Take Control of How Your Morning Cup o' Joe Tastes

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This article's intent is to assist you in brewing that delicious morning cup in something a little more exciting than that bland coffee machine. It may be a little more work but if you really want to know what kinds of wonderous flavors those gourmet coffee beans really hide...then this is for you.
Step 1:

Water to coffee ground ratio: You will need 7 grams of grounds per 5 ounces of water. This is typical for the average drinker, so having that water set aside pre measured will come in handy. You will pour this into the glass beaker which is where a press that is bigger really comes into play.

Step 2:

Pouring the water: Measure carefully to not overfill the press. The water from earlier will be poured into the press when it is heated to the temperature of about 200 degrees. This is the proper temperature that coffee tastes its best. Drip machines try to accomplish this but often prematurely let the water enter the grounds. That is the benefit of the french press since you have more control over the entire process and the final product.

Step 3:

Air tight seal: Now is when you close the lid on top of the screen. This should be done lightly so as not to damage the screen or force the coffee through the press too early.

Step 4:

Let sit for 1 minute: After sitting stir up the water by stirring or swishing. You will wait for about 30 seconds to allow the free floating grounds to sink to the bottom of the beaker. Replace the lid back on the top of the beaker and allow it to sit or brew for about 5 to 7 minutes.

Step 5:

Begin plunging: The time that you allow the coffee to brew before plunging will depend on how fine or coarse it is. Finer grounds should be plunged earlier where thicker should wait the full 7 minutes. You will want to secure the lid to make sure it does come off. The plunger should reach the bottom in less than a minute and resistance is ok.

Step 6:

Straight shot: When first starting this seemingly complex process, you will want to make sure that you have the filter as straight as possible, because if it is tilted then the remaining grounds will escape. The fewer free floating grounds the better.

Step 7:

Straight sip: This is where you get to reap your rewards. Pour the coffee as soon as it is finished brewing or your goal is to start enjoying within the first 15 or minutes. Any longer and it will get cold and lose all of those great flavors.

Step 8:

Never take the last sip: With a french press you never want to take the last sip because it is normally loaded with excess grounds that don't taste all that good. French presses do not use filters or paper which is a plus. Unfortunately your grind must be a little more exact.

  • Coffee that is too fine will pass through the filter and saturate your cup
  • Coffee grounds that are not ground enough will not pass the flavors or enough water through the press

With a french press you will want to use a Burr Grinder to get an even grind of the beans that will pass through the press perfectly.

When looking for a French Press don't settle for a small press. People go for smaller presses for a variety of reasons, but typically it is because consumers don't feel that they will need to make that much coffee. The standard drip machines that are fairly simple operate at the push of a button. However, with the press you will want to make sure that you can make the choice about how little you want to make versus owning a press that will only make enough for a few sips. Repeating the process can ruin the experience and it's quite as much fun the second go around. Enjoy!
About this Author:
This article was provided by the authors at LiveLoveCoffee.com an online coffee shop with articles discussing interesting morning chats and reviews on french press coffee makers, coffee grinders and espresso coffee machines.
View more information and all guides by David S.

Comments

Great tip. I had been using french press but this article will make my coffee better as now I understand the process. To a good cup of coffee.

Mary Norton's picture
By Mary Norton 8 weeks 3 days