Be a Better Man in 30 Days | Day 8: Know How to Make A Better Cup of Coffee Using A French Press
By Gear Patrol Reader Martin Levine:
Whether it’s the drag of a Monday morning or the need for a late weekend afternoon weekend pick-me-up, any man worth his salt caffeine should know how to prepare himself a good cup of coffee. This installment of the 30 Days To Be A Better Man Initiative won’t cover the variety of machines available to do so. We’re not going to discuss drip doohickeys, single serve salvos, espresso engines, or cappuccino contraptions, but rather the fine art of French Press (Pot Press) coffee - quite possibly the truest form of coffee.
To this GP reader, the way an (American) man drinks his coffee says a lot about him. Does he drink Folger’s instant? Does he drink a Starbuck’s venti-skinny-latte-no-foam-double-dip-with-a-dash-of-rum (translation: extra large skim milk latte without bubbly stuff plus alcohol)? Does he drink the reheated swill from yesterday’s office pot?
Hopefully, the answer is none of the above. We’ve all been a Starbucks drinker (the horror!), but if you read the wall menus closely, very closely, you’ll notice that even Starbucks’s preferred method isn’t one always offered over-the-counter. It’s the French Press or Pot Press method. As a matter of fact, I bet if you ask any random barrista, only 1 out of 5 will even know they even offer it on the menu. Pathetic.
Moreover, the preparation of a delicious cup of French Press coffee is far simpler than you think. As a matter of fact, with a few runs, you might find it easier than brewing a cup in your own Mr. Coffee filtered machination.
The Steps
- Start boiling water.
- Have a grinder? Good. Grind the coffee beans until you’ve got enough of this ratio: 1 tablespoon per 4oz cup. Increase the amount of grinds you make depending on how much coffee you want to make. If you don’t have a grinder, just make sure you purchase coarse grind coffee at the market. Though, nothing beats fresh ground beans. Nothing. Drop the ground beans into your press pot.
- Let boiling water sit still, without heat, for a few minutes - longer if you’ve brewed a full pot
- Pour the water into your press pot in a clockwise motion gradually moving towards the center to make sure you’re saturating all the grinds. Remember: you’re pouring 4oz of water per 1 tablespoon of coffee.
- As you pour, you’ll see something referred to as the “bloom”. You’ll want more of this. To get it, stir a few times with a stirring spoon (a chopstick also works). Voila, more bloom.
- Insert the filter/lid onto the pot. Make sure you DO NOT press. Just have it on and ready.
- Let the hot water steep for about 3-5 minutes. Then firmly, and ever so slowly, press down the plunger/filter until it is fully extended.
- Pour, prepare to taste, and enjoy.
Martin Levine has been a loyal reader of Gear Patrol for approximately 4.5 months. He is a physical therapist residing in Norcross, a suburb of Atlanta, GA by way of Sacramento, CA. He’s happily single and enjoying every minute of it. He considers himself not so much of a coffee snob, but rather an impassioned brewed-bean consumer.
Lets continue the conversation. Do you have a preferred method of coffee preparation or tips you want to share? Let everyone know in the comments below.
The true beauty of a French Press is found in the way that hot water and freshly released coffee oils emulsify, providing a rich flavor not found in any other preparation.
I think you left out the most important part - what is the best gear for the job? Which French Press? Which Brands offer "Espresso Grind" Coffee in the store? What Grinder is best? Come on guys where's the gear in this one!
No, not espresso grind, ever! It's too fine and will result in too much "mud" in your cup. Large grind. Standard drip grind found in the store works fine. To grind at home, buy a burr grinder. You'll get a more even grind. I like the ones from Braun.
The GP editors asked me not to focus on gear as they were addressing that in individual posts, which I believe are to come later.
As for the grind, you should avoid espresso grind and stick with coarse. I believe there was a type-o in my original post that's been fixed. No matter what brand you prefer, you should make sure that the grinder you get is of the conical-burr variety. It ensures proper grinding across all the beans. As JasonB mentions below, Braun is great. I personally own a Capresso that's way over-engineered for my consumption needs. That's probably the best part of owning the beast!
http://www.1stincoffee.com/capresso-burr-grinder….
The GP editors asked me not to focus on gear as they were addressing that in individual posts, which I believe are to come later.
As for the grind, you should avoid espresso grind and stick with coarse. I believe there was a type-o in my original post that's been fixed. No matter what brand you prefer, you should make sure that the grinder you get is of the conical-burr variety. It ensures proper grinding across all the beans. As JasonB mentions below, Braun is great. I personally own a Capresso that's way over-engineered for my consumption needs. That's probably the best part of owning the beast!
http://www.1stincoffee.com/capresso-burr-grinder….
