To many people who enjoy drinking coffee, using a French Press is an absolute necessity. However, many people who aren't experienced in using this type of coffee maker are actually intimidated by them. Yes, there are several steps involved when you prepare coffee using one of these devices, but that is no reason to stray away from them. So, here are some simple step by step instructions for creating some great tasting coffee using a press pot coffee maker.
Grinding The Coffee
The best cup of coffee starts with a good grind of coffee beans. When you are using a French Press, it is very important that you use coarsely ground coffee. If you are using your own coffee grinder, you will want to press the grinding button in short bursts only three or four times. If you are using a coffee grinder at the supermarket, you should be using the very first setting that might be labeled "percolator".
The coarsely ground coffee is important because of the filtration system used in the French Press. While the paper filters of an automatic coffee maker allow nothing but water to seep through, the wire mesh used in a press will allow finely ground coffee to pass through it. So, if you use a finely ground coffee, you will end up with particulates in your drink.
Measuring The Coffee Correctly
There are a great number of opinions as to how much coffee you should really use when you are operating a French Press. The simplest answer is that you should use anywhere from 1 g to 1 and a half g of coffee for every ounce of water that you use. So, if you are using a press pot coffee maker that holds 10 ounces of water, you will want to be using anywhere from 10 g to 15 g of ground coffee. If you use any more than that, the coffee will taste very strong and possibly bitter. If you use any less than that, there will not be enough coffee to extract flavor from, so the coffee will have a weak taste.
If you do not have a scale in your kitchen, there is no need to worry. Your French Press should have come with a small scoop or spoon that you can use to measure with. Usually, every spoonful using one of these utensils will measure out to about 1 g of ground coffee.
Mixing The Grounds And The Water
Here is the step where many people make a huge mistake. When operating a French Press, it is important that you do not use boiling water. The perfect temperature is actually about 190 degrees Fahrenheit, which is slightly under boiling. If you use boiling water, you might burn yourself and you will definitely burn the coffee grounds. This will probably result in a bitter or acidic taste.
Let The Mixture Brew
The final step in the entire process is the easiest. All you need to do is stir the mixture of coffee grounds and water and then allow it to brew for about 4 minutes. Some people prefer to put the cover on during the brewing process and some people stir the mixture for a second time at some point during the 4 minutes. Either way, at the end of the 4 minutes, make sure that the lid is on tightly with the plunger in the up position. Slowly press the plunger from the top of the device down to the bottom.
