Home Brewing - The French Press

The French Press has to be my favorite home brewing method. It's relatively easy to get a really good cup of coffee when brewing at home. Some people don't like the coffee particles whirling around in the cup but I love it. If you want a really clean cup of coffee, the French Press is not for you, I would suggest trying a Melitta or Chemex instead.

In my post, How To Brew Good Coffee At Home, I talked about the basics of water temperature and water to coffee ratios. Keep those consistent and you shouldn't have a problem. With all home brewing methods, it all comes down to the way your coffee is ground and how long your brew time is. If you want a really consistent grind that doesn't have a wide spread of small to large particles, you need a burr grinder instead of a blade grinder. Those tiny dusty particles will pass through the metal filter of a French Press and you will get a whole lot of coffee sludge in the bottom of your cup. For me, some coffee particles are okay, but there is a point where there is too much. Not to mention, you will get a pretty uneven extraction.

The French Press requires a slightly coarser grind than you would expect from an electric auto-drip brewer or a pour-over like the Chemex. If you want to get an idea of what the coffee grind should look like, you can bring some of your coffee to the cafe and they will grind it on our preferred French Press setting, then you can try and replicate that at home using your own grinder. Boil your water first and let it cool back down to the 195-202 temperature range. While your water is cooling, grind your coffee and put the measured coffee grounds into the bottom of the French Press. By the time you are ready to pour the water in, it should be at about the right temperature.

French Press by Bodum

Now comes the important part, don't forget to use a timer!

• Pour in about half the water and start the timer as soon as it hits the coffee grounds.
• Make sure to saturate all the grounds and let the coffee bloom for 2 minutes.
• At the two minute mark, use a chopstick or something to stir the coffee very briefly, maybe about 3-6 stirs.  
• Quickly pour the rest of the water in the French Press and wait until the 3 and a half minute mark.
• At 3 and a half minutes, take about 30 seconds to push the plunger down and you have your coffee!

It's a pretty simple process, it's all about timing and adjusting your grind for the strength that you want. Remember, if the coffee tastes to weak make the grind a little finer and if it tastes too bitter make it a little coarser. I would suggest pouring the coffee right away because there is still contact between the water and coffee grounds, so they will continue to extract. The French Press is awesome, easy to use and nearly indestructible. If you love coffee, give it a try and tell us what you think.

- By Benjamin Zeman