French Press How To – Press 2 Cups of Deep Rich Flavor
Using a French Press is straight forward. There is not a lot of prep to go through to brewing a great cup of coffee. In this French Press how to, we will describe how we use the French Press to get a deep and intense coffee experience with our own WHALE BAY French Roast, a popular choice for full-bodied brews.
Measure Out the Beans
We are making two 8 ounce cups of coffee. Measure out enough beans to have about 3 tbsp of ground when finished grinding. We are shooting for a 12 to 1 water to ground ratio. That will result in a medium strength cup of coffee but if strong is the order of the day, just double the coffee to 6 tbsp.
For a little more precision we recommend using a kitchen scale. This avoids having the convert weight and volume, which is a little tricky with ounces; is it weight or is it volume. With the scale the arithmetic is done for you. In this case if we weigh out 40g of beans and heat up 480ml of water that will produce about 16 ounces of coffee. Notice the easy 12 to 1 ratio.
Grind the Beans
For the French Press, a grind in the course range is required for the water to be absorbed by grinds and not pass through the mesh filter. We recommend a burr grinder to ensure consistency and control over the grind. Experiment with the exact course setting to achieve the brew desired.
Add the Coffee
Remove the plunger/filter assembly from the carafe and add the grounds to bottom.
Pour the Water
When the water has reached 190 to 200 degrees, a temperature just below boiling, slowly pour in an amount that is equal to grounds. This will saturate the grounds waking up the coffee and causing it to “bloom”. Wait about 30 seconds for the grounds to be fully saturated and then add the remaining water 480ml in total.
Let it Sit
Now it’s time to be patient but not too long. Let the coffee brew (sit) three to five minutes. Start with four minutes and adjust for taste in future brews but never more than five minutes.
Plunge & Serve
Attach the plunger/filter to the top of the carafe. With a slow steady pressure, press as the name suggests the plunger to push the filter slowly to the bottom. If the coarseness of the grind was correct, then the coffee grounds will remain below the mesh filter. It you hit the bottom too quickly, well the coffee grounds were probably to fine.
Serve and enjoy the coffee as soon as you can after finishing the plunge. Coffee will lose its peak temperature quickly in the carafe.
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