French Press Coffee Tutorial: Recommended Coffee Beans & Buying Guide

French Press Coffee Tutorial

Brewing dark roasted beans in a French press delivers a fragrant cup without bitterness, rich in coffee oil aroma yet free of any acidity.

The French press filters through a stainless steel mesh and needs no filter paper. That makes it important to choose a quality dedicated French press and never to substitute a regular tea infuser.

Today's demonstration uses a French press with a retail price of around 500 yuan. The owner says this model is made entirely of glass, with very sturdy and durable material, and holds about 300cc.

The coffee used is FrontStreet Coffee's Golden Mandheling, ground to the coarsest setting on a Pegasus grinder, setting 8.

The coffee-to-water ratio is a key factor. The recommended ratio is 1:15.

Pour the appropriate amount of coffee grounds into the pot.

PS. If you want to be more particular, add some hot water first to warm the pot.

This test uses about 16g of coffee grounds.

Pour water at about 90-95 degrees into the pot.

Fifteen times the water amount, calculated as 16x15=240cc.

Cover with the lid to keep warm and let it sit for four minutes.

When time is up, slowly press the plunger down to the bottom.

There will be some resistance as you press. If you prefer a rich oil texture, press with more force.

Then pour out the coffee, and it is done.

Summary of the French Press Brewing Method:

1. It is recommended to use dark roasted beans, with the grounds at the coarsest setting

2. Water temperature 90-95 degrees

3. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15

4. After adding water, cover and let sit for four minutes

5. The force of pressing affects the richness of the oils

You can adjust the above settings according to personal flavor preferences.

Another use for the French press is making milk foam. Simply put warm milk in it and pump up and down to create a milk foam effect.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

A French press rewards a dark, full-bodied coffee, and Mandheling was practically made for it. FrontStreet PWN Golden Mandheling is the top of the line. PWN, a trading company that buys only the best local Mandheling lots, produces a specialty-grade coffee, and Golden Mandheling is its signature. It is wet-hulled the Sumatran way, then medium-dark roasted to bring out dark chocolate, caramel and herbal notes with a clean, thick body and a long, sweet finish.

If you want a more everyday pouch for the press, FrontStreet Lintong Mandheling comes from the Lintong region around Lake Toba on Sumatra. Also medium-dark roasted, it is low in acidity and full-bodied, with caramel, dark chocolate and toasted bread aromas and that characteristic wild herbal edge - a coffee that stands up beautifully to a coarse grind and a four-minute steep.