Would you like to master your coffee brewing? You’ll need a french press for it. What is it? How to use a french press? Let’s find out.
What is french press?
French press is also called coffee press. The name is rightly associated with France, where this device comes from, but it was patented by the Italian Attilio Calimani. It is constructed in a very simple way. It is a glass brewer usually with metal elements, and its secret is a piston finished with a strainer. It is responsible for separating the grounds from the brew.
French Press gives a lot of freedom when preparing coffee: you can prepare one or 4-6 portions for several coffee lovers. In addition, it is extremely easy to use – it does not require the use of any filters or other additions.
How to use a french press?
When we approach the whole coffee brewing process more professionally, we will obtain a much tastier brew. Of course, the most important is coffee – it should be of good quality, fresh and ground. It is important that the grains are properly ground.
The most commonly used is 60 g of coffee per liter of water, at the beginning of our adventure with the French press it is worth sticking to this rule. Before brewing, it is also worth warming up the french press dish by pouring hot water into it and pouring it out after a while.
At the bottom of the dish we pour the right amount of coffee – we can pour it only as much as you need for one cup. In this case, however, add one teaspoon of coffee and use a little more water. We pour coffee with hot water – even at 95 degrees Celsius, but we do not pour all the water, just enough to barely cover the ground grain. Let’s mix it up – at this moment, carbon dioxide is released from coffee particles, which was found as a result of the roasting process. After 30 seconds, we pour the rest of the water, which will already have the right temperature – i.e. just over 90 degrees Celsius. We wait three or four minutes and press the plunger to push the grounds to the bottom. Pour the brew into cups.
You do not need a special paper filter to use the French press, unlike other brewing methods. In this case, all you need is a device, good quality specialty coffee beans and a grinder.
Heat insulating brewers are certainly an interesting solution. They have double glass walls, thanks to which the French press is cooler on the outside, and the brew prepared inside stays hot longer.
What coffee should you choose?
The quality of the brew brewed in the French press is mainly influenced by the type of coffee used. If you ask what coffee is best to brew in the French press, the answer is simple – the one you like. There are no special recommendations whether it should be robusta or Arabica. Bet on proven flavors. You can use your favorite ground coffee or freshly ground coffee. When using grains, ground them higher than medium (as we mentioned for sand fineness). However, if you make coffee for yourself, it is most important that it tastes just to you.
