What is French press?
The French press, also known as cafetière or plunger pot, is a classic coffee brewing method that is beloved for its simplicity and rich taste. This method, which finds its origin in France, uses a cylindrical glass or metal pot with a metal or plastic lid and a plunger with a fine-mesh filter. By mixing coarsely ground coffee with hot water and then letting the mixture steep, you can enjoy a full and aromatic cup of coffee.
Now that you know what the French press is, let us continue with the step-by-step plan to brew delicious coffee with this simple but effective device.
Step-by-step plan for making coffee with a French press:
- Grind the coffee: Use high-quality coffee beans and grind them to a coarse consistency. The coarse grind ensures that the coffee is not pressed through the filter and prevents a bitter taste.
- Preheat: Preheat the French press and your coffee cups by rinsing them with hot water. This helps to keep the coffee at the right temperature during the brewing process.
- Add coffee: Put the ground coffee in the French press. A general guideline is to use 1 gram coffee per 15 grams water. For a standard 1-liter French press you use approximately 65 grams coffee.
- Add water: Pour hot water (approximately 93-96°C) over the ground coffee. Pour first a small amount of water to let the coffee bloom and stir briefly. Then add the rest of the water and stir again to ensure that all coffee comes into contact with the water evenly.
- Wait: Place the lid on the French press with the plunger up and let the coffee steep for 4 minutes. This time is essential for good extraction and ensures a full flavor.
- Press and serve: Push the plunger slowly and evenly downward to press the ground coffee to the bottom. Pour the coffee directly into your cups to prevent the coffee from staying in contact with the ground coffee too long, which can lead to over-extraction and a bitter taste.
- Enjoy it: Enjoy your freshly brewed coffee from the French press. You can drink the coffee pure or adjust to your taste with milk, sugar or other additions.
With these simple steps you can time and again enjoy a delicious cup of coffee with the French press. Experiment with different coffee varieties and steeping times to find your perfect cup!