HOW TO BREW #greatcoffeeathome: French Press
This recipe makes 3 servings (24 fl. oz) of brewed coffee. Note: it can be scaled larger or smaller by using more or less coffee and maintaining the coffee-to-water brew ratio mentioned below.
What you’ll need:
- 50g of freshly roasted, whole bean coffee
- Coffee grinder
- Hot water kettle
- French Press brewer
- Scale or measuring scoop
- Spoon or stir stick
- Timer/stopwatch
Before You Begin:
For the French Press, use a coffee-to-water brew ratio of 1-to-16.5, or 50g coffee to 825g (825ml) of water. Using a ratio helps to deliver consist flavor and strength from batch to batch.
Also, you’ll want to use filtered water to fill your kettle. Filtered water will bring out the best flavors in your coffee.
Preparations:
- Fill your kettle with a little extra water than you’ll need, then set to boil. You’ll use the extra water to rinse your French Press.
- While you water is heating, weigh out 50g of coffee beans. If you don’t have a scale, try 7 tablespoons of ground coffee. One tablespoon of ground coffee typically weighs about 7g.
- Grind coffee to a medium coarse grind. Medium coarse grind is similar to sea salt, sesame seeds, or cracked pepper (for Starter Kit customers, that’s setting #28 on the Baratza Encore). Consistent dose and grind size will help deliver consistent flavor in your cup.
- Remove the plunger/lid from your French press. Rinse the carafe of the French press with hot water. This will help keep your coffee hot as it brews, improving flavor extraction. Pour out rinse water.
- Place the carafe on your scale. Tare the scale. Add ground coffee to the carafe – it should read 50g.
- Tare scale again before you pour and start your timer.
Brew:
- Pour off-boil water into the French press until half full – about 400g.
- Allow to immersed coffee grounds to “bloom” (i.e., rest and release gases) for one minute. This will allow carbon dioxide to escape from – and water to enter – the coffee grounds, improving flavor extraction.
- After one minute, pour remaining water in until your scale reads 825g.
- Stir the bloom to release gases and allow the coffee grounds to settle, then cover the brewing carafe with the filter press (but do not plunge).
- Wait 4 minutes for immersed coffee grounds to steep.
- After 4 minutes, slowly press the plunger down until you meet resistance. Don’t force it: too much turbulence in the carafe will force fine coffee grounds through the filter screen, allowing them to get into your cup.
- That’s it! Pour your coffee and enjoy.
Total brew time should be about 5 mins.
Pro Tip: once the coffee has reached your preferred strength, pour all of the brewed coffee into another container. The coffee will continue extracting as long as the grounds are in contact with water.
Finally, to reduce waste and preserve resources, compost your coffee grounds, if possible.