French Press – Your Patience Will Be Rewarded

Lots of good things take time, including coffee made with a French press. A French press is made up of a beaker with a handle and a plunger with a mesh. Coffee grounds are placed in the bottom of the beaker where they are steeped in hot water. The plunger is pressed down slowly holding the grounds at the bottom while the coffee drink is poured.

Why So Good?

No filters are involved when brewing coffee in a French press and this is the primary reason it brews an exceptional cup. When filters are used, many of the flavorful, natural oils are absorbed by the filter. The absence of a filter in a press allows all these flavors to develop during the steeping process.

Another benefit from the press is that all the coffee grounds are fully saturated thereby providing for a better extraction. Also, no impurities will pass through to the coffee as can happen with a drip machine. Finally, a French press can be a lifesaver when electricity is not available. If you are dealing with a power outage or have gone camping, you just need to be able to boil water to enjoy a cup.

A Quick How-To

Besides having a French press, the keys to success are:

• Freshly roasted and coarsely ground coffee – A proper coarse grind will avoid over-extracting the coffee which causes bitterness. Coarse grounds also prevent having sediment in your drink.

• Filtered, soft water heated to 195-200 degrees Fahrenheit – Good water is often overlooked when brewing coffee but bad tasting water will result in bad tasing coffee. If you prefer not to deal with a thermometer, just heat the water to boiling, remove it from the heat and wait 30 seconds.

• Place 2 tablespoons of coffee for every cup into the beaker. Pour near boiling water over the coffee and stir gently. Steep 4 minutes then slowly lower the plunger. Pour and enjoy!

As with everything, French press does have some drawbacks. It is not a good choice when you are in a rush and, since there is no filter, clean-up is a bit messier. Some will also find that it does not stay hot enough but a thermal press can help with that issue

When you are ready to slow down & enjoy a cup of coffee from a French press, Primos has the freshly roasted, coarse grinds you will need, in either medium or dark roast. We also offer decaffeinated and half caffeinated versions for those with caffeine sensitivity.