The GP editors asked me not to focus on gear as they were addressing that in individual posts, which I believe are to come later.
As for the grind, you should avoid espresso grind and stick with coarse. I believe there was a type-o in my original post that's been fixed. No matter what brand you prefer, you should make sure that the grinder you get is of the conical-burr variety. It ensures proper grinding across all the beans. As JasonB mentions below, Braun is great. I personally own a Capresso that's way over-engineered for my consumption needs. That's probably the best part of owning the beast!
http://www.1stincoffee.com/capresso-burr-grinder….
The GP editors asked me not to focus on gear as they were addressing that in individual posts, which I believe are to come later.
As for the grind, you should avoid espresso grind and stick with coarse. I believe there was a type-o in my original post that's been fixed. No matter what brand you prefer, you should make sure that the grinder you get is of the conical-burr variety. It ensures proper grinding across all the beans. As JasonB mentions below, Braun is great. I personally own a Capresso that's way over-engineered for my consumption needs. That's probably the best part of owning the beast!
http://www.1stincoffee.com/capresso-burr-grinder….
The GP editors asked me not to focus on gear as they were addressing that in individual posts, which I believe are to come later.
As for the grind, you should avoid espresso grind and stick with coarse. I believe there was a type-o in my original post that's been fixed. No matter what brand you prefer, you should make sure that the grinder you get is of the conical-burr variety. It ensures proper grinding across all the beans. As JasonB mentions below, Braun is great. I personally own a Capresso that's way over-engineered for my consumption needs. That's probably the best part of owning the beast!
http://www.1stincoffee.com/capresso-burr-grinder….
The GP editors asked me not to focus on gear as they were addressing that in individual posts, which I believe are to come later.
As for the grind, you should avoid espresso grind and stick with coarse. I believe there was a type-o in my original post that's been fixed. No matter what brand you prefer, you should make sure that the grinder you get is of the conical-burr variety. It ensures proper grinding across all the beans. As JasonB mentions below, Braun is great. I personally own a Capresso that's way over-engineered for my consumption needs. That's probably the best part of owning the beast!
http://www.1stincoffee.com/capresso-burr-grinder….
The GP editors asked me to focus on the french press method versus gear as they were addressing that in later posts.
As for the grind, you should avoid espresso grind and stick with coarse. I believe there was a type-o in my original post that's been fixed. No matter what brand you prefer, you should make sure that the grinder you get is of the conical-burr variety. It ensures proper grinding across all the beans. As JasonB mentions below, Braun is great. I personally own a Capresso that's way over-engineered for my consumption needs. That's probably the best part of owning the beast!
http://www.1stincoffee.com/capresso-burr-grinder….
Troy. We'll be covering some specific coffee gear in upcoming posts. If you've got any suggestions (or would like to do a review yourself) make sure and let us know. We'd love to hear from you.
Troy, you're my inspiration. Here's some gear for ya: http://gearpatrol.com/blog/2009/06/17/breville-va...
Troy, you're my inspiration. Here's some gear for ya: http://gearpatrol.com/blog/2009/06/17/breville-va...
Troy, you're my inspiration. Here's some gear for ya: http://gearpatrol.com/blog/2009/06/17/breville-va...
Troy, you're my inspiration. Here's some gear for ya: http://gearpatrol.com/blog/2009/06/17/breville-va...
Troy, you're my inspiration. Here's some gear for ya: http://gearpatrol.com/blog/2009/06/17/breville-va...
Troy, you're my inspiration. Here's some gear for ya: http://gearpatrol.com/blog/2009/06/17/breville-va...
Troy, you're my inspiration. Here's some gear for ya: http://gearpatrol.com/blog/2009/06/17/breville-va...
If you use espreso grind you will have a mess on your hands. French Press uses a coarse grind, not a fine grid like espresso.
I couldn't agree more with this. The french press makes the best coffee. Bodum makes some nice and inexpensive french presses in regular and single serving sizes. Also Krups. I use about the same grind for regular drip coffee or a french press and they are both taste great — grinding your own beans is the key, though. I've read that the french press allows more cholesterol into the coffee sicne there's no paper filter, so if you've got cholesterol problems and drink tons of coffee, ity's soemhting to consider. No worries for occasional use though.
+1 on the french press
i use mine everyday, and really enjoy "the process" of making a fresh cup of coffee.
I used to use a French Press, but since I now roast my own coffee (yes, I roast it myself), I now use an espresso maker. The main reasons, are 1) I prefer to drink Americano's, which is a double espresso with hot water. 2) a press leaves too much undrinkable coffee at the bottom. Just like in a home brewed beer, you need to leave a bit on the bottom. I like to drink every drop, so…
The thing is, you need to get a good machine because the perfect espresso coffee is a balance of heat and pressure (see the review for that little $100 portable manual espresso maker). The good ones cost upwards of $200. A press is less than $50.
