How To Make The Best French Press Coffee (Step by Step & Tips)
One of the methods that is both inexpensive and straightforward to use when brewing coffee at home is the French Press. Making coffee with a French press can be done in a number of straightforward ways, but the traditional and most usual method is actually rather easy.
It requires four steps: adding ground coffee and boiling water, waiting four minutes, pressing down on the plunger, and then enjoying the coffee. However, when compared to other techniques of brewing coffee, many individuals find that pour-over brewing does not provide the best cup of coffee.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the fact that this traditional coffee maker has been around for more than a century. If done correctly, it is capable of producing coffee with an exceptional flavor. Let’s investigate and find out!
Things That You Need To Know Before Making Coffee With A French Press
Coffee Measurements for a French Press
What quantity of coffee should be used for the French Press? In most cases, the ratio of coffee to water should be 1:15. In other words, 1 gram of coffee and 15 grams of water are added to the mixture. Within these bounds, there is no room for error. If you find that the flavor is too robust, try lowering the ratio of coffee to water to 1:17. You are free to adjust the proportions to your preferred level of flavor.
Temperature of the Water
The Brewing Guide published by the NCA [1] states that the ideal temperature range for brewing coffee is 195-205 degrees Fahrenheit (Or 90-95 degrees C).
If you do not have a thermometer at your house, you can bring the water to a boil, then let it sit for one minute afterward. After grinding the beans, you should typically be able to start using the hot water because it is roughly 205 degrees Fahrenheit.
Coarseness of the ground
Simply select a grind size that falls in between medium and medium-coarse when preparing coffee to be poured over or filtered. It has a size comparable to that of coarse salt or standard sand. No clues? Check out the many sizes of coffee grinds available here.
When it comes to brewing coffee in a French press, folks typically advise using medium-coarse or even coarser grounds. Therefore, the coarse grind has the potential to lessen the amount of sediment that is left in the cup; yet, it also poses a few issues.
1. It is difficult to extract the coffee effectively, which usually results in a flavor that is not fully extracted and is quite watery.
2. When using the coarse setting on most grinders, it is extremely challenging to produce grounds of an equal size. When using a French Press, it is essential that the coffee grounds be of a uniform particle size because the grounds are steeped in the water for an extended period of time.
The smaller particles are going to be over-extracted, which will cause them to become bitter, while the larger ones are going to be under-extracted. You won’t be able to distinguish between flavors.
In most cases, a decent burr coffee grinder will be able to create grounds that are quite uniform for a medium fineness, whereas a blade grinder will generate grounds that are not consistent for the press.
After you have used the grinder a few times, you will be able to change the setting on the grinder. If it has a taste that is too harsh and too bitter, you should try making it a little bit finer. If the coffee seems thin and watery, this could be a sign that the grind size is too large.
Brewing time
When employing this approach, it takes roughly ten minutes to complete, compared to the standard brewing method’s time commitment of four minutes. So it demands more patience.
Which coffee is ideal for brewing in a French press?
The first order of business is to begin with freshly ground coffee. The French press can be used for either medium or dark roast coffee, and it produces the best results when the whole bean is ground just before brewing.
Do You Require A Bathroom Scale?
A scale will make everything simpler and easier to do. You may quickly make an adjustment based on the previous ratio by measuring the proportion of coffee to water each time you prepare a pot of brewed coffee. This allows you to produce coffee of a high quality in a consistent manner.
A Step-by-Step Instructional Guide on How to Use a French Press
You are now equipped with all of the necessary knowledge. In this tutorial, I’ll be making use of a Bodum Brazil French Press Coffee Maker and utilizing 20 grams of coffee. The process for making a French press is standard across the industry.
The ratio of coffee to water is 1:15, with 20 grams of coffee for every cup containing 300 grams of water.
Filtered Water: 195-205 degrees F
Ground size: Medium
Brewing time: approximately ten minutes
How to Make Coffee With a French Press Using These (9 Steps)
The following is an in-depth guide that will walk you through each stage of preparing delicious coffee with a French press.
Time Needed: 10 minutes.
After going through this guide step by step, you should now be able to use a French press correctly. It appears that there was no need to press the coffee via the French press. If you use this method, on the other hand, you won’t end up with a cup of coffee that’s too thick.
Although it takes more time, the results are well worth the wait. mostly due to the fact that this is very likely the greatest flavor that has ever come from a French press. One of the most enjoyable aspects about making coffee is the fact that there is almost always more than one method to choose from. Just experiment with different methods to find the French Press preparation that works best for you.
