Brewing a perfect cup with the French Press
The French Press is about the most cost- and time-effective way to a great cup of coffee out there. There are – however – a few pointers to take into account if you want to unlock all the goodness of your precious beans. Just follow the guidelines below, and guarantee yourself a morning/afternoon filled with bliss!
You’ll need
- a French press
- a kettle
- a (digital) scale
- a coffee grinder (you can also buy your coffee pre-ground – in that case, make sure it is the right grind size – and fresh)
- a (wooden) stirrer – or a spoon
- a porcelain cup
- great freshly roasted specialty coffee!
Step 1
Bring your water to a boil. If you have a boiler with temperature settings, bring it to to 90°-95°C (92°C to be exact).
Step 2
While the water is heating, grind your coffee. French press coffee calls for a coarse and even grind. The general rule is a 1:10 coffee to water ratio, e.g. if you’re using 400 grams (40cl) of water, you’ll want 40 grams of coffee.
Step 3
Should you have brought the water to a boil (110°C), let it sit for about 30 seconds. To start brewing, gently pour twice the amount of the coffee onto your grounds. For example, if you have 40 grams of coffee, you’ll start with 80 (8cl) grams of water.
Give the grounds a gentle stir with – preferably – a bamboo paddle or chopstick. A spoon is fine too. If it helps, visualise gentle paddling. Let the coffee bloom for 30 seconds.
Step 4
Add the rest of your water and place the pot’s lid on top of the grounds. Do not plunge yet, let the coffee steep for 4 minutes. After 4 minutes, press the filter down.
Step 5
When you’ve finished pressing, serve the coffee immediately, preferably in a clean, heated cup or carafe. Do not let it sit, as this will cause it to continue brewing, and result in overextraction.
Your cup is ready, have a great coffee! #liftyourspirit
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