Brewing Methods: French Press? Oui Oui, Mon Ami.
THE INSPIRATION
Several years ago, my wife and I visited the Worthington Arts Festival. It’s always a great show. This time was different in that we went into The Whitney House Restaurant for breakfast. It was a great meal, but above all, it was our introduction to French press coffee done right.
I couldn’t tell you much about the meal beyond “it was a great experience.” But, the coffee? I can still remember the taste after all this time. Amazing!
It was a giant step on my coffee journey, inspiring me to learn how to make my own equally delicious version, and I do.
Today, I will share the recipe I often use in the comfort of my own home. Remember, it’s my recipe, not THE recipe. Allow this to be your inspiration, but by all means, tweak it until you find your own personal cup of perfection.
THE BASICS OF THE FRENCH PRESS
So, what is French press coffee? It’s a manual brewing process, also known as press pot or plunger pot coffee. It’s a simple and effective way to brew a delicious cup of joe.
It involves steeping coarsely ground coffee beans in hot water and pressing down a metal or mesh plunger to separate the grounds from the liquid.
THE MAGIC BEHIND THE MAKING
What sets it apart from other brewing methods is the full immersion of the coffee grounds in water, allowing for a more robust and flavorful extraction.
This process gives you a rich and velvety cup of coffee with a full-bodied taste that will create an experience you’ll remember for years to come, as evidence by my fondly recounted Whitney House experience.
By the way, I’ve got a few coffee-making classes scheduled for this month. On the agenda (among a few other things) is a hands-on demonstration of making (AND TASTING) this recipe. Feel free to click this link for details or to register.
Below is the recipe and step-by-step instructions we’ll be using. Try it yourself and let me know what you think.
OLE DOG’S FRENCH PRESS RECIPE:
GRIND - Coarse (for more on grinders and coffee grinding, check out this post)
RATIO - 1:18 (check out Coffee Mathing Made Easy for more on ratios)
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
French Press Maker
Burr Grinder
A Gooseneck Kettle
Kitchen Scale
Thermal Carafe
To keep your freshly made coffee hot, longer. We offer this Lafeeca .8L
PREMIUM GRADE WHOLE BEAN COFFEE (For this recipe, I prefer our Howling Good beans. It’s a medium roast from Brazil and has tasting notes of cocoa and caramel which really shine through in this recipe.)
Distilled drinking water (see more about this here)
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Weigh out your water
Divide that number by 18 to determine how much coffee to use
Weigh out your coffee (don’t use scoops and guesses or you’ll never be able to duplicate the perfect recipe once you find it.)
Grind your coffee on the coarsest setting and place it at the bottom of your French press.
Heat your water to 205 degrees.
Pour the water, slowly wetting (not submerging) the entire surface area of the ground coffee.
Pause for about 30 seconds to allow for the bloom (for more on the bloom, click here). (Some say this is unnecessary, but I prefer to incorporate it.)
Slowly pour the rest of the water into the press.
Put on the lid with the plunger fully extended and allow to set @ 3-4 minutes. (The longer it sets, the stronger it gets.)
You’ll notice the surface of the water contains coffee grounds and foam; this is called “the crust.” With a wooden spoon, gently break and stir the crust.
Slowly press the plunger all the way down, just once, and then pour into your pre-heated mug.
Pour the remaining coffee into a thermal carafe or replace the lid on the insulated French press to retain the heat.
Enjoy.
TIPS & TRICKS
French presses are predominately made of glass. I prefer (and sell) the Lafeeca steel, double-wall insulated French press coffee maker.
While waiting for the brewing process to complete, heat your mug with hot water.
The ideal water temperature for coffee brewing is 195-205 degrees. I prefer to start with 205 to allow for the cooling off that takes place while preparing the coffee. I use (and sell) the RJ3 Kettle for its precision heating and smooth pour.
Take a small sip once it’s brewed, and then pay attention as the coffee cools down. You’ll likely note that the flavors really come alive as time passes. For more on this tasting aspect, click to see this post.
That’s all I’ve got for you today. If you have any questions, feel free to email me (oledogs@yahoo.com) or, better yet, stop by for a visit and check out the tools & equipment we have to help you on your coffee journey.
In the meantime, be well, do good, and brew on.
