The French Press Coffee Pot

The French press coffee pot is one of the simplest, least expensive devices to use for brewing coffee.

No coffee brewing device has as many names as the French press coffee pot: cafetiere, bodum, press pot. No matter the name you call it, the coffee you brew with it should be very good. Only you have to follow some basic rules.

The components of a French Press

• the glass or stainless steel carafe
• the lid
• the plunger that pierces through the lid, with a knob at the top end
• the steel mesh attached to the bottom extremity of the plunger; the mesh fits perfectly in the carafe
• the handle

How the French Press works

1. Remove the lid with the plunger and steel mesh from the glass carafe
2. Heat the water separately to max 195 – 200°F (90-93°C)
3. Place the fresh medium-to-fine ground coffee in the carafe; as a rule, you can use 7 grams of coffee-ground for every cup (3 – 4 oz.) of water, but you really should adjust the quantities to your taste
4. Pour the hot water over the coffee-ground
5. Stir in for about 5 minutes
6. Fit the steel mesh in the carafe and press on the lid (the process should take 25 to 30 seconds)
7. Pour in the cups and serve immediately.

Now, of course, there are a few tricks to master with the French pot. Usually, the experts recommend an even and coarser grind, so that it wouldn’t escape through the filter. A nice tip we learned from Tom Owen (at Sweet Maria’s, was to use the finest grind for the best extraction of flavors and oils, and brew less (2-3 minutes). The grounds will, anyhow, decant on the bottom of the cup. You have to skip the last swallow to avoid the mud, but the rest of the cup is quite rewarding.

Another secret is to warm the carafe before pouring the hot water. This way you have a better control over water temperature.

And, most important, never let the coffee rest in the carafe after brewing. The grounds are still in contact with the coffee and will continue to extract. You’ll get over-extracted, bitter coffee, and the flavor will be wasted.

The price at which you can purchase a French press is around 20$. The most famous brand is Bodum Chambord, said to be the best of its kind.

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