How to Make French Press Coffee
Here at Koffee Kompanions, we know you’re determined to have the perfect cup of coffee, and so are we. Your first sip every morning should be nothing short of delicious. Using a French press is one of the least expensive and easiest ways to make a perfect cup, as you’ll see below.
Why coffee connoisseurs prefer the French Press
Your French press brews coffee by steeping fresh coffee grounds in swirling hot water that contacts all sides of the grind and perfectly extracts oils and flavors. After the grounds steep, you use the plunger with its strainer screen to press down the grounds, leaving you with a perfectly drinkable cup of joe. The drip coffee maker tends to be popular because it requires little effort, but many coffee connoisseurs still prefer the French press’s elegance, portability, and robust brew.
Getting started with French press coffee
Before getting into the brewing process, it’s important to consider the two things that can make or break your French press experience: incorrect water temperature at the start and during brewing and poorly ground coffee.
Correct water temperature kept constant during brewing: No one likes burnt popcorn, and the same goes for scorched coffee. Boiling water too hot for your grounds can lead to a bitter tasting cup, unsuitable for your morning caffeine fix. If the water isn’t hot enough, it won’t bring out the rich flavors of your grounds and will leave you with a shallow cup of “meh”. Not burning your coffee grounds is easy! Take your boiling water off the stove and let it sit just long enough for the water to reach 195 degrees—about one minute.
Poorly ground coffee: Make sure you’re not grinding your beans too fine, so you don’t end up with a cup that’s muddy and bitter. Use the French press or coarse setting on your grinder
Why you need a burr grinder Few processes in the kitchen rely on a single gadget or utensil, but brewing a perfect cup of French press coffee is one of them. Although a regular grinder will work for the coffee in your drip machine, your French press requires evenly sized large grains of coffee. Grains that are too small will slip through the French press filter and leave you with sediment in your cup.
If you get done brewing what you think will be the perfect cup of joe and it’s a little bitter for your taste, or sediment is at the bottom of your cup, you should consider swapping out your grinder with a burr grinder. Don’t want to spend the money? Have your local coffee shop grind your beans for you!
How to make French press coffee: Step-by-step
Ingredients
½ cup fresh coffee beans
4 cups cold water
Equipment:
32oz French press
Electric OR stovetop kettle
Long spoon (plastic is best to avoid scratching your press)
Burr grinder
Instructions:
1. Measure
For 32oz – Use ½ cup of coffee beans
For 16oz – Use ¼ cup of coffee beans
For 8oz – Use 2 Tbsp of coffee beans
2. Grind
Using the coarsest setting on the burr grinder, grind your favorite beans into a mixture that is rough and coarse, without much if any fine grit.
If you’re not using a burr grinder, stop grinding every few seconds to shake and shift your grounds. Pour your grounds into the French press.
3. Boil water
Bring water to a boil on the stove or in your electric kettle and let sit for 1 minute to cool down to the perfect temperature. As noted, the best temperature for French press brewing is 195°F.
4. Add water to the French press
For 32oz – Use 4 cups of water
For 16oz – Use 2 cups of water
For 8oz – Use 1 cup of water
5. Stir — With all your ingredients added, stir vigorously with a long spoon.
6. Steep
For best results, cover your French press during brewing with our insulated French press cover to keep your water temperature as close to the initial 195 degrees as possible.
Let your coffee grounds and water mixture steep for 4 minutes. This brew time will produce a robust brew. If you prefer your coffee weaker or stronger, adjust the steeping time.
7. Plunge
Once you’ve steeped for 4 minutes, press the plunger all the way to the bottom of your press and enjoy immediately!
If you’re using our insulated French press cover, you can just open the Velcro at top, push down the plunger, and reseal the Velcro closure to keep the entire press covered. Again, this keeps your coffee hotter longer.
Not drinking your coffee right away? Don’t worry, we have the solution for you. To keep your French press hot during the entire brewing and drinking process, our Koffee Kozee™ French press cozy will do the trick.
Start enjoying the pleasure of drinking French press coffee today!
