- Coffee prep
Aromatic, strong, and quite simple: French press coffee.
Barbara Beiertz
Let’s dive right in: Coffee from the French press is a full immersion coffee. That means, in contrast to the pour over method – e.g. drip coffee – the coffee is in full contact with the water during the brewing process (full immersion). What that means? Quite simple:
More caffein.
And: Let‘s say more “cheeky” aromas. Such direct brewing methods accentuate strong aromas like chocolate and nuts. To make sure that they can develop nicely, there are basically three things that you need to consider:
1. You need a coarser grinding degree. If ground too finely, the coffee from the French press DOES NOT taste good at all. A basic rule is: The longer the contact of coffee and water (extraction time) the coarser the coffee should be ground.
2. Half a pot, smaller portions do not taste good either. Always fill up the whole pot.
3. The water must not be boiling anymore. 205°F is the maximum temperature. So never use water that is still boiling. Wait a moment until you use it.
And then?
We prefer one of our organic coffees with a dark roast for the French press, like the Arabica Crema, the Barista Crema, or even the Espresso or the Barista Espresso.
We use a ratio of 2,1 oz ground coffee grounds (ground like fine semolina) to 33.8 fl oz water. Pour half of the water onto the ground coffee, stir with a spoon (or pan the pot), then, add the remaining water – let it brew for 4 minutes. Then, stir again, wait until the ground coffee has sunk to the ground and press down the plunger. Please press it with care, slowly, relaxed, to avoid explosions.
The result: A strong cup of coffee with a full-bodies taste, and concise aromas. You definitely do not need a barista workshop for that.
Why don’t you try to taste the difference of your favorite coffee being prepared as a pour over and in a French press in comparison. How to train your tongue and – attention! – your nose, you can learn in our articles about cupping in the chapter Aromas&Co.
