There is some debate on which device makes the perfect coffee, and many are rising an eyebrow to the humble press pot. If you know how to use a French press, and you learn how to tweak the brew and troubleshoot it, you will be rewarded with a great cup of joe.
The French press, also known as a press pot, is a 19th century French invention that brews an awesome cup of coffee. It covers the gap between the convenience of a drip coffee maker and the robust flavors of espresso. The French press flavors are bolder than drip coffee, and it has ample body, compared to drip, it is not as concentrated as espresso. This makes it very appealing for coffee lovers that appreciate a strong coffee, but as concentrated as the espresso.
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Whether you are a coffee aficionado or a casual consumer, you can tell the difference between a bad cup and an expertly crafted one. Preparing a great coffee boils down to the: having the right equipment, using the right recipe, and understanding how every coffee brewing factor will change your cup.
In a perfect world, where you take coffee making very seriously, this is the equipment and ingredients you will need: French press, grinder, thermometer, timer, scale and measuring cup, kettle, great coffee beans, water.
If you are worried about the investment, you could do without a few of the items in the list. French press is one of the most inexpensive coffee makers.
How to Use a French Press: Step-by-Step
Boil the Water
Bring enough water to fill the French press to a boil. For a 17-oz press, you'll need about 12 ounces of water, (1 and a half cups).For the best taste, use fresh water that has not been boiled before. Water has dissolved gases that make the water taste better. Boiling removes the gases and the water will taste "flat".
Dose your Coffee Beans
I recommend starting with a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, and tweak it up or down to your preference. This comes to 35 grams of coffee grounds for 500 ml of water. Coffee people use metric measurements, so to translate that for you, it will be 35 grams of coffee grounds and 16 oz. of water.The 35 grams of coffee can be approximated to about 8 leveled tablespoons, if you don't have a scale.
Lighter roasts are denser, so you will need less tablespoons for the same amount. Dark roasted beans had more time to expand during roasting. There will be less coffee for the same volume than light roasted beans.
If you measure beans, approximate to 7 tablespoons for very light roasts, 10 for very dark roasts. If you measure ground coffee is trickier because the differences tend to even out.
Grind Your Coffee
While the kettle is on the stove, grind your coffee. French press coffee calls for a coarse, even grind for a clear cup.Let the Grounds Bloom
Place the 50 grams of coffee in the beaker, and then carefully pour some of the water over the grounds. Allow the coffee to bloom for about 30 seconds.Steep the Coffee
Pour the rest of the water and gently push the plunger in, just so it touches the water. Let the coffee steep for four minutes.You can get a slightly stronger brew, by steeping longer. At the other end of the range, there are people who use the no steep time method. But the trick with the no steep method, is to use a medium grind.
Filter Yor Coffee
Place the coffee press on the counter and gently and evenly press the filter down.The ideal pressure is about 15-- 20 pounds. If you don't know how pressing 15 pounds feels like? Press your plunger on your bathroom scale. More than 20 pounds is not necessarily bad, but beyond this point you don't have control over the plunging, and grounds could easily spill up in the collector chamber. If it's hard to press, that means the coffee grind was too fine;
It means your grind is too coarse if the plunger goes down to the bottom of the beaker.
Keep the plunger perfectly vertical. Coffee grounds will slip through the sides of the screen-filter if you accidentally angle it. Push the plunger down slowly-- using the weight of your hand and arm for pressure. This way you minimize stirring up the coffee dust.
Now that coffee grounds are separated from your beverage, you can pour it in cups and serve it. Ideally, you do not want to let it sit. Coffee gets cold very fast in a glass French press.
The French press, also known as a press pot, is a 19th century French invention that brews an awesome cup of coffee. The French press flavors are bolder than drip coffee, and it has ample body, compared to drip, it is not as concentrated as espresso. Preparing a great coffee boils down to the: having the right equipment, using the right recipe, and understanding how every coffee brewing factor will change your cup.
Coffee people use metric measurements, so to translate that for you, it will be 35 grams of coffee grounds and 16 oz. French press coffee calls for a coarse, even grind for a clear cup.
The full article, and more French press coffee making content at French-Press-Coffee.com