How to Use a French Press: Brewing Colombian Cherry Blossom Coffee Flavor

French Press

The French press is a simple brewing device that originated in France around 1850: a heat-resistant glass body (or clear plastic) fitted with a plunger-mounted metal filter. It is a wonderfully versatile tool-good for tea, coffee, even frothing milk. It works by immersion, letting water and coffee grounds stay in full contact while steeping, which extracts the essence of coffee simply, conveniently, and without demanding much technique.

To make French press coffee, the grounds are fully immersed in the pot, then a plunger with a metal filter presses them apart from the finished coffee. The method yields excellent body and texture, amplifying richness and oils while keeping the cup quite clean. Compared with the skills pour-over demands-blooming and all the rest-the French press asks for almost no technique yet still leaves plenty to adjust. That is why FrontStreet Coffee considers it ideal for every coffee lover.

Important Notes for French Press

Grind Size

French press coffee should be ground coarse-typically to the size of sugar crystals. Grind too fine and excess fines slip through the metal filter, muddying the cup and hurting the mouthfeel. FrontStreet Coffee recommends a grind similar to coarse sugar.

Warming the Pot

FrontStreet Coffee suggests pre-warming the pot with hot water before brewing. Because the body is glass, the water temperature will drop noticeably faster if you skip this step.

FrontStreet Coffee French Press Tutorial

Here FrontStreet Coffee uses Colombian Sakura from Paradise Estate to demonstrate the French press method.

Coffee Details:

• Region/Estate: Colombia, Cauca, Paradise Estate
• Altitude: 2050m
• Processing: Double Anaerobic Washed
• Variety: Castillo

Coffee-to-Water Ratio

The brewing ratio is the proportion of coffee to water. Common ratios run from 1:13 to 1:15-1:13 means 195g of water for 15g of coffee. Brewing at home in a French press, you can tune the ratio to your own taste. FrontStreet Coffee used 1:13 this time.

Brewing Temperature

Water temperature should follow the roast level. For pour-over, FrontStreet Coffee generally recommends 86-93°C, though regions differ-Japan, for instance, tends to use lower temperatures because immersion extraction does not favor high heat. For dark roast beans we suggest 86-88°C: dark roasts have a looser structure, absorb water more efficiently, and extract easily, so water that is too hot pushes them into bitter, burnt flavors. For light roasts we suggest 90-93°C, since higher temperatures pull out the aromatic compounds and floral-and-fruit acidity of light roasts; being harder, they benefit from the extra extraction efficiency and avoid harsh, sharp acidity. Medium roasts suit 88-90°C. Colombian Sakura is a light-to-medium roast, so FrontStreet Coffee brewed it at 91-92°C.

Brewing Steps:

1. Preheat the French press with warm water. Add the ground coffee, then pour in 195ml of hot water (91°C). Pour vigorously-complete the pour in about 3 seconds-to agitate the grounds and boost extraction efficiency.

2. After pouring, lift the filter, set the lid on the pot, and wait 4 minutes.

3. After four minutes, press the plunger down gently to about 1/4 of the pot's height, keeping the fine particles at the bottom from swirling to the top.

4. Pour into your cup and enjoy!

Flavor Profile of Colombian Sakura Brewed with French Press

Berry juice, strawberry jam, gentle acidity, and a lingering finish of mugwort.

Because the French press's metal filter has larger pores than paper, it lets some of the coffee oils through. That makes French press brewing the best way to show off this coffee's full juicy character-the flavors run noticeably more intense than in a pour-over.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Colombia is one of the most versatile origins in coffee-at home in espresso blends and single-origin pour-overs alike, spanning bright fruity cups, mellow full-bodied ones, and everything aromatic in between. Anaerobic processing is its newest frontier. Also known as carbonic maceration, it ferments whole or pulped cherries in a sealed, pressure-capable stainless tank with oxygen removed, letting the producer steer temperature, time, and pH to control the fermentation; the result is more sweetness, more complex flavor, and a silky texture. FrontStreet's Colombia Pink Bourbon (Xizhua) takes the anaerobic natural route: after oxygen-free fermentation it converts into rich tropical fruit aromas-passion fruit, grape, apricot, and dried fruit with an almond-like undertone. Roasted medium-light, it works beautifully as a pour-over, cold brew, drip bag, or even a moka pot brew. If you loved the berry jam and juice-like quality of the Sakura in this tutorial, this anaerobic lot is the natural next step.