Home bar hack: How to make French press cocktails

You might be procrastinating on getting the cocktail shaker you deserve, or perhaps you just want to try a new approach to making cocktails. Either way, French press cocktails are about to transform the way you tend your home bar. Who said this device has to be only for coffee beverages? This trend has been percolating for quite some time, as seasoned mixologists have developed airtight methods for creating hot and cold drinks.

Hot cocktail lovers can enjoy a simpler technique that yields more complex flavors, while cold/room-temperature cocktails can be improved through a better infusion process. Either way, you’ll be able to yield multiple drinks by using a French press for cocktails and maybe even enough for a dinner party, depending on the size of your press. While some insist on buying a new French press specifically for cocktails, your everyday press will work just fine if you wash it well and regularly. Below, discover the best French press cocktail recipes, both hot and iced.

French press Boulevardier recipe

Ingredients

• 5 ounces water
• 2 ounces rye whiskey
• 1 ounce sweet red vermouth
• 1 orange
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon tarragon
• 4 dashes Angostura bitters
• 2 rosemary sprigs

Method

1. Heat whiskey, Campari, and vermouth on medium heat for 2 minutes.
2. Peel all the skin off the orange and place it into a French press. Add bitters, tarragon, and lemon juice to the press. Stir in heated spirits.
3. Boil water and let cool for 1 minute. Stir in water.
4. Let the mixture steep for seven minutes. Plunge and pour into warmed coupe glass.
5. Garnish with rosemary sprig. Serves two.

French press Moscow Mule recipe

Ingredients

• 4 ounces vodka
• 4 ounces club soda
• 3 ounces simple syrup*
• 1 1/2 limes
• 2 teaspoons finely grated, peeled ginger
• Candied ginger

Method

1. Cut limes into quarter wedges. Squeeze four wedges into the French press.
2. Place squeezed wedges and grated ginger into press. Stir in simple syrup and vodka.
3. Infuse for 5 minutes. Plunge and pour over ice into a highball glass. Top with club soda.
4. Garnish with remaining wedges and candied ginger. Serves two.

*Simple syrup: Combine equal parts water and sugar into a saucepan. Stir until sugar dissolves. Cool.

French press sangria recipe

You can’t go wrong with sangria — but you may have never considered making it in a French press. Uniquely preparing a sangria mix in a French press brings out its intense fruit flavors. Plus, it’s the perfect cocktail to serve any time of the year.

Ingredients

• 2 cups fruity red wine
• 2 cups white wine
• 1/4 cup cognac
• 1/4 cup Grand Marnier
• 1/4 cup light rum
• 1/4 cup agave syrup
• 1/4 cup raspberry puree
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• 1 lime, thinly sliced
• 1 orange, thinly sliced
• Basil sprig (for garnish)
• Orange slice (for garnish)

Method

1. In a large bowl, combine the red wine, white wine, cognac, Grand Marnier, light rum, agave syrup, and raspberry puree.
2. Layer the lemon, lime, and orange slices along the base of a French press.
3. For each serving, fill the French press with the combined liquids and press down slowly.
4. Pour into a wine glass over fresh ice.
5. Optional: Garnish each glass with a basil sprig and orange slice. Serve in a wine glass or stemless wine glass, and enjoy!

Making hot French press cocktails

Say goodbye to boring hot toddy cocktails, making drinks directly in mugs, and ill-advised attempts to put hot water in a metal cocktail shaker (it’s OK, we won’t tell anyone). Hot French press cocktails undergo a rapid infusion that you have complete control over.

Kevin Denton, national mixologist for Pernod Ricard, broke down the best way to achieve optimal infusions, according to Food52. You’re going to want to use a brown spirit with roughly a 2:5 ratio to water. You can also work with sweet alcohol like brandy, vermouth, or another fortified wine at a 1:2 ratio to your chosen liquor.

Heat your water and alcohol separately, letting the latter get to about 190 degrees Fahrenheit. Place your infusion ingredients (fruit slices/peels, spices, tea, rose petals, etc.) at the bottom of the press. Add the alcohol first and let it cool to the point where the ethanol doesn’t burn your nostrils. Then, add the water, stir, and steep.

While your cocktail is steeping, don’t forget to prep your glass/mug by warming it with hot water or even by popping it in the microwave. You can steep for the standard four minutes or adjust the time as you get more comfortable with the process/adventurous with your infusions. Plunge and serve immediately for the best result. Now that you have the basics down, here’s a hot recipe to get you started:

Making cold French press cocktails

These cocktails won’t pack as flavorful a punch as their warmer kin, but they definitely offer a new twist on your favorite drinks. Simply add your infusion ingredients to the French press (muddling optional), pour in your alcohol and mixer, stir, and steep. More pungent ingredients work well here because it’s easier for their flavors to transfer to the mixture. You can steep for as little as one minute or as long as a day.

Some recipes still call for a shaker if you want a cold drink neat, but you can work around this. Before you plunge, lift the lid without removing the top and place a few ice cubes/crushed ice on the spiral grate. Depending on your press and finesse, you can also spin the plunger as you press down. If you don’t mind some dilution, you can also add the ice directly to the mix during the steeping process.