The French press is one of the most popular ways of making coffee. While the name might suggest something different, the French press is said to have been invented in Italy and patented in Milan about eight decades ago. The French press still maintains its classic design to this day! To find out more about this coffee brewing method, and how to make the perfect cup of French press coffee, read on below.
What Is A French Press?
A French press can be simply defined as a device designed for brewing coffee. It is made up of a narrow, glass or plastic cylindrical beaker, topped with a plastic or metal lid and fitted with a tight-fitting plunger inside the cylinder with a nylon or stainless steel wire mesh. Since it is made up of a few parts, a French press is not only easy to put together but also works in a simple way as well.
How Does A French Press Work?
To create the perfect cup of coffee, the French press works by steeping coffee grounds in hot water inside a beaker. To separate the coffee grounds from the coffee you will pour into your cup, the plunger is pushed, forcing the metal/plastic mesh down through the coffee grounds-hot water mixture, after steeping is complete. This brewing method results in a thick-bodied brew, as the mesh filter allows fine particles and natural oils to pass through.
A French press uses immersion brewing – which involves steeping coffee in hot water for an extended period - instead of drip brewing – which involves pouring water through coffee grounds. It is easier to get a uniform brew with immersion brewing since coffee and water are mixed together. However, if the mixture is left to steep for too long, or very small grounds are used, the method becomes vulnerable to over-extraction.
How To Choose The Best French Press For You
While they are designed to use the same working principle, French press coffee makers now come in a wide variety. Use the following tips to find one that matches your exact needs and preferences.
- Materials: When shopping around, you will find French press coffee makers made out of a variety of materials, including, plastic, glass, stainless steel and even copper finished variants. The material used influences the brewer’s durability and aesthetic appeal. While plastic options are considered to be disposable, glass and stainless steel variants are more appealing and durable while still being more affordable than the copper finished options.
- Size: It is important to buy a coffee maker that matches your coffee appetite. With that in mind, you should check the number of cups a coffee maker can brew in one go before buying it. If the coffee maker is only meant to serve one person, then you might be better served by a smaller option. However, if you intend to use the coffee maker to meet your entire family’s coffee needs, then a bigger variant might be a better fit.
- Single or Double Walled: A double-walled French press coffee maker will keep your coffee warm for longer than a single-walled variant. However, the double wall feature may not be as useful if you intend to decant all the coffee from the coffee maker immediately after you are done brewing it. Note that it is important to do this to avoid over-extraction of the coffee.
- Filtration: The filtration mechanism of a French press coffee maker plays an essential role in the quality of the brewed coffee. The quality and efficiency of a cafetière’s filtration mechanism is heavily dependent on the brand. Simply put, reputable brands are bound to have a high-quality and efficient filtration system.
What You’ll Need To Make French Press Coffee
- A French Press
- Coffee Beans/Coarse Ground Coffee
- Measuring Cup
- Hot Water
- Stirring Spoon
- Scale - Check out the Artisan Barista Precision Scale
- Burr Grinder (Optional)
- Water Thermometer (Optional)
Step By Step: How To Use A French Press
Read on for a step-by-step breakdown of the French press coffee brewing method.
Step 1: Heat The Water Since most of the time taken to brew coffee is taken up by heating the water. Start with this step. The water – preferably filtered with a low mineral content – should be heated to a water temperature of 195 – 205ºF. If you don’t have a thermometer, just heat the water until it comes to a full boil.
Step 2: Prepare The French Press If you want to brew the perfect cup of coffee, remember to preheat the press before you start brewing your coffee. You can use some of the boiling water to accomplish complete this step. Just add a ¼ cup of water to the press and swirl it around, until the beaker is warm to the touch before discarding it.
Step 3: Measuring And Grinding Your Coffee Beans The amount of coffee you want to brew as well as the size of your coffee maker will determine the amount of coffee you need to grind. It is best to use a scale instead of a spoon to measure your coffee before it goes into the coffee grinder. You need medium coarse ground coffee to make good coffee using this method.
Step 4: Mix The Hot Water With Coffee Grounds Take the coffee grinds and pour them into the press, followed by the right ratio of hot water immediately afterwards. Before you pour the water into the press at once, make sure that you use the correct amount by measuring it first using a scale or measuring jug. Ensure that you follow a reliable coffee to water ratio chart when determining the amount of water to use.
Step 5: Stir The Mixture And Allow Steeping For A Set Amount Of Time Stir the mixture for a few seconds to make sure that all the coffee grounds are wet. Put the lid, with the plunger, pulled all the way up, back on the beaker; and, set your time to 3:30 – the recommended brewing time.
Step 6: Address The Crust Remove the lid once the timer has gone off. At the top of the steeping coffee, you will find a crust. You can choose to stir and break down the coffee if you want to enjoy a full-bodied cup of coffee. Alternatively, you can remove all of the floating coffee grounds and discard them if you want a light-bodied cup of coffee.
Step 7: Press And Pour Press the plunger all the way down, after putting the lid back in place. You have used very coarse grinds if the plunger goes down too easily; and, very fine grinds, it takes relatively more effort to push it down. Once you have pushed the plunger to the bottom of the beaker, you can then pour your coffee into a cup – save for the last tenth of the beaker’s contents – and enjoy!
Final Thoughts
With that, you have learnt how to make a perfect cup of French press coffee, in an easy and straightforward way.
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