How To Make French Press Coffee

 Many people prefer French press coffee for its full-bodied flavor and rich aroma of natural oils

Different types of coffee are available and what you choose depends on various factors such as taste and aroma, ease of preparation, price, etc. While instant coffee is among the most widely preferred, there are various other options you can consider. A relevant example is French press coffee, which is a must try for coffee lovers. Let's take a look at the preparation method.

How to make French press coffee

Ingredients and equipment needed to make French press coffee

To make a good French press, you will need a French press. It can be glass, stainless steel, or plastic. Common sizes are 350 ml for 3 cups, 500-600 ml for 4 cups, and 1 liter for 8 cups. You will also need fresh whole-bean coffee that's preferably been roasted within the last 2 to 4 weeks.

For grinding, a burr grinder is preferred to get a consistent coarse grind. Blade grinders are less ideal since they produce very fine powder. You will also need a kettle, ideally temperature-controlled. A digital scale for accuracy helps, and a timer. Use a wooden, plastic, or silicone spoon or stirrer to avoid cracking a glass press. Filtered water can be added for achieving a specific flavor.

Initial preparation instructions for French press coffee

For the best results, you will need the right ratio of coffee to water. This can vary from 1:15 to 1:17. For example, you can take 30 grams of coffee and around 450 - 500 ml of water. With 60 grams of coffee, you will need around 900 - 1000 ml of water. The ground coffee size must be coarse, something like coarse sea salt, kosher salt, or large breadcrumbs.

Don't grind into a fine powder, as it can make the coffee bitter. Also avoid too coarse a grind, as it can make the flavor weak. Water temperature for the preparation should be around 90–96°C. Just boil the water and wait for 30-60 seconds for the water to reach the correct temperature. Brew time should be around 4 minutes, although you can adjust if you have any specific preferences.

Step-by-step classic method of making French press coffee

Warm the French press using hot water to ensure the temperature remains stable. Once you have the coffee ground, put them inside the press. Add water equal to the weight of the ground coffee. Let the coffee soak for around 30-45 seconds. After this, you can add the remaining water. You need to wait for around four minutes now before the first pour.

Now, press the plunger down slowly and steadily for around 15-30 seconds. Stop when the mesh touches the top coffee layer. Don't try to push too hard. After this, you need to serve the coffee immediately. Remove the entire preparation into a different container. You should not leave the preparation inside the press, as it will make the coffee bitter and over extracted.