The French Press
Today we will be looking at how to brew coffee with the French Press… an iconic brewing device among various nations and cultures, also known by many as a coffee plunger and a cafetière! Interestingly enough, the origin of the French Press is not necessarily French. Designs and patents were originally made by the French, but only improved upon and popularized by the Italians and the Swiss. Ultimately, the concept of its “French” origin comes from the fact that its first manufacturing site was in France, which allowed it to gain much popularity there.
Before we get started…
Why would you want to brew coffee with the French Press?
Besides the differences in the brewing process, coffee brewed with the French Press is known to have a full and rich body to it. For many, this is a characteristic in coffee they value, and the French Press is a quick and easy way to achieve this. This full bodied characteristic of the French Press coffee is also great for those who add any kind of milk or cream to their coffee as the two textures complement each other nicely.
What makes this brewing method different?
The French Press is an infusion brewing process, which essentially means that the coffee is fully saturated and immersed in the water while the coffee is steeping. This results in a uniform extraction.
It is also important to note the lack of a paper filter. Instead of this, the French Press utilizes a metal filter, in the form of a mesh on the plunger. This difference is what results in the full bodied cup of coffee that the French Press is known for.
The last unique aspect to the French Press brewing process is the grind size. Anyone that is the least bit familiar with the French Press as a brewing process will tell you that the proper grind size is “coarse.” We generally agree, but since the term is so subjective, we would describe it best by comparing it to the texture of breadcrumbs.
Other Notes About the Appropriate Grind Size
Often, the perfect grind size is difficult to achieve because the descriptions are so vague. For your first attempt at the French Press, do your best to follow the descriptions. However, brewing an amazing cup of coffee is an art and a science, so here are some tests to guide you to the best grind size for your French Press.
The Pressure Test: there should be between 15 and 20 pounds of pressure on the plunger as you press your coffee. If you don’t know what this feels like, press down on a scale until you reach this range. If there seems to be more pressure than this, the coffee grounds are too fine. Try grinding them slightly more coarsely next time. If there is less pressure than this, then the coffee grounds are too coarse. Try grinding them slightly finer next time.
The Taste Test: If your coffee has any bitterness to it, then your coffee grinds were too fine. Next time, try grinding them slightly more coarsely. If your coffee has any sourness to it, then your coffee grinds were too coarse. Try grinding them slightly finer next time.
The other aspect to the proper grounds for all coffee, but especially coffee brewed with the French Press, is the uniform size of the grounds. If the grounds are different sizes, they will extract at different rates and create an inconsistent brew that doesn’t taste right.
If your grinder doesn’t grind coffee beans to the proper size or to a uniform size (as is common with the blade grinders), then we can grind the beans bought from our site to the appropriate size for the French Press for you! If you do this, simply be sure that you store your coffee properly and use it in a timely manner. For more information about the proper coffee storage for optimal freshness, check out our blog post on the subject here!
How much coffee do you need?
Each French Press is a different size, so there’s no standard amount of coffee to use. Instead, the best way to figure out how much coffee you need is by using a ratio. The best ratios to go by are no “narrower” than a 10-to-1 ratio of grams/mL of water to grams of coffee (smaller amounts of water for the amount of coffee) and no “wider” than a 15-to-1 ratio of water to coffee (larger amounts of water for the amount of coffee). What ratio you use within this range depends on the roast of coffee you use. With a darker roast, we suggest a narrower ratio, closer to the 10-to-1 ratio. With a lighter roast, we suggest a wider ratio, closer to the 15-to-1 ratio.
For example, the French Press we used comfortably holds 750 grams of water. Since we used our Bulldog Blend, which is a darker roast, we decided to use a 10-1 ratio. This means we used 75 grams of coffee.
Let’s get started!
What do you need to make make coffee with the French Press?
A French Press
Water suitable for brewing coffee
A method to boil the water
Coffee
Something to stir with
A timer
A gram scale
A thermocouple or thermometer
What are the steps for preparing coffee with a French Press?
Heat the water until ideally 198 degrees Farhenheit, or 92 degrees Celcius. If you don’t have a thermocouple or a thermometer, it is helpful to remember that water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit, or 100 degrees Celcius. In this case, we simply suggest letting the water boil and using it after its been off-boil for about a minute or two.
While the water is heating, measure the amount of coffee beans you want and grind them (if not already ground). Pour the grounds into the pot of the french press and place on the scale, taring the scale once it is on.
Pour the previously decided upon amount of water into the pot of the French Press in a quick manner, attempting to saturate all of the coffee grounds.
Stir the grounds either after you’ve added half of the water (and then finish pouring the rest of the water), or after you’ve added all the water. See which method you like best!
Once the water has been fully added and the mixture stirred, place the top of the French press onto the pot, without pressing down the plunger. Leave the coffee to steep for about four minutes.
If you desire a finer body, simply plunge the coffee and serve! If you desire that full and rich body, stir once more before plunging.
A word of caution: the longer you leave any remaining coffee in the French Press, the more bitter it will become. The solution is either brew only what you will drink, or have another container (preferably thermal) to pour the remainder into.
