What Coffee Beans Are Suitable for French Press? Starbucks French Press Features, Brewing Taste, Water-to-Coffee Ratio, and Usage Methods

Introduction to Coffee Brewing Methods

Coffee is no longer an unfamiliar term today, and people's pursuit of coffee has become increasingly sophisticated. From initial contact with coffee and tasting it in coffee shops to now brewing coffee at home, the journey has been remarkable. However, with so many coffee brewing devices available, which ones are truly effective? FrontStreet Coffee believes: While pour-over coffee requires attention to many small details during brewing, there's a device called the "lazy brewing method" that might be perfect for beginners! So what is this device? This device is—the French press.

Why is it Called a "Lazy" Device?

FrontStreet Coffee explains: The French press brewing process is relatively simple, yet it's also one of the brewing methods that best showcases high-quality coffee beans. The French press has an extremely simple structure, consisting of only two parts: the pot body and the filter screen. No auxiliary tools are needed during preparation. You can simply understand the pot body as a container for holding water and coffee grounds, while the filter screen is the component that most affects the final taste, though the quality of coffee beans and water temperature are crucial. Because of this, the French press has always been called the best representative of lazy coffee.

Versatility of the French Press

It can not only brew coffee but also make tea! The French press, known in English as "French Press," can also be called a French press pot in Chinese. The French press originated in France around 1850 and is a simple brewing device composed of a heat-resistant glass bottle body and a metal filter screen with a pressure rod.

Coffee Bean Requirements for French Press

We know that coffee has dark roast, light roast, and medium-dark roast varieties. Regardless of the roast level, pour-over brewing can showcase their best flavors. But is this also true for French press? Or does it have specific requirements for coffee beans? FrontStreet Coffee believes: For French press brewing, the quality of coffee beans directly affects the coffee's taste. Therefore, when brewing with a French press, it's best to use premium specialty-grade coffee beans. The French press's production characteristic compared to other devices is that it doesn't require filter cloths or paper filters. The filter screen has larger pores, which can filter out larger coffee particles while simultaneously retaining a large amount of coffee oils, thereby increasing the coffee's body and fully expressing the most original flavors of the coffee beans. In other words: The darker the coffee roast, the lower the acidity, the stronger the bitterness, and the faster the extraction speed. Theoretically speaking, the French press can brew coffee of any roast level, but in actual practice, the French press is more suitable for medium-dark and dark roast coffee beans.

Because oils determine the aroma and full-bodied flavor of coffee, this also illustrates from another perspective: Coffee made with a French press, dark roast beans have better aroma and a richer mouthfeel.

Starbucks French Press Experience

What about the French press coffee from Starbucks, the coffee shop we often hear about or visit? What are its characteristics? FrontStreet Coffee invites us to learn together and brew a pot of French press coffee to taste!

Step-by-Step French Press Brewing Guide

Step 1: Boil Water

Step 2: Grind Coffee Beans

The French press requires coarse particles (medium grind). FrontStreet Coffee recommends a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:15 to 1:16.

Step 3: Initial Water Addition

Place the French press on an electronic scale, pour in 120 grams of hot water (and start timing), pouring directly into the center.

Step 4: Stir and Bloom

Gently stir the coffee grounds back and forth with a wooden spoon or chopsticks, similar to rowing a boat. The coffee grounds will begin to expand during this process, which takes about 30 seconds—meaning you need to bloom for 30 seconds.

Step 5: Add Remaining Water and Wait

After the coffee grounds have expanded, add the remaining water and cover with the lid. Do not press down the filter screen yet; wait for four minutes—no less.

Step 6: Press and Serve

Move the French press off the electronic scale, then slowly press the filter screen down. The pressure needed should be about 7-9 kilograms. If you encounter too little resistance, it means the coffee grounds are too coarse; if you encounter too much resistance, it means the coffee grounds are too fine. After pressing the filter screen to the bottom, you must immediately pour out the coffee, otherwise it will cause over-extraction.

Step 7: Enjoy Your Coffee

It's time to enjoy delicious coffee. Pour the coffee into a pre-warmed mug. Remember to rinse your mouth before drinking coffee to taste its original flavor. The optimal drinking time for French press coffee is 20 minutes. Therefore, when making coffee with a French press, if you can finish it within 10 minutes, both roast levels are suitable; if you plan to finish it within 20 minutes, we recommend using dark roast coffee beans.

Conclusion

The above is the complete French press operation process. If you're still not quite clear, you can visit FrontStreet Coffee to ask our baristas, because FrontStreet Coffee has over 50 different single-origin coffee beans from various regions, which can fully satisfy your curiosity and exploration of coffee.

Professional Coffee Resources

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account: cafe_style).

For more specialty coffee beans, please add the private WeChat of FrontStreet Coffee, WeChat ID: qjcoffeex

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473