Can You Reuse Coffee Grounds in French Press? Truth Inside

Can you reuse coffee grounds in French Press? 

I fairly recently bought an 8 oz French press to make coffee for me and my girlfriend in the evening. We were wondering the other day what if we reused coffee grounds? I know people who reuse the same tea bag; can you do that with coffee grounds? Stick around, in this article I’m going to go over the ins and outs of brewing with a French Press. Make sure you read to the end; I share a delicious recipe of making the perfect cold coffee with a French Press. 

Let’s kick off.

Can you reuse coffee grounds in the French press? 

Yes you can reuse coffee grounds in French press but the coffee you’re going to make isn’t going to taste that good; it’s going to be coffee without much aroma and flavours as most of them were extracted the first time you used the coffee grounds for brewing. 

What happens during coffee brewing?

As you already know coffee is made of coffee grounds and water.

When you mix up water between 195-205 F with coffee grounds the water forces the coffee grounds to extract their flavours and aromas which blend with water and change its colour to dark brown. 

And this is how pretty much coffee grounds and hot water react with each other to make coffee. 

Depending on the type and origin of coffee grounds, they contain a certain amount of aromas and flavours, meaning that if you brew coffee with the same coffee grounds it isn’t going to be rich in flavour and aroma – far from it. 

But there are situations, you can reuse coffee grounds in French Press.

When to reuse coffee grounds in French press

There are a few occasions you can reuse your coffee grounds in French Press

Let’s go over them one by one.

1. You prefer your coffee to be weak in taste

Some coffee lovers prefer their coffee to be not that strong. 

They find it bitter and struggle to have it.

Are you one of them? 

Then reuse the coffee grounds in your French press to brew coffee. Most likely it’s going to be weak in taste and colour.

2. Coffee keeps you awake at night 

If you’re one of those that too much coffee keeps you awake at night reusing coffee grounds is a great idea.

It’s better if you reuse those coffee grounds in the evening, so your coffee is going to be weak and not affect your sleep.

3. Coffee with less caffeine

Too much caffeine can affect your body in different ways. 

For example, it can make you nervous, anxious or even keep you awake at night. 

By reusing coffee grounds in your French press you’ll be on the safe side not to get nervous. 

4. Coffee with milk 

Do you like milky coffee so much? 

It’s a good idea to use used coffee grounds in your French press, so your brew is going to have even a stronger taste of milk. 

This is a great treat for an evening after work to keep you warm.

How to reuse coffee grounds in French press

Let’s chat about the steps to take in order to make coffee with reused coffee grounds: 

• Don’t throw away the used coffee grounds in your French press
• Use a kettle (or any other device to heat water) and warm up water for about 3-5 minutes
• Pour the water into the French press and let it bloom for about 5 minutes
• Add any milk sugar or anything you take your coffee with and you’re good to go

What kind of coffee grounds are the best for using?

In this case you need coffee that is rich in flavour and aromas.

Ideally, you have to use coarse coffee grounds which are always rich in flavours and aromas. This means that the second time you use them for brewing there’s going to be aromas and flavours left in it. 

In terms of the roast, dark roast is the best option as they are rich in flavours. 

What to add to your coffee made with reused coffee grounds? 

It’s a good idea to add milk or coffee creamer.

Milk as well as coffee creamer are going to make your coffee taste sweeter and less weak.

Another good idea is to use coffee syrup which is going to add another layer of taste to your brew. 

Some of the best flavours are: 

• Caramel
• Hazelnut 
• Strawberry 
• Lavender 
• Gingerbread
• Cinnamon
• Almond
• Blueberry

What can I do with leftover coffee grounds from the French press?

If you don’t want to reuse them there are other ways you can be of use:

• Fertiliser for your lawn: One of the best ways to use your leftover coffee grounds is to mix them with leaves and twigs and create compost, leave it for some days and then spread the mix on your grass. It’s going to make it greener and more lively

• Keep away insects and cats from your garden: spread them on the edges of your lawn – insects and cats don’t like the smell of coffee, so they won’t tread on your grass. That’s a simple way to keep them away

• Keep away mosquitos: Another way to use leftover coffee grounds is to place them in a piece of tin foil and burn them at night to keep mosquitos away as they abhor the smell of coffee. 

How to brew cold coffee with a French Press

Here are the steps you should follow to brew cold coffee with a French press:

Start by heating water in a kettle and placing the coffee grounds in the French press

Pour the hot water into the French press and let it bloom for 5 minutes

Press the plunger down to keep the coffee grounds on the bottom of your French press

Fill an empty glass with ice and pour the hot coffee into it

Add creamer or milk to make your drink sweeter.

Can you reuse coffee grounds with a dripping coffee machine

You can reuse coffee grounds with a dripping coffee machine.

I have done it myself a couple of times when I ran out of coffee and couldn’t bother to go out to buy some.

I reused the coffee grounds and I must admit the coffee I produced was weaker but it was still OK.

Can you reuse coffee grounds with an espresso machine? 

You can reuse coffee grounds with an espresso machine.

But keep in mind that your espresso shot won’t have much crema on top and obviously it’s going to be weak.

If you really want an espresso to kickstart your day, I wouldn’t recommend you reuse espresso coffee grounds.

Can you reuse coffee grounds with a Moka pot? 

Yes you can reuse coffee grounds with a Moka pot.

But it’s not a good idea as coffee grounds might end up in your cup making your brew murky

It’s just better if you use fresh coffee grounds, especially if you can’t make any compromises on coffee

Let’s wrap it up

Can you reuse coffee grounds in a French press. Nothing wrong with reusing them but I suggest you use this as your last resort since coffee is a sacred drink and you should drink nothing but delicious brew.

FAQ

Let’s quickly go over a bunch of frequently asked questions.

How many times can coffee grounds be reused?

There’s not a limit in how many times you can reuse coffee grounds. Keep in mind that the more times you use the same coffee grounds the weaker your brew is going to be. More flavours and aromas are extracted each time you use them. For example, if you already reused the same coffee grounds three times, the fourth time you brew with them, the coffee is going to be even weaker.

How long can coffee sit in the French press?

You can let coffee sit in the French press for a couple of hours. The longer you leave it sit in the French press it’s getting cold. Who wants to drink lukewarm coffee? In this case, it’s better to brew as much coffee as you’re willing to have – it’s no good making too much coffee and then throwing it away.

Can you let a French press sit overnight?

You can let a French press sit overnight but it really depends on when you brewed the coffee. Did you make coffee early in the morning or late at night? If you brewed early in the morning it’s not good to let it sit overnight. On the other hand, if you brew late at night you could let it sit overnight but keep in mind that the coffee the next morning is going to be cold; if you use a microwave to warm it up, it won’t taste that good. 

Can you reuse coffee grounds in a coffee maker

Yes you can reuse coffee grounds in a coffee maker, but your coffee is going to be weak without much aroma and flavours. Unless you don’t like strong coffee, reusing coffee grounds isn’t the best option, especially when buying new coffee grounds is pretty affordable.

Why is my French press coffee so bad?

You probably need to give it a good wash with soap and water to remove coffee residue and oils that are stuck on the inside of the cylinder. To improve the quality of your coffee make sure to use fresh coffee grounds. Another way to ensure you brew coffee with your French press the right way is to let the coffee bloom for about five minutes.