spielgau IPA glass is specially designed to enhance IPA’s hoppy flavor and aroma. The glass is available at Kegworks (photo © Kegworks).

[7] September 8th is National Sour Beer Day, or which the most classic is Belgian lambic (and its blended variant, gueuze) (photo © Allagash Brewing Company).

*St. Patrick’s Day is not an official beer holiday, but green beer is certainly a star of the day.

†Orval Day celebrates Orval Trappist Ale from Belgium. It is one of only a few Trappist breweries, meaning it is made within a monastery under the supervision of monks, with proceeds supporting the monastic community and charitable causes. Each year, the importer of the beer makes a donation to a charity based on its U.S. sales.

‡On February 20, 1933, Congress proposed the Twenty-first Amendment, aimed at rescinding prohibition, and in April Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Cullen-Harrison Act, which amended the prohibition-based Volstead Act to permit the manufacturing and sale of low-alcohol beer and wines. Ratification of the amendment was completed on Dec. 5, 1933.

‡‡The main purpose of National Rotate Your Beer Day is to encourage people to purchase fresh beer, which is deemed essential if one wants to enjoy the true taste of the beverage. The best place to find it is at a brewpub.
 
 

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[2] Another popular fall combination: endive, pear, and maple-candied walnuts (photo © Barrel and Ashes [permanently closed]).

For inspiration, check the websites of salad cafes like Fresh & Co., Just Salad and Sweetgreen

At Just Salad, the fall menu includes:

 
At Sweetgreen, a fall highlight is:

 
Other favorite fall ingredients:

 
In addition to Recipe #1, Fall Salad, there’s a fall cheese course recipe below, along with a recipe for lime-flavored salt.
 
 
RECIPE #1: FALL SALAD WITH BRUSSELS SPROUTS & SQUASH

Here’s another yummy idea from Sweetgreen: the Chicken + Brussels salad with roasted brussels sprouts, chopped romaine, mesclun, roasted chicken, sweet potatoes, and cranberry vinaigrette.

You can serve it with or without the protein, the former as a lunch salad, the latter as a side salad with dinner.

We didn’t have cranberry vinegar, so used pear balsamic vinegar—another fall touch (so is fig balsamic vinegar).
 
Ingredients

FLAVORED BALSAMIC VINEGAR

If you like balsamic vinegar, try flavored balsamics. They add sweetness without significant calories.

Here’s a sampler of organic balsamic vinegars in fig, pear, pomegranate and raspberry; and another sampler of apple cinnamon, blood orange, mango and pomegranate balsamics (not organic).
 

Turn your salad course into a cheese course with the addition of…cheese. In France, a salad with cheese is a popular follow-up to the main dish.

This one, from the Oyster Club in Mystic, Connecticut, is perfect for fall, with a delicious balance of flavors. Bloomy-rinded cheeses can have a subtle mushroomy undertone: perfect for fall.

Just roast the vegetables, toast the nuts, make the vinaigrette (olive oil and lime juice), and assemble the plate (see photo #3).

Ingredients For 4 Servings

 
If you’re not a fan of bloomy rind cheeses, any hearty cheese is fall-appropriate: aged cheddar, blue cheeses, Comte, real Swiss cheeses, washed rind cheeses.

Much as we love them, leave the fresh goat cheeses for spring.

Check out the different types of cheeses in our Cheese Glossary.
 
__________________________

*Bloomy rind cheeses have soft, often fuzzy, edible rinds that are a result of the introduction of molds like Penicillium candidum. They are known for the white color and mushroomy flavor of the rind. The two best-known examples are Brie, Camembert, and triple-crèmes. Bloomy rind cheeses are generally aged for two weeks, which produces a mild flavor and subtle aroma.

With a triple crème, the cream is added to the milk to create the richest, most buttery group of cheeses. Triple crèmes are a type of bloomy rind cheese and also are aged for about two weeks. In order to qualify as a triple-créme, the cheeses must have more than 72% butterfat content, which provides a smooth texture. As with other cheeses that have short aging periods, the flavors are mild and the aromas are subtle. Examples include Brillat-Savarin, Explorateur, and St. André. This group of cheeses pairs well with Champagne and other sparkling wines.
_______________________
 
RECIPE #3: LIME SEA SALT

It’s easy to make flavored sea salt at home. This recipe is from TheThingsILove.com.

While you can buy lime sea salt, it lacks the fresh lime zest which adds a punch of flavor and color.

If it seems like too much work for just a sprinkle: Lime sea salt is a terrific Margarita glass rimmer, a real step up!
 
Ingredients

[3] A fall cheese plate (photo © Oyster Club).

[4] Bloomy-rind cheeses (photo © Murray’s Cheese).

[5] Lime sea salt (photo © These Things I Love).

1. PREHEAT the oven to 200°F. Combine the sea salt, lime juice, and zest in a small bowl. Spread out on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

2. BAKE for 15-20 minutes, until the salt looks dry but not brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.

3. BREAK up any clumps that may have formed. Store in an airtight container.

4. SPRINKLE a bit on the plate as a colorful element.
 
 

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