How to Make Perfect French Press Coffee The Right Way

If you have never come across the term “French Press Coffee,” then you must know that it is very rich, dense, smooth, and indulgent. Quite French! When paired with some crepes Suzette or a fluffy, yummy croissant –you are bound to be in the food paradise. Indeed, this does not imply that you cannot have French Press coffee every day –you definitely should! Only you could aim at making it a little better. By learning about how to make French Press coffee perfectly, you can make way for a great start to your mornings every day.

When it comes to the conventional coffee brewing mechanisms, it is observed that the French Press coffee brewing method is quite unique in comparison to the other techniques. As such, it becomes one of the most favorite connoisseurs out there. While making your perfect cup of French Press coffee might require patience in comparison to the coffee made out of the drip coffee maker, you might still be able to master the coffee-making process in no time. All you need to ensure is that you are making use of a good quality of the French Press coffee maker.

What is a French Press?

If you have only recently come across the French Press coffee brewing method, then you might as well regard that French Press (also referred to as “cafetiere” in England) is some new method of making coffee. While the overall origins of the French Press coffee might be still unclear, it is supposed to have been in existence in several iterations for over 100 years.

However, the current design of the French Press coffee was patented by Attilo Calimani in 1929 –who was surprisingly an Italian, and not French. The modern design of the French Press coffee is quite simple and consists of a carafe –also referred to as a beaker and a conventional plunger assembly.

What is the French Press Beaker or Carafe?

The French Press beaker or carafe is usually made out of a specialized type of glass material. In addition to the glass material, you can also come across the French Press carafe or beakers made out of other materials including plastic, stoneware, stainless steel, and others. Some of the common types of the French Press beaker or carafe are:

• Borosilicate Glass: Most of the French Press carafes or beakers are made out of the typical Borosilicate Glass material. This specific type of glass material contains boron trioxide and silica for making the beaker exceptionally resistant to higher temperatures or thermal shock. This implies when you would pour boiling hot water into the French Press carafe that is made out of the Borosilicate Glass material, it will not explode under the impact. However, if you tend to drop the glass carafe on the ground, there is nothing stopping the glass material from breaking off into pieces.
• Stainless Steel: If you are looking for a highly durable French Press beaker or carafe that won’t break easily, the one made out of the stainless steel material is your perfect choice. Most of the times, the stainless steel French Press carafe are vacuum-sealed and double-walled –just like heavy-duty coffee mugs. As such, they offer the assurance of keeping your freshly-brewed coffee hot for a more extended period. The French Presses that are made out of the stainless steel material are usually available in polished or brushed finishes. You might as well come across some attractive color options in the brushed finishes of the coffee carafes. The durability of the stainless steel carafe might vary from one model to another.
• Ceramic or Stoneware: This is an entirely less common model of the French Press carafes. Though they are quite pricey, they still appear immensely beautiful, and thus, most buyers bring the ceramic French Press carafes home for an aesthetic appearance. Typically, you would come across the rainbow of enamel colors while selecting a ceramic or stoneware French Press. Moreover, these French Presses are also coated on the internal sides for offering resistance from odors and stains. Most of the ceramic or stoneware French Presses are dishwasher-safe. Being sturdy, they are also resistant to higher temperatures –but might break at extremely high-temperature.
• Plastic: When you are going for purchasing a French Press carafe from some reputable origin or brand, the plastic beaker or carafe is typically made out of the SAN (Styrene-acrylonitrile) material, and remains free of BPA (bisphenol-A). SAN is a highly durable form of plastic which is able to withstand higher temperatures without leaching or warping chemicals. As BPA is harmful to the overall health by finding its way into food items & beverages when exposed to higher temperatures, you must aim at buying a French Press carafe that is BPA-free, and made out of SAN plastic material.

What is the French Press Plunger Assembly?

The typical plunger assembly in a French Press is responsible for bringing the French Press coffee to life through a series of mechanisms inside the French Press machine. Here are some of the standard parts in a typical plunger assembly:

• Plunger: The manner in which you will be brewing the most delicious mug of coffee that you will ever come across is just the same way in which you might end up with a stubborn sink for draining –with the help of a plunger. This is the time when you would like to plunge the coffee gently. To ensure the same, there is the presence of a handle on top of the plunger rod. The rod extends to the French Press down and gets attached to the filter and disc at the bottom of the machine. You can make use of the plunger for cleaning and brewing.
• Filter Screen: The bottom part of the plunger contains a disc and a filter –held firmly against the surface with the help of a surrounding spring. Most of the French Press models make use of as many as 4 stainless steel mesh filters for ensuring that the coffee grounds would stay at the bottom of the French Press during plunging. If the grind of the French Press is working perfectly, and if the filters are not working correctly, then you would end up with a gritty coffee brew.

