Brewing the Perfect Cup of Coffee With a French Press
Keys to a Perfect Cup
Generally speaking, the grind size for brewing in a French Press is coarser than other brew methods. We prefer particles roughly the size of kosher salt flakes. Extraction and dwell times are important for achieving a quality brew using a French Press. A digital timer is a must. A good practice is to preheat your French Press with a little bit of brewing water to warm the vessel and preserve delicate characteristics. Be sure to discard the rinse water right before you start brewing.
What You’ll Need
Ingredients and materials:
- Freshly ground Trinidad coffee
- Filtered water
Equipment and gear:
- French Press
- Water kettle
- Digital scale
- Digital timer
- Spoon or scoop
- Your favorite coffee mug
Step 1:
Heat the water so that it’s short of boiling, around 205°F. Some kettles will hold heated water at a set temperature. If yours doesn’t, run the kettle so that the water is done heating right before you brew to ensure you’re pouring water that’s at the ideal temperature.
Pour a bit of hot water into the French Press to pre-warm the vessel.
Step 2:
For a six-cup French Press, weigh out 40 grams of freshly ground coffee and place at the bottom of the French Press. If you’re using an eight-cup French Press, use 55 grams of coffee grounds.
Step 3:
Slowly pour the water into the French Press, using a slight circular motion to saturate all the coffee grounds. Continue pouring until the coffee mixture rises to roughly ½” below the pour spout of the Press.
Step 4:
Gently stir the coffee/water mixture to thoroughly wet all the particles and evenly distribute the liquid.
TIP: Do not over-stir the slurry as this may result in overextraction.
Step 5:
Place the lid and plunger assembly on top of the French Press.
DO NOT PRESS THE PLUNGER DOWN YET. This is the stage where t he wonderful characteristics are steeped out of the coffee grounds and i nto the liquid.
Step 6:
After four minutes have elapsed, slowly and carefully depress the plunger until it reaches the bottom of the French Press.
Do not press down too quickly as this may force coffee grounds to pass through the screen.
Step 7:
Wait for an additional minute to allow the coffee to further steep and the sediment to settle.
Step 8:
Your freshly brewed French Press coffee is now ready to drink. Slowly pour the coffee into your mug or cup. Enjoy!
What You’ll Like About the French Press Method:
- Full extraction of flavors
- Amazing depth and richness
- Less gear and materials required
- Highly portable and great for brewing coffee in remote places
What You May Not Like About the French Press Method:
- Because there is no paper filter, the brewed coffee has less clarity
- Fine sediment at the bottom of your mug or carafe
- Clean-up after brewing
Interested in trying another brewing method? Check out all of our guides here.