How to Make French Press Coffee?

Everybody likes to customise their drink, be it a cocktail, tea, or even if it is Coffee. While some people like their coffee with a creamy, mild and soothing touch, on the other hand, some people may prefer a coarser, strong and peppy kind of coffee. 

Therefore, to meet these continuously changing coffee requirements, throughout history, Baristas and coffee professionals have come up with new techniques and brewing methods to introduce better versions of the beverage.  

You may be surprised to know that, out of a large variety of brewing methods, a French Press is considered the best and easiest method, according to Trees. It extracts a superior flavour than any other method. So, let’s delve into the details of French Press coffee and how to make it. 

Table of Contents

1) What is a French Press Coffee? 

2) Pros and Cons of a French Press Coffee 

3) How to Make French Press Coffee? 

   a) Things You Need 

   b) Step-by-step Preparation Guide 

   c) Extra Tips for Making a Better Coffee 

4) Conclusion

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What is a Frech Press Coffee? 

While ordering a coffee at a café or making it at home, we are least bothered to know what kind of brewing method is involved in the process. Unknowingly, we tend to forget that the brewing method makes an Espresso, Doppio, Cold Brew, or an Americano, our dearest.   

Thus, to understand your drink, you will need to understand its brewing technique. So, let's look at what a French Press is.  

Most of us have heard about French Press as a type of coffee, but it is more than just another flavour. A French Press is a manual brewing method with an exciting origin in the coffee history of the 1850s.   

The story dates back to when a Frenchman was boiling water when he realised that he had eventually forgotten to pour coffee into it. He decided to add the coffee grounds to the boiling water. When the coffee grounds reached the top, he used a metal screen and a stick to force the screen and grounds down together. The resulting product was the finest coffee of all time.  

French Press is not just a brewing method but also a type of coffee maker. In the present world, this equipment is used to brew coffee by putting coffee in hot water and then separating the grounds from the coffee by pressing down the filter.
 

Pros and Cons of a French Press Coffee 

While it might be one of the finest and simplest brewing methods globally, French Press coffee equipment could also be a bane and a boon at the same time. So, let's see some pros and cons of a French Press. 

Pros 

Following is the list of some advantages of French Press coffee:  

1) It is one of the simplest and least time-consuming methods to brew a great cup of coffee.  

2) Unlike the pour-over method, it is an easy-to-brew coffee for a group of individuals in one go.  

3) A French Press will be the best method if you love robust coffee, as it does not include any electrical brewing.  

4) You can prepare other beverages also using it. For example, tea or cold brew coffee. 

Cons 

Following is the list of some disadvantages of French Press coffee:  

1) The process of French Press coffee-maker could be challenging to understand.  

2) The resulting product will be good ground coffee if you get the water temperature right.  

3) Since it is a manual coffee-making technique, you will need to watch it continuously.  

4) In this method, the coffee sits directly on the ground for a prolonged period; as a result, it is vulnerable to bitterness and oiliness. 
 

How to make French Press coffee? 

Let's now take a journey towards making French Press Coffee. Although more than 100 variations exist to use this method, we will look at the most fundamental technique here. 

Things you need 

First, look at the ingredients you need to prepare an aromatic coffee. You will be needing:  

1) Half a cup of freshly roasted coffee beans  

2) Four cups of cold water  

3) Coffee grinder or Burr grinder  

4) French Press (32 ounces)  

5) Long spoon  

6) Electric kettle  

7) thermometer  

8) Timer 

Step-by-step preparation guide 

Follow these steps to get a perfectly brewed, aromatic and fantastic coffee:  

1) Preheat the French Press with some water for 30 seconds.  

2) Meanwhile, grind the coffee beans with the help of a grinder until they turn coarse. The coffee beans should be rough, perfectly coarse and even in size. If you do not have a burr grinder, you will have to pause between the process to invert the grinder and shake it with a closed lid.  

3) Remember to get rid of the water from the coffee flask before putting it on the ground.  

4) Now, Pour the ground coffee into the French Press and give it a gentle shake so that the grounds are evenly spread.  

5) Then, take 4 cups of cold water and boil it in an electric kettle.  

6) Heat off the water for about 1 minute before starting to make coffee. Be mindful of the water temperature. It should be between 195o F – 200o F. You can use a thermometer.  

7) Add this water to the French Press while continuously stirring the brew in an ‘up and down’ motion.  

8) Now, let this steep for 4 minutes to produce a strong brew.  

9) Press the plunger immediately towards the bottom when the timer goes off. 

Hurray! You are ready with a hot, steaming and flavourful mug of coffee. 

Extra Tips for Making a Better Coffee 

If you want to add extra spice to your coffee, you can follow the tips and tricks below to brew a better coffee.  

1) Although it depends upon which roast you take, for a better taste, try dark roasts. French Press goes well with dark roasts.  

2) Pour the hot water into the coffee flask in a circular motion to ensure that all the grounds are immersed.   

3) Fill up the flask till about half full.  

4) To improve the extraction and flavour of your coffee, wet the grounds simultaneously.  

5) The coffee-to-water ratio should be 1:15  

6) Avoid pushing the plunger too fast and hard, as it will fluster coffee grounds and make them bitter. 
 

Conclusion

Using a French Press method to brew your coffee with not only make you fall harder for coffee. It is a technique used for ages and has continued to be better and finer with time.  

We hope that you learned some excellent coffee brewing techniques. By following the above-listed instructions and tricks, you will have a fabulous coffee in the comfort of your home. Now that you have mastered making a French Press coffee brew some coffee for yourself and your loved ones, and enjoy! 

To master the skill of coffee making, join our Basic Barista Course now!