French Press Usage Guide: Advantages and Invention History

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Introduction to French Press Coffee

Since the 11th century, humans have been brewing and drinking coffee as a beverage. Through long-term invention and improvement, manual coffee brewing methods have become numerous and varied today. The process of making a cup of pour-over coffee can be as complex as using a siphon coffee maker or as simple as using a French press. The brewing process of siphon coffee makers or filter coffee drippers is undoubtedly interesting, but making coffee taste pleasant also requires considerable skill. However, please don't overthink coffee matters. To personally brew coffee and enjoy the process, you don't necessarily need to practice for three, five, or seven years to qualify. Now, let me recommend a very simple and easy-to-use brewing tool that fully expresses the original flavor of coffee—the French Press.

The Arrival of the French Press

The French Press (hereafter referred to as French press), also known as a press pot or coffee plunger. The French Press first appeared in France in 1850. Of course, like all inventions such as cars and computers, compared to today's standards, their forms were crude at the time. The French press was no exception. At that time, it wasn't considered a dedicated tool for brewing coffee, and its structure was a simple tool composed of a glass or plastic container with a metal filter screen attached to a plunger rod. Compared to brewing coffee, more people used French presses to brew black tea at that time.

The "Piston Filter Coffee Device"

As one can imagine, the prototype French Press was quickly discovered to have flaws. Because the metal filter screen couldn't completely separate coffee grounds, its effectiveness was limited, and the brewed coffee had deficiencies in both texture and taste. Just in March 1852, the French Press form achieved a breakthrough. At that time, a French artisan and a merchant obtained a patent for the "piston filter coffee device." This patent mainly described a metal canister connected to a movable rod, with holes at the bottom of the rod, with flannel layers sandwiched above and below. When pulling the movable rod, it could move within a cylindrical container. If the rod was pressed to the bottom, the filtered coffee would remain above the rod, separating most of the coffee grounds. This patent marked a significant improvement in the French Press design.

Although the French Press originated in France, it was the Italians who made this brewing method widely known. In the late 1920s, around 1929, designer Attilio Calimani from a Milan company officially registered a patent for a modified version of the French Press, after which press-style coffee gradually became popular.

French Press = Lazy Person's Pot?

Friends who love coffee, and even those who habitually brew coffee at home, what impressions do you have of the French Press? Simple to operate? Exclusively for lazy people? No technique required? Regardless of whether your impression is good or bad, indeed, the brewing skills it requires are quite easy compared to other tools, as shown in the picture. Because the coffee extraction principle of the French Press is immersion rather than drip brewing, it doesn't emphasize water pouring gestures and speed. As long as you follow the appropriate coffee-to-water ratio, water temperature, and time, it's not difficult to brew a pot of delicious coffee.

However, merely describing the French Press as a "lazy person's pot" seems to gloss over its advantages. Besides being simple to operate, the French Press is also very lightweight in design, easy to carry, and convenient to use. Whether at home, in the office, or even when packed in luggage during travel, it doesn't feel obstructive. Additionally, the French Press doesn't require filter paper—just press the plunger down after extraction completes to separate the coffee grounds. It's environmentally friendly and doesn't require preparing various tools. Multi-purpose functionality is another advantage of the French Press. As mentioned earlier, the French initially used it to brew black tea. Even though the French Press has been improved, it can still be used for brewing tea and coffee, even for both hot and cold beverages. Therefore, some friends who don't drink coffee still use a French Press.

Tasting Original Coffee, A Different Mouthfeel

The French Press is very convenient to use, but the brewed coffee always seems less "clean" and has sediment when drinking. Is this because no filter paper is used? Not at all—in fact, this is precisely what makes French Press coffee unique.

Because the French Press uses immersion method, it can separate coffee grounds from coffee without filter paper. However, this allows oils and other larger aromatic particles from the coffee to pass through the filter screen into the cup of coffee. Therefore, coffee brewed with a French press will have a rounder, fuller mouthfeel and texture, adding to the smooth sensation. Consequently, many coffee enthusiasts enjoy using French Presses to brew dark roast coffee, fully appreciating the sweetness and richness of dark roast beans.

As for the sediment when drinking, this is definitely avoidable. First, when using tools without filter paper, the grind size should be medium to coarse—for French Presses, it's best to grind coffee beans to the consistency of coarse salt. Moreover, after steeping, when pressing the plunger down, you must press it all the way to the bottom. If you repeatedly pull up and press down, coffee grounds can easily escape, causing sediment.

FrontStreet Coffee's French Press Recommendation Parameters

15 grams of coffee, coffee-to-water ratio 1:15, water temperature 88°C, medium-coarse grind.

Important Notice :

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