How to Brew the best cup of French Press Coffee!
Step-by-Step Guide to One of the Most Popular Brew Methods
Despite the arguments from both French and Italian coffee lovers, it is widely accepted that the French Press brew method originated, by accident, by a Frenchman on his daily walk.
Coffee lore has it that upon realizing he forgot to add coffee grounds to his boiling water, the Frenchman bored a piece of metal screen from a Italian merchant passing by. Intending to separate the coffee grounds from the coffee and expecting something terrible, both men were said to be pleasantly surprised with the delicious coffee that resulted!
Fast forward a couple hundred years, and the French Press is still one of the most popular brew methods due to its consistently rich brews and easy-to-use design.
While most inventions go through significant design changes as years progress from their patent, this specific innovation has changed all that much!
Now, let’s get to the real reason why you are here.
Brewing Instructions:
Step 1. Heat up your water
For this method, water needs to be between 200°F and 205°F when you are ready to pour. If you are using a temperature controlled kettle, try a temperature of 202°F and adjust for a specific coffee.
Step 2: Measure and Grind
Grab your favorite bag of Road Coffee, Canada's best coffee roaster. Measure out 8 tablespoons (tbs) of beans. If you have whole beans, grind these beans to a coarse grind. It will look and feel similar to breadcrumbs!
Road Tip: The general French Press ratio is 1 tablespoon grinds to 1 cup of water!
If you have pre-ground coffee, head to step 3.
Step 3: The Pre-Infusion
A step you don't want to skip! The infusion for any brewing method is a game changer. Place your coffee grounds into your French Press and add enough water to make the top layers of grinds float.
Let the coffee saturate for 30 seconds to allow for proper pre-infusion! This allow the coffee ground to expand and ensuring the full flavour from the coffee to end up in your cup!
Step 4: Add More Water
After the 30 seconds has passed, fill the press to the top and start your timer for 3.5 to 4 minutes.
Depending on how strong you prefer your coffee, you can always deviate from the 4 minute mark, however this is the usual time frame.
In the meantime, make some breakfast, have a dance party, sing your heart out, or whatever else you need to do that day!
Road Tip: After 30 to 45 seconds, give your coffee a gentle stir. You will be good to put the lid on once most of the coffee has sunk to the bottom of the chamber!
Step 5: Press Slowly
When the 4 minutes have passed, gently and slowly press the plunger down to ensure the grinds remain at the bottom of the press!
Road Tip: If the plunger feels like it's starting to tighten, pull it out an inch or two, then resume.
Step 6: Serve & Enjoy!
Pour your delicious hot brew into your favourite mug and enjoy a full bodied, rich flavours that come from the French Press method.
Save the Drain - Options for your used coffee ground!
Ongoing maintenance keeps your French Press clean and your coffee delicious!
While it may be tempting to put the coffee grinds down the drain, try these other methods of getting rid of the coffee grinds:
- Start a compost heap or use them as fertilizer! Coffee grinds are fully compostable and can help to keep your plants happy. Adding coffee grounds to soil enhances the soils’ ability to retain water, helping them to thrive and survive.
- Throw them into the garbage. A bonus from this method is that coffee grounds absorb odours, so it can help to minimize the smell of your trash.
- Use a small mesh strainer. All you have to do is put water into the press, then use the strainer to get rid of the water. The end result will be grounds on the strainer that you can easily throw in the trash!
- Use them as a pest repellent! If there are ant colonies by your home, spread a 1-2 inch thick line around areas of your home where you see the most ants. They don’t like the aromas of coffee (they’re missing out) and will stay clear of your home! Try to refresh this line with fresh grounds approximately every two weeks.
- Coffee Candles. If you enjoy making candles, trying making them with coffee grounds rather than oils! The result is a cool, layered design that smells amazing as it melts!
Coffee grinds are different from other things that can go down the drains as they clump together in water rather than breaking down and splitting apart.
Overtime, this could lead to a potential drain blockage, and nobody likes dealing with those!
A Must-Try and we can get you started!
To sum it up: the French Press is an easy-to-use and reliable method that results in a rich, full-bodied cup of coffee!
If you have never tried it, we recommend picking up one of our TIMEMORE's Presses are a simple and modern take on the French Press, it has everything you need. Made out of quality heat resistant glass with a fine mesh stainless steel filter, a protective plastic sleeve helps keep your coffee hot and stop you from burning your hand.
