Brewing the Perfect Cup of Coffee With a French Press

Keys to a Perfect Cup

Generally speaking, the grind size for brewing in a French Press is coarser than other

brew methods. We prefer particles roughly the size of kosher salt flakes.

Extraction and dwell times are important for achieving a quality brew using a French Press. A digital timer is a must.

A good practice is to preheat your French Press with a little bit of brewing

water to warm the vessel and preserve delicate characteristics.

Discard the rinse water right before you start brewing.

What You’ll Need

Having everything ready to go before you start brewing will ensure that your brew goes smoothly. Here’s what you’ll need:

Ingredients and materials:	Equipment and gear:
Freshly ground Trinidad coffee Filtered water	French Press Water kettle Digital scale Digital time Spoon or scoop Your favorite coffee mug

Step 1:

Heat the water so that its short of boiling, around 205°F. Some kettles will hold heated water at a set temperature. If yours doesn't, run the kettle so that the water is done heating right before you brew to ensure you re pouring water thats at the ideal temperature.

Pour a bit of hot water into the French Press to pre warm the vessel.

Step 2:

For a six-cup French Press, weigh out 40 grams of freshly ground coffee and place at the bottom of the French Press. If you're using an eight-cup French Press, use 55 grams of coffee grounds.

Step 3:

Slowly pour the water into the French Press, using a slight circular motion to saturate all the coffee grounds. Continue pouring until the coffee mixture rises to roughly 1⁄2” below the pour spout of the Press.

Step 4:

Gently stir the coffee/water mixture to thoroughly wet all the particles and evenly distribute the liquid.

TIP: Do not over stir the slurry as this may result in over-extraction.

Step 5:

Place the lid and plunger assembly on top of the French Press.

DO NOT PRESS THE PLUNGER DOWN YET. This is the stage where t he wonderful characteristics are steeped out of the coffee grounds and into the liquid.

Step 6:

After four minutes have elapsed, slowly and carefully depress the plunger until it reaches the bottom of the French Press.

Do not press down too quickly as this may force coffee grounds to pass through the screen.

Step 7:

Wait for an additional minute to allow the coffee to further steep and the sediment to settle.

Step 8:

Your freshly brewed French Press coffee is now ready to drink. Slowly pour the coffee into your mug or cup. Enjoy!

What You’ll Like About the French Press Method:	What You May Not Like About the French Press Method:
Full extraction of flavors Amazing depth and richness Less gear and materials required Highly portable and great for brewing coffee in remote places	Because there is no paper filter, the brewed coffee has less clarity Fine sediment at the bottom of your mug or carafe Clean-up after brewing

Interested in trying another brewing method?