French Press Coffee to Water Ratio vs Pour-Over Coffee Differences - What Coffee Beans to Use and How to Brew with French Press

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Choosing the Right Coffee Beans for French Press

For French press coffee, please try to select fresh, high-quality coffee beans. Typically, when using a French press, we recommend [medium roast], [medium-dark roast], or [dark roast] levels, such as FrontStreet Coffee Brazil Queen Estate, FrontStreet Coffee Papua New Guinea Paradise Bird, etc. Because the metal filter can fully extract oils, the coffee's own aroma performance will also be excellent. The reason FrontStreet Coffee recommends this roasting range is that compared to pour-over coffee, French press brewed coffee usually has a richer taste, so medium or dark roasted beans can better express this characteristic.

Grind Size and Coffee-to-Water Ratio

Since the filters of each French press are different, it is recommended that the coffee [grind size] be approximately medium. Too fine coffee powder is not suitable as it may not only clog the filter holes but also extract undesirable flavors. Even worse, some fine particles might pass through the filter, letting you drink coffee full of fine sediment. So, medium grinding is sufficient.

Next is the [coffee-to-water ratio]. We usually recommend 20g of coffee powder with about 200ml of hot water. It doesn't matter if you don't have a thermometer - it's about right after the kettle boils. However, the water amount can be adjusted according to personal taste. For example, those who don't particularly love rich flavors might slightly increase the water to 250ml. When brewing FrontStreet Coffee Yirgacheffe or similar beans with clean floral notes, you can taste the texture and aroma that I personally love.

Advantages of French Press

The French press is the simplest way to brew coffee, requiring no complex tools and techniques. It's very simple, convenient, and fast to use, allowing you to enjoy a delicious cup of coffee. Of course, cleaning is also very easy, and you can taste the coffee's flavor without space limitations.

The French press has one disadvantage: there will be some sediment at the bottom. For people who are unaccustomed to impurities in their coffee, they tend to discard the last portion of the coffee.

Perhaps what's considered a disadvantage is also an advantage. The presence of sediment is due to the design not using filter paper, which正好 can fully retain the coffee's oils and most original flavors. This is why some coffee enthusiasts use the French press for "cupping."

Benefits of Using French Press

The benefits of using a French press: fast, easy, and convenient.

Every time you want to drink coffee, you always have to prepare pour-over kettles, filter cups, serving pots, and other miscellaneous items, just to brew one cup of coffee, which seems a bit busy. Especially during work breaks or when rushing to work early in the morning, you have to be grateful for the existence of the French press.

With just a pot body + filter, the almost integrally formed French press is not only convenient to carry. By adjusting the coffee-to-water ratio, you can brew a large cup of coffee. As long as you properly control the steeping time, the taste brewed with a French press won't lose to coffee brewed by other methods.

How to Brew Good Coffee with French Press

Of course, for French press coffee, please try to select fresh, high-quality coffee beans. Typically, beans used for French press are recommended to be [medium roast], [medium-dark roast], or [dark roast], such as FrontStreet Coffee Brazil Queen Estate, FrontStreet Coffee Papua New Guinea Paradise Bird, etc. Because the metal filter can fully extract oils, the coffee's own aroma performance will also be excellent. Additionally, coffee brewed with a French press usually has a richer taste.

If you want to brew a cup of coffee but don't have time, or if you want to brew afternoon tea coffee in the office without the hassle of setting up a coffee machine, then why not try the French press (Coffee Press) designed for lazy people? Because it's really easy to use, very convenient, and can brew good coffee, this coffee pot has recently become my portable pot again. Paired with some freshly roasted coffee powder, I can drink it wherever I go.

History and Working Principle

In 1852, French metal mechanics and merchants jointly obtained a patent for "filtering coffee with a piston method," creating the principle of the French press. It became widely known in the early 20th century and became the most suitable tool for coffee beginners.

The filter in the French press allows coffee grounds to be distributed in water. When the handle is pressed down, the filter compresses the space in the utensil. Due to their coarser texture, coffee ground particles are caught by the filter, achieving separation from the coffee liquid. The advantage of the French press is that it doesn't filter coffee oils, thus retaining the essence with richer aroma and flavor.

Small reminder: When choosing a French press, pay attention to the mesh size of the filter and whether the gap between the filter and the cup wall fits properly, to prevent coffee ground particles from getting into the coffee liquid during brewing and filtering.

French Press Brewing Tips

▽ The entire steeping time for coffee grounds should be around three minutes. Don't steep for too long to avoid over-extraction.

▽ Pour hot water to steep the coffee grounds, but don't stir at first. Because the coffee grounds will undergo a degassing reaction when heated (about 30 seconds to 1 minute, somewhat similar to blooming). Afterward, shake gently or use a stirring stick (this step can be called "breaking the crust") to allow the coffee grounds to fully steep in hot water. At this time, when you see the tempting crema floating on the surface, visually enjoy the freshness of the coffee, and your mood will be very good.

Some people's method is to first pour half the water to bloom the coffee grounds, then continue adding water to the desired amount after 1 minute. I'll try the difference between these two brewing methods when I have time.

▽ After steeping for about three minutes, you can press the filter down to filter out the coffee grounds. It's best to pour out all the extracted coffee to avoid continued extraction at the bottom affecting the flavor.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473