In the end, it depends on who you trust for culinary advice, the French or the Italians.
"In the end, it depends on who you trust for culinary advice, the French or the Italians."
People have gone to war over less than this. For the record, I love a cup 'o French Press. My Bodum has never steered me wrong. I can't, however, stand the cleanup that's involved. Since my lady friend won't wash my grimy press for me, I simply abstain. That last line almost became a huge euphemism.
IKEA sells a French press for a fraction of Bodum's price. Not as finely crafted but equally effective.
I'd also add that French press doesn't necessitate French roast. Darker roasted coffees have less caffeine and a more carbonized, smoky taste. Great for espresso but a mellow Full City or Vienna roast is just right for French press, I think. A Kenyan or Sumatran…. mmm… I think I'll go brew up a pot now!
Brian - I've heard of similar things, but as you said it takes massive quantities of consumption to even register a blip. Personally, I'm a firm believer that the anti-oxidants offered in great coffee outweigh any negatives. As for caffeine…
- Martin Levine
Agreed. My vote is typically for a darker roast, especially Kenyan, so save me a cup!
For those that don't indulge in several cups a day I believe a medium French Roast is one of the better choices for an afternoon treat.
Martin Levine
No doubt, I've used that same IKEA press to no complaints. Pretty much any press will do, provided that the filter gets a tight fit against the insides of the pot. In fact, knowing Jason's outdoor cred, I'm pretty sure he could MacGuyver one out of twigs and twine.
The beauty of an IKEA french press is that you can own/break a few of them for the price of one Bodum. I'm actually a fan of the single-serve press from Bodum, though it's not as straightforward as one might think:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000IHB03G
Though it may not be in keeping with the hand-craftiness of the French Press, I find an electric kettle to be a great boon to making coffee this way. Haven't had one since I lived in Germany, but it's the way to go. http://tinyurl.com/nslvqy
Though it may not be in keeping with the hand-craftiness of the French Press, I find an electric kettle to be a great boon to making coffee this way. Haven't had one since I lived in Germany, but it's the way to go. http://tinyurl.com/nslvqy
Though it may not be in keeping with the hand-craftiness of the French Press, I find an electric kettle to be a great boon to making coffee this way. Haven't had one since I lived in Germany, but it's the way to go. http://tinyurl.com/nslvqy
Though it may not be in keeping with the hand-craftiness of the French Press, I find an electric kettle to be a great boon to making coffee this way. Haven't had one since I lived in Germany, but it's the way to go. http://tinyurl.com/nslvqy
Though it may not be in keeping with the hand-craftiness of the French Press, I find an electric kettle to be a great boon to making coffee this way. Haven't had one since I lived in Germany, but it's the way to go. http://tinyurl.com/nslvqy
Though it may not be in keeping with the hand-craftiness of the French Press, I find an electric kettle to be a great boon to making coffee this way. Haven't had one since I lived in Germany, but it's the way to go. http://tinyurl.com/nslvqy
Though it may not be in keeping with the hand-craftiness of the French Press, I find an electric kettle to be a great boon to making coffee this way. Haven't had one since I lived in Germany, but it's the way to go. http://tinyurl.com/nslvqy
One of the best cups of coffee I've ever had was made for me by a Brazilian friend who used an interesting technique. First, they boiled the water with the coffee grounds already inside, then he poured the mixture through a cloth bag that looked like a sock.
It sounds strange, but it made for an amazing drink.
In the Spring of 2002, my wife and I accompanied my parents on a visit to our extended family in England. One thing that struck me upon landing in the old country - in every single place we stopped for coffee, it was served in a French Press. It didn't matter if the locale was a proper cafe in Dunchurch, a Moto stop on the M-whatever motorway, or a little dinky coffee stop outside of the St. John's Wood tube station - every time we stopped for coffee, we literally had to STOP for coffee. It forced us to slow down and enjoy the experience, not only of our vacation, but of the wonderful coffee itself.
We're men, and to a certain extent our lives are guided by ritual and tradition. It's one of the things that defines us as men, and any chance we get to relax and immerse ourselves in the ritual of living as a man should be savored. Brewing a fine cup of coffee, whether it's just for ourselves or to share with a beautiful woman on a lazy Sunday morning is a nice simple extension of our passion for living; certainly more so than running into Starbucks and ordering a venti-non-fat-no-foam-extra-hot-three-raw-sugar-cup-of-swill-in-a-paper-cup.