French Press

The French press is a popular coffee brewing method that produces a rich and flavorful cup of coffee. Learn how to use a French press and master the art of coffee making with this comprehensive guide.



French Pressed coffee is, by some, considered to be the purest form of coffee.  It is a method of brewing by immersion.  It is achieved by steeping grinds in the water for a short period and then depressing a plunger.  The plunger is attached to the filter which is a fine mesh.  Because a paper filter is not used, the oils remain in the cup.  This creates a different mouthfeel when tasting which some prefer, while others do not.  Also of note, is that this method can result in some grinds making their way into your cup and having a gritty texture.  The oils can lead to elevated cholesterol levels if done too much and when consuming excessive fatty foods.  Before I begin I get the tap water as hot as it will go and fill up the French press and my cups so that they will be effectively preheated.  This helps to better maintain a hot temperature.  Right before you use each you pour out the water.  The technique I use with my French press is I start with some boiling water.  Then I begin grinding my beans to a medium coarse setting.  The water can wait for a little, but we don't want our coffee grinds to sit for long.  Pour the grinds into the French press, I recommend starting with 65g coffee per liter of water to start with.  Next pour just a little bit of boiling water into the bed of grinds to allow it to bloom for about thirty seconds while the rest of the water cools to below boiling.  Typically you want to put about twice as much water as grinds by mass.  Then I slowly pour in the rest of the water and wait for three minutes.  Gently agitate the grinds that are on the top or the "crust".  Then wait another minute for the grinds to settle.  After this, I slowly depress the plunger about two-thirds of the way down and pour my coffee into the cup slowly to allow the grinds to stay on the bottom.  If you like, you can heat up some milk and put it in the French press.  When you rapidly move the plunger up and down it causes the milk to foam up a little and this can act as a way of making a mock latte or cappuccino when adding it to your coffee or espresso.  This is one of my personal go-to coffee preparation methods during the weekend when I have a little more time.

Do you enjoy French-pressed coffee or is there another method you prefer?  Please let me know below in a comment

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