Press like the Best
Coffee is not a beverage known for limitations in the many ways it can be brewed. Each day, it seems some coffee-nut like ourselves is out there in a cafe, roastery, or even their own garage making a new convoluted contraption to get that delicious cup of coffee. Even then, take a look around the world or throughout history, and you will find more methods than you can count with your fingers and toes, each one making exceptional and classic cups of our beloved golden-brown elixir. The fascinating part to note here is that no method is THE method! Each method can be appreciated for the different qualities it helps the coffee to present. Brew a coffee from the same bag with four different brewing methods, and you will end up experiencing unique dynamics, differing from cup to cup.
For now, we will focus on one of the classics in our lineup, the French Press. This method is simply in need of hot water and coffee, no filters required (there is a metal one built in). It is an immersion brewing method, meaning that the grounds are in direct contact with the water within the same container, and will continue to brew until the finished product is poured from the brewing container. This gives it a more gritty mouthfeel, giving you it’s stronger perspective.
French Press:
- Gather your supplies (FP, coffee, grinder, water, scale, timer, trusty coffee spoon).
- First start heating your water (via kettle or electric boiling pitcher). You want to bring it to its boiling point, so give it some heat.
- Weigh out your coffee. At True, we like to drink our brew at a ratio of 17:1 (water:coffee). The best way to do this is to measure in grams, as one gram is equal to one milliliter, making it easy to measure our water later on. For a standard, one liter French Press, we will weigh out 59g of coffee. (1L = 1000ml. 1000ml ÷ 17 = 58.82g)
- If your grinder has settings, set it to the coarsest setting. If you have a blade grinder, use your best judgement to make it coarse, but not too jagged.
- Now, take a pinch of coffee and use that to purge, clearing out any old coffee in the grinder.
- Grind your 59g of coffee.
- Use a little hot water to warm up the Press, then pour it out.
- Once your water is ready, place your grounds in the press. Take your water off the heat source as its boiling, and wait to pour the water until you hear the boiling has stopped. Add enough water so that the container is only ¼ full (250ml).
- Use your trusty coffee spoon (a spoon meant only for coffee use, nothing else) to agitate the grounds by gently mixing the coffee/water around, ensuring all grounds are wet. Set & start your timer for 5 minutes.
- The first 30 seconds is for the blooming process to occur. This allows for the coffee bed to become fully saturated and for the water to thoroughly extract all the aromatic and flavor compounds that are desirable for a good cup of coffee (this step will appear in most brewing methods you encounter).
- When the blooming period (first 30secs) has passed, add the rest of your water (either by weighing it out to 1000ml, or by filling the container until the bed of grounds has risen close to the top, leaving enough space for the lid/plunger to sit on top). Add the lid/plunger to the top so it is resting just above the bed of grounds for the remaining 4 minutes and 30 seconds.
- Once the timer has gone off, plunge the Press so that the coffee is pushed tight towards the bottom. Give it a swirl, pour, serve, and ENJOY!!!
A reminder that whatever of the finished product you didn’t pour out to drink will continue to brew as long as the liquid remains in contact with the grounds, making it stronger each passing minute. The other important thing is to EXPERIMENT! A LOT! Our way is not the only way, simply it is what we prefer after many tests, experience, and plenty of research (our method is prevalent within the industry, however). Play around with the coffee ratios if you want, it is you who has to be satisfied at the end of the brew.
Nevertheless, now you are Pressing like the Best!