General Mistakes To Avoid
No matter how you want to operate a French Press, there are a few common errors that you should try to avoid doing.
1. The coffee grinds are of an insufficiently fine texture
You can select a setting that is just slightly coarser than the fineness you use for pour-over or drip coffee if you want to use a French Press. The medium grind setting is just about perfect for a French Press.
When using a French Press, the coffee does not need to be ground too coarsely. If the grinds are too coarse, the coffee will not be properly extracted, leaving you with a watery and weak beverage. The coffee is more difficult to extract from the grounds if the particles are larger. To the contrary, the flavor of the coffee will be bitter, and it will be difficult to achieve a cleaner cup of coffee if the grounds are ground too finely.
2. Apply an excessive amount of downward pressure on the plunger.
If you want to make coffee in the conventional manner, you have to press the plunger after four minutes even if it is not necessary to do so if you follow the recommendations that have been provided above. The vast majority of users merely press it all the way down too rapidly, which muddles the grounds and allows sediment to get into the coffee.
3. Pour the coffee out of the pot too rapidly.
I totally get how excited you are to have the coffee, but try not to pour it out of the pot too soon before you’ve even had a taste of it. Instead, pour them out slowly and gently so as not to disturb the ground coffee that is at the bottom of the container.
4. Place each and every drop into the cup.
Because there will invariably be some particles produced after the grinding process, the final 10% of coffee in the beaker is often somewhat sedimentary. Just make sure that you don’t empty the entire contents of the French press into the cup.
Additional Frequently Asked Questions
How can one make use of a French press?
The use of an immersion brewing method such as a French Press is one example. In most cases, all you need to do to prepare coffee is put the ground coffee, water, and plunger into the coffee maker, wait a few minutes, and then press down on the plunger.
The French Press is a very easy-to-use method for preparing coffee. The beaker is the primary component. The presence of a base and a handle protects the user from scalding themselves on the hot surface that results from adding hot water. In most cases, they are fabricated from either plastic or stainless steel. In addition to it, there is a plunger that is used to connect the lid to the filter. Some filters consist of several layers that work together to trap the sediments.
Making coffee at home has never been easier than with this method. In addition, the cost of a French Press is quite reasonable.
How to Determine Which French Press Is Right for You
The selection of a French Press is far less difficult than the selection of a burr grinder or an espresso machine. It is one of the coffee makers that is the least expensive. In most cases, all you need to do is figure out the capacity, as well as select the materials and style that best suit your preferences.
Up to 4 cups: 12 oz – 17 oz (350ml – 500ml)
5-8 cups: 24 oz – 34 oz (700ml-1000ml)
9 cups or more: 51 oz (1000ml)
Glass is the material of choice for the beaker’s body, while plastic or stainless steel may be used for the base and handle. When it comes to the filter, some versions of the French Press coffee machine include as many as four separate filter screens. Additionally, you need to think about whether or not it can be cleaned in a dishwasher.
Obviously, a French Press of greater quality will have a longer lifespan than the most affordable option.
How Long Should You Steep Coffee in a French Press?
Typically, the brewing process takes about four minutes. However, for the vast majority of individuals, this amount is insufficient, particularly when the coffee is ground more coarsely. The amount of ground coffee has a significant impact on how long the coffee is allowed to steep. If you choose the medium or medium-coarse setting, 6-10 minutes will do the trick just well.
When utilizing the method described earlier, the process could take up to ten minutes. When you should decant your coffee is determined by how much sediment you want to be left in the cup you drink from at the end. If you wait for a longer period of time before decanting, you will end up with less sediment in your final cup.
Because the rate of extraction will slow down significantly after the coffee grinds have reached the bottom of the container, there is no danger of it becoming over-extracted in a few more minutes. However, you should remove the grounds from the coffee after no more than an hour has passed.
How Should The French Press Be Cleaned?
What is the quickest way to clean a French Press after using it to make some of the best coffee you’ve ever had? If you have a sieve in your kitchen, you can empty the grounds from the French Press into the sieve, let the grounds dry, and then throw them away. If you do not have a sieve in your kitchen, you can just add some water to the French Press.
To remove the coffee oil, add some water and a little bit of dish soap, and then move the plunger up and down several times. After that, give it a good cleaning, and your French Press will be all set to make yet another delicious cup of coffee.