My French Press Procedure

For Christmas, I got Tackle a 17 oz Bodum Brazil French Press - the same pot I use on a daily basis in my office. I also gifted him some Biggby coffee, arguably my favorite coffee.

However, I suppose I left out a few essential items, as well as instructions. Granted, the instructions would produce coffee the way I like it, but having consumed much joe with Tackle, I think I have a good idea of his tastes.

I think the most important aspect of a great cup of coffee is the coffee itself. That means good, fresh beans. In a perfect world, I'd use whole beans, grind them immediately before combining with water, and that would be that. However, since I do most of my brewing at work, grinding daily is out of the question. Also, I don't have a burr grinder, nor the purse to get one, and I really think that's the only way to grind beans for French Press coffee. Therefore, I leave it to the experts and buy coarse-ground coffee from quality suppliers -- Fairway or Biggby. Both roast their own beans and the brews made from them taste great. I make sure to store ground coffee in airtight containers. Opaque is ideal, but I just keep the coffee in the dark under my desk where it's relatively cool. I also buy less more often, rather than more less often. Coffee is one thing that should not be bought in bulk.

When it comes to daily brewing, I have a bit of a ritual. I begin by filling my Brita Pitcher with cool tap water. Good water is key, especially when your only ingredients are coffee and water. I fill my electric kettle with 0.5 liters of filtered water and flip the switch. If I was less lazy and didn't mind making an even bigger production in the office, I'd fill my mug up with hot tap water. However, since I have the somewhat disgusting habit of washing my mug the morning after drinking the coffee, it's already warm from washing.

Anyhow, I wait for my kettle to reach a boil, then click off. I've read many times that the water should be 190-200F, not 212F, so I wait until the kettle clicks off, then add my coffee to the pot. For one mug, I use 2.5 scoops of coarse ground coffee. How big is a scoop? I think about 1 tablespoon. The scoop came with my press. By this time, I think the water should be around 200F. I add all of the water and stir with a chopstick. Then, I let the coffee steep for 2-3 minutes. I press the filter down slowly and decant into my mug immediately. When I use my larger press at home, I make sure not to leave any "extra" coffee in the pot. It will continue to brew and will taste bitter and disgusting. It should be put in a thermos, or never made in the first place.

I always drink my French Press coffee black because I think it has excellent flavor and body without dairy or sugar. However, even if you *need* milk and/or sugar, I strongly urge you to try a French Press. It's not that much more work, effort, or time than any other method and has great results.

One final note: I just want to emphasize the importance of an even, coarse grind on the beans. They must be even in size so extraction is done evenly. It must be coarse so the grinds don't clog or go through the filter.

Photo credits: maggiejumps

French Press: Attempt #2

Tonight, I decided to attempt another french pressed cup o' joe. I took Pepper's suggestions and put them in action. The final product was much stronger, but I put a little too much milk and sugar in (surprise surprise) so I didn't get the full flavor. I also forgot to stir when I added the water, so I'm sure it might have been even better had I remembered to stir.

Next time I will hopefully remember to stir and put a little less milk and sugar. I'll get it perfect one of these days!

First Solo French Press Escapade

So I decided to finally use the present my best good friend/cousin Pepper got me for Christmas. Thats right, I finally broke out the french press and coffee. This is my favorite way to make and drink coffee, so needless to say I was excited to use it.

To make my delicious evening beverage, I followed the instructions given to me by Pepper, as well as those contained in the box. First, I added about a tablespoon and a half of coarse ground coffee to the press. I then poured in about a cup of hot, but not boiling, water. I put the lid on and let it brew for about three and a half minutes, as instructed. When the time was up, I slowly pressed the coffee and poured it. I put a little milk and sugar in and I was ready to enjoy.

The coffee was great, as always, but it could have been a little stronger. Even my dad said it was a little weak, and he doesn't really like strong coffee. Next time I will be sure to add some more coffee, perhaps even two tablespoons, but most likely just short of that. I look forward to experimenting with my french press and figuring out the best blend. There's nothing better than a nice, hot, french pressed cup o' joe!

P.S. It went great with a cannoli from Iavarone!