Brewing with a French Press
Our head roaster Tim thinks that the French Press is a simple and classic way to brew coffee. Done correctly, it can appeal to both beginners of home brewing and seasoned professionals alike. Words like "rich", "sweet", and even "scrumptious" may escape your lips after those first few sips.
Even better, a really great French Press can be made without having a pantry full of coffee equipment. Below, we'll lay out a relatively simple method for making a great cup of coffee in the French Press, one that is extra-clean, sweet, and consistent. We are essentially replicating our cupping process and applying it to the French Press. It requires very little finesse and is extremely forgiving; in fact the hardest thing to attain here may be patience. But we think it's worth the wait, and you'll end up with a delicious cup free of the "sludginess" that can plague other recipes. Let's get started!
What you'll need:
- French Press brewer
- Grinder
- 40 grams of coffee beans (about 5 tbsp. of coffee beans), ground to medium coarseness
- Hot water
- Decanter
- Scale
- Time
- Spoon
- Your favorite mug
Directions:
1. Preheat your French Press brewer with hot water and then dump out the water.
2. Grind 40 grams of coffee beans at a medium-grind setting.
3. Put 40 grams of ground coffee into the French Press.
4. Pour in 600 grams of hot water (should be at 205 degrees F or 30 seconds off boiling).
5. Stir the top inch of the French Press to break up the coffee crust that has formed.
6. Place the lid on and leave the filter in the upward position, then wait four minutes.
7. Remove the lid and, again, stir to break up the coffee crust that has formed.
8. Wait 30 seconds then skim the coffee solids off of the top for a cleaner cup.
9. Wait 1-3 minutes (if you want a stronger cup, wait the full 3 minutes).
10. Slowly press down the plunger/filter with only slightly more than the weight of your hands.
11. Pour, serve, and enjoy!
Note: You will probably not be able to get all of the liquid out of the French Press. Tilting the Press too far will cause the sludgy bits to come with it, and the filter will only catch so much. If you find yourself missing or needing some of the extra coffee, we recommend upping you does of coffee a tad. This way, you get what you want and the coffee stays clean!