How to Make the Perfect French Press Coffee?

Before you advance with pressing the coffee grounds for extracting every single drop of the delicious, rich oil, you might as well like to allow the coffee infuse into the hot, boiling water for bringing out the full flavor. It is considered simple to brew your favorite mug of coffee into the French Press machine. However, it would also entail having some patience for brewing your perfect cup of coffee.

If you are entirely new to the French Press brewing method of coffee, you might like to learn about grinding the coffee beans in the first place. When you have freshly-ground coffee beans, it makes up for the perfect mug of coffee –irrespective of the coffee-brewing method that you are making use of.

Here are some steps to follow:

• Add ground coffee that has been coarsely grounded –preferably freshly ground or roasted coffee, to the French Press carafe or beaker. You should consider making use of a single tablespoon per serving.
• Now, you are required to boil water in a container or kettle. All the water to cool down to around 205-Degree Fahrenheit. You will require at least one tablespoon of the coffee ground per cup.
• Now, pour around half the water into the respective French Press machine. After this, you should allow the coffee to bloom in the machine for around one to two minutes.
• You can now add the remaining hot water in the kettle into the French Press machine. All the water to sit for around 3-4 minutes for allowing the coffee to infuse deeply into the water. If you wish to achieve a stronger coffee brew, you can enable the coffee to infuse or steep for a little longer.
• Now, press the plunger of the French Press machine gently –try using only the weight of your hands, to its full extent.
• Serve the hot, brewing coffee immediately for delivering the best-ever flavors.

How to Make the Best Cold Brew in a French Press?

While you might be assured of making the perfect mug of hot, brewing coffee in a French Press machine, you can also make the best cold brew using this method. If you are not a fan of hot coffee, then you can also make delicious, cold coffee brew in a French Press. You can give the cold coffee brew a chance using the French Press by following the steps as:

• Add around one tablespoon of coarse coffee ground to the French Press carafe.
• Now, add one cup of water (at room temperature) per serving to the French Press, and stir the mixture.
• Place the lid of the French Press carafe. Place the plunger back. Do not press the plunger down this time.
• You can keep the French Press carafe in the refrigerator for the night.
• Now, you can make use of your hands for weighing down the plunger. There you are! Sip your favorite cup of cold brew French Press coffee.

How to Brew the Best French Press Coffee?

In addition to the steps involving allowing your coffee to bloom & infuse in the French Press carafe properly, you can also consider taking a few necessary steps towards ensuring delivering consistently delicious coffee using the French Press method. Here are some tips to follow:

• Make it a point to rinse off the French Press beaker or carafe with hot or lukewarm water for warming it before brewing the coffee.
• You should avoid leaving the coffee in the French Press carafe once the brewing process is complete. Pour the coffee in the carafe such that it will not continue brewing and turn bitter.
• Always make it a point to make use of coarse coffee grinds for delivering the best-ever taste in a French Press machine. It will allow you to obtain maximum flavors without gritting the cup.
• Try using one cup of water to around one tablespoon of the coffee grounds on the basis of per serving. When it comes to making the best-ever coffee using the French Press method, balancing is the ultimate key. As such, using too much or too little water or the coffee will not deliver the best results.
• Always keep the French Press machine clean. Make sure that there are no coffee grounds stuck at the bottom of the carafe for the next time you will be brewing coffee.

Top Reasons Why French Press Coffee Brewing is a Great Method

There are several reasons for the ever-growing popularity of the French Press coffee brewing method. Here are some points to consider:

• Easy to Make: With the presence of just two moving parts –including the French Press carafe and the plunging assembly, the overall coffee brewing process involves only a few minimal steps to make your perfect cup of coffee. Out of all other coffee brewing methods out there, the French Press method has been rated as the easiest method for effective coffee brewing. Moreover, the French Press also offers the ease of cleaning. You can also make tea by making use of the French Press machine.
• A Lot of Coffee: Have guests in your house? Wish to make a lot of coffee for your guests? A French Press coffee machine can help you do the same easily. One of the most overlooked aspects of the revolutionary French Press coffee brewing method is that it allows for making a lot of coffee –all at once.
• Environmentally-Friendly: If you are conscious about the environment, you can be assured of the fact that the French Press method is entirely environmentally-friendly.

If you love sipping your morning cup of freshly-brewed coffee, make use of the French Press Coffee!

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