Since more and more people have started to appreciate and recognize coffee as part of their lifestyle, there have been several ways that have been discovered in making coffee. The process from roasting the beans, grinding, brewing, to extracting them, a number of unique ways were utilized, depending on how they would like their cup to be made. And along with these ways, there are also tools and equipment that have been developed to make a creamy, rich taste in your daily cup of coffee. One of the tools that were proven to provide good quality coffee would be with the use of a french press — an elegant way of pouring your cup of coffee with a dense and heavy consistency.  

French press, also known as a press pot, is a cylindrical pot with a built-in plunger and filter screen for pressing hot water through ground coffee. It is a simple device, originated more than a hundred years ago. The press is usually a glass cylinder with a “plunger”-like device that fits snugly around the cylinder’s perimeter. The plunger has a wire or nylon mesh handle that pushes the coffee grounds to the bottom of the cup, trapping them after a few minutes of brewing. Moreover, the french press is an affordable and easy to use coffee maker for brewing that tasty cup of coffee in the morning.

One of the Best Choices for Making Coffee

Using a french press is actually one of the best and common choices for making coffee all over the world. Creating an earthy, rich taste for your cup of joe. To achieve this elegant-tasting coffee, decant them as soon as possible after brewing to ensure that it does not get bitter or chalky. Then sink into this thick, hefty cup. Brewing takes only four minutes, but the results are totally worth it. It has a deeper, richer flavor than those made using other processes. And because this process uses less heat, it is less likely to produce the bitter flavor associated with many coffees.

Creating the best coffee with a french press all lies in the grind. A medium grind with uniformity and consistency throughout. Very coarse grinds can block the filter, while very fine grinds can pass through and muddy the results.

Prepare and Warm Up the Press

The initial step you must take in making coffee using a french press would be to prepare and warm up the press. Fill your french press halfway with boiling water, making sure to include the plunger. Then, rinse it with extremely hot water to warm it up. Although it is not required, it is strongly suggested to use a warm carafe to extract all of the tastes into your cup.

While the french press is warming up for at least 30 seconds, this is now a great time to grind your beans. Grind the grounds to the coarseness of sea salt in your burr grinder. Then, empty your carafe of hot water after 30 seconds.

Once the french press has warmed up, set the pot on a flat, dry surface. Pull out the plunger while holding the handle firmly.

Measure, Grind, and Add Your Coffee

As mentioned above, it is possible to already grind your beans while waiting for the equipment to warm up to save time. As part of the grinding process, you have to take at least 17 grams of coffee. Then, ground it to the consistency of breadcrumbs. This is because french press calls for a coarse, even grind. A fine grind will clog the holes in the french press filter, and thus, be deemed to be important. The amount of ground beans you are going to put on the french press will depend on the amount of water you have put on it as well.

One tip for making coffee using this equipment is that the french press works well with darker roasts. Thus, you should add freshly roasted grounds to your carafe. Give the ground a moderate shake to ensure that it is evenly leveled.

Add Water

After adding the grounds onto the press, you have to pour hot water — not quite boiling. Then, twice the amount of water than you have coffee, onto your grounds. If you have 30 grams of coffee, for example. You might want to start with at least 60 grams of water. Moreover, in pouring hot water, you must do it in a circular motion to ensure that all the grounds are submerged.

Let It Bloom

After pouring the steaming hot water over the ground coffee, you have to let it bloom. Your coffee grounds will release gasses like carbon dioxide during blooming. This allows for a much better extraction when the rest of the water is added. Give a gentle stir with a wooden spoon to break the crust. Then, after about 30 seconds, the blooming process is complete. Your coffee will then become bubbly, and might increase in volume.

Plunge and Pour

Once you have your it bloomed, you can press the plunger now all down. Make sure that by pushing it, you are doing it gently and slowly without applying extra force. It will agitate the grounds, and might add bitter flavors to the outcome as well. Next, decant your coffee into a favorite cup or container as soon as possible. To avoid over-extraction and for a more bitter taste, do not leave it in a carafe as well.

Key Takeaway

Once you have finished making coffee by doing all the steps to your french press, it is ideal to serve the coffee immediately. Do not let it sit for too long, as this might cause it to continue brewing and over-extract. Coffee experts have stated a few more tips using the french press: buy good quality and freshly roasted whole bean coffee; select darker roasted beans for your french press; grind the beans just before you are about to brew them; keep in mind a 1:15 coffee ratio, though you can experiment as each one has their own differences; and lastly, decant your coffee as a means of avoiding over-extraction, and, therefore, bitterness.