How to brew coffee in a French press?

French press is a more sophisticated name for a piston coffee maker. Also known as French Prague or Press Pot. It is a simple device that allows you to brew loose coffee without worrying about any grounds floating in it, and without using electricity or a gas stove. Despite the French name, this device comes partly from France and partly from Italy. However, it is extremely popular in Denmark and Great Britain, and its most popular model was designed by a Swiss. Its history dates back to the 19th century and, interestingly, its direct predecessor and inspiration was a very similar tool used for squeezing juice from tomatoes. The French press is a versatile device that can also be used to brew tea or herbal infusions, as well as to... froth milk!

French press – what is it?

The construction of a French press is extremely simple. Basically, it consists only of a metal or glass cylinder and a piston with a strainer and a lid. The strainer must be perfectly matched to the diameter of the vessel and tightly adhere to its walls. Otherwise, coffee particles will get into the finished drink. The device itself should be made of high-quality materials, because cheap materials may have a negative and definitely undesirable effect on the taste of the prepared infusion. The most recommended are French presses with a glass jug, which guarantee constant taste.

The principle of operation of the French press is also very easy. First, we brew the coffee and then use a plunger with a strainer to separate it from the grounds. All this in just ten minutes! The French press is therefore an ideal solution for people who often enjoy coffee in a hurry.

How do we brew coffee in a French press?

To make coffee in a French press, we only need two things - filtered, hot water and ground coffee beans.. Additionally, you can use a stopwatch, a thermometer and a scale. In the case of this brewing method, we do not have any guide line that shows us the appropriate amount of coffee and water. However, it is common the adopted proportion is 6 grams of coffee per 100 milliliters of water. However, it is important to be careful because too much water may spill out when pressing the plunger. Therefore, when purchasing a French press, you should carefully consider what cylinder capacity will be ideal for us and our needs.

Pour the ground coffee into the cylinder and pour enough water to cover the powder. The water temperature should be around 90-95°C. Then mix, and after standing for half a minute, add the rest of the water. Stir again, put the lid on, wait about three minutes, remove any coffee sediment from the surface of the water and only then press the plunger with a calm, uniform movement. However, pressing the piston is not really necessary, and sometimes it is even worth skipping it. All you need to do is pour the infusion through a plunger with a strainer. This is enough to keep the grounds inside. Then the infusion is clearer than if we had pressed it through the piston earlier. Pour the finished drink into your favorite dishes. If there is more brewed coffee than we need at a given moment, we do not keep it in the jug, but pour it into another vessel. Coffee left in the brewer would become overcooked and become bitter and astringent in taste.

It is worth ensuring proper hygiene of the device, especially if we use it not only to brew coffee, but also tea or herbs. Coffee grounds or its aftertaste and smell are not welcome in tea, and our taste buds definitely wouldn't want it?

What coffee for a French press?

The French press is an ideal device for coffee connoisseurs of all roasting levels. It is perfect for brewing coffee from light, medium and dark roasted beans. When choosing this brewing method, you can choose your favorite type of coffee! However, it is always worth choosing freshly roasted one coffee of the highest quality e.g. 100% Arabica. Coffee from a French press is quite intense, so you should be prepared for an aromatic and expressive drink in which the flavor notes of the beans used are felt. We recommend using coffees from Ethiopia, Brazil and Colombia, as well as other countries in Central America and Africa, for French press. 

How fine should you grind coffee for a French press?

When brewing coffee in a French press, the degree of grinding of the beans is very important. They should be coarsely ground. The strainer in these devices has very small holes, but there is no point in risking that finely ground coffee grounds will squeeze through the gaps and contaminate our drink. They could also clog the strainer, causing the coffee to become bitter or sour. The correct grinding of the grains can be assessed by the operation of the piston. If you have difficulty pressing it down, it means the grind is too fine, while if it is too loose, it means the beans are too coarse. If we do not have the opportunity to grind coffee just before brewing, we can use the service of grinding the beans in a roastery. By choosing this option, we can be sure that they will be prepared specifically for the selected brewing method.