French Press Coffee At Home: A How-To

We've all drank coffee at one point or another, the dark, bitter, elixir which is supposed to perk us up in the morning. If you've never had a cup of french press coffee, you're drinking coffee all wrong. All kidding aside, one can make a decent cup of coffee without using a french press; however, french press is king at delivering all the deliciousness which coffee has to offer. Simply put, a french press uses a metal, diaphragm like filter versus a cone like paper filter, found in most household coffee machines. This enables the natural oils found in coffee beans to remain in your cup. It's a good thing. Those oils enhance the flavor of coffee while reducing much of the associated bitterness, compared to other brewing methods. Alas, I have briefed you on why french press is the superior brewing method. Now let's start brewing!

What You'll Need       

              

French Press Image Courtesy: Crate and Barrel

• French Press

• Coffee Bean Grinder (optional)

• Coarse Ground Coffee

• Drinking Water

• Sauce Pan or Tea Kettle (for boiling water)

• Coffee Cup  

   

  How To 

  Step 1: First, gather the french press and the ground coffee. Fresh ground coffee delivers the best results but is by no means necessary. Below are some pictures of coarse ground coffee versus coffee ground for automatic drip. Coarse is on top. If you don't have a coffee bean grinder, and don't have ground coffee, any coffee shop will  grind coffee beans when you purchase a bag with them. Ask for coarse, or "ground for french press." Use about one to two tablespoons of ground coffee per cup  of water.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Step 2: Next, boil some filtered water. Tap water can tend to have a chlorinated taste so it's best to use the water that you actually like to drink. If you like to drink tap water, trust me, just use filtered water. Turn off the heat when the boil starts. Wait 30 seconds before pouring water into the french press with the coffee grounds in it. This will allow the temperature to drop about 10 degrees to a more ideal brewing temperature.
  
  
  
  
  

  Step 3:  Pour the coffee into the french press with the coffee grounds inside and set a timer for 4 minutes. Cover the french press like so, but don't use the plunger yet. 

  

  Step 4: Take the cover off and stir the coffee in a circular fashion for a few seconds. A thin layer of rich foam will appear. 

  
  
  

  Step 5: Place the cover back on and press firmly on the plunger until it reaches the bottom. The filter will screen out the coffee ground and you will be left with a dark, rich, robust coffee with very little bitterness. Hold the cover while you pour. Enjoy!

  

   Side note: There is a link to french press coffee and elevated LDL levels, or "bad" cholesterol. The very oils which enhance the flavor of the coffee might contribute to bad cholesterol. Most of these oils are filtered or absorbed by paper filters. It is therefore advised to not drink more than 4 cups of french press coffee daily. With that being said, and with most anything, exercise moderation.