what is the proper course grind for french press

Full Answer

What is the best grind for a French press?

The best grind for a French press is coarse or medium-coarse since the larger particles will slowly extract during the few minutes they are left in the French press. You can use a French press with fine-ground coffee if you like but you’ll need to adjust the steeping time significantly to prevent overextraction and bitterness.

Can you use a French press with fine-ground coffee?

You can use a French press with fine-ground coffee if you like but you’ll need to adjust the steeping time significantly to prevent overextraction and bitterness. Delicious coffee is also needed for this process, though there is no set flavor or brand.

What equipment do you need to buy a French press?

We dive into these variations in the section about buying a french press. The French Press is widely used because you do not need fancy equipment like a long neck kettle, a supply of paper filters or any electricity to brew with it. The minimum ingredients to make French Press coffee are hot water, ground coffee and a French Press.

Do I need to warm up my French press?

It is often recommended to "warm up" the French Press and mug but there is little evidence that it impacts the taste of your coffee. If your French Press hasn't been used in a while this step can help wash out any dust or left over residue. Once the water is heated up, pour it into the empty French Press beaker to fill it 1/4 of the way up.

How long does it take for coarse grounds to steep in a French press?

However, since they’re extra-big, they take a little longer to reach that flavor sweet spot - that’s why the normal french press recipe has a 4-minute steep time.

How long to brew French press coffee?

The mesh filter means you can’t use fine or medium grounds. So you use coarse grounds, but they take longer to reach that sweet spot. So you brew for 4 minutes to ensure your coffee’s flavorful and balanced. When you’re making french press coffee, always use a coarse grind size. Shop COFFEE GRINDERS for French Press.

How to control coffee grind size?

The only way to take control of coffee grind sizes to brew better coffee is to use a burr coffee grinder. With a grinder in hand, you can change the grind size depending on your needs. And this means that you can make small adjustments over time to the grind size to improve your coffee.

What does it mean when coffee grinds are wrong?

The wrong grind size can mean your coffee brews way too fast or too slow. This destroys your coffee’s flavor and makes it either way too bitter or even super sour, which is disappointing for your taste buds. The bigger issue here is the second one: bad flavor. You see, different size coffee grounds brew at different speeds.

How fast do coffee grounds brew?

The grounds need to extract faster than a french press (4-minut e brew) but slower than an espresso-like shot (45-second brew). Here’s what you need: These medium-size grounds brew fast enough to reach that sweet spot, but not so fast that you overshoot it and make bitter coffee.

Is a hand grinder as powerful as an electric grinder?

This hand grinder is smooth and quick to use, but the simple mechanics make it just as powerful as electric grinders two times the cost. A stellar budget and travel grinder.

Do French press coffee makers use paper filters?

French presses feature a classic mesh filter that keeps grounds out of your coffee, but doesn’t require you to create paper waste with a paper filter. It encourages a richer brew and is environmentally-friendly, but it does come with a notable drawback…. Grounds too small tend to get stuck in the filter. If you use “regular” ground coffee ...

How does a French press work?

The French Press works by steeping coffee grounds and hot water in a beaker. Once the coffee is done steeping, a metal mesh filter is pressed to the bottom of the beaker which separates the coffee grounds from the liquid coffee destined for your mug. The metal mesh filter allows the natural oils found in coffee and fine particles to pass ...

How to determine strength of French press coffee?

Strength is calculated by the ratio of dissolved coffee to water that ends up in your mug, also known as total dissolved solids (TDS).

How to make coffee with a plunger?

Gently stir the coffee and water for a few seconds to ensure all of the coffee grounds are wet. Place the top on the beaker with the plunger pulled all of the way up to help keep the temperature up while the coffee brews. Set the timer for 3:30 and let the coffee steep in peace.

Why is a scale used to measure coffee?

A scale is the best way to measure coffee because coffee beans have different densities depending on how they were grown, processed and roasted. If a scale isn't available it is possible to measure by volume. The measurement marks on the Handground hopper in the picture above each represent ~10g.

Why is it important to use coffee grounds in French press coffee?

This is especially important when making French Press coffee because the coffee grounds are steeped with the water for so long. If you have uneven particle sizes, like the ones produced by a blade grinder, the small particles will get over-extracted (bitter) and the large ones will be under-extracted.

How to measure coffee before brewing?

As a reminder, it is best to measure coffee with a scale and to grind whole beans just before brewing. If you are using pre-ground coffee, it may be easier to do step 3 first and then measure the pre-ground coffee as your pour it into the French Press beaker.

What is a French press coffee?

French Presses use a metal filter that allows natural oils and fine particles from the coffee beans to pass through into your cup. This is what gives French Press coffee it's rich and hearty body compared to brewing methods that use a paper filter.

French press anatomy

There are only a few pieces that make up the best French press models, though each one is extremely important. Knowing what these parts are for can help you learn how to operate a French press with ease.

What you need to make French press coffee

Now that you know what pieces make up one of these coffee makers, it’s time to discuss what you need to learn how to use a French coffee press. Aside from the press itself, there are a few other items you need to gather before you can get started.

How much coffee to use in a French press

French presses need specific coffee amounts, just like drip coffee makers, though the ratio of water to coffee is a bit different due to the longer steeping time. The following chart shows how much water and coffee you should be using, depending on whether you prefer light, medium, or strong coffee and the size of the French press you’re using.

French press coffee instructions

Once you’ve gathered everything you need, it’s time to learn how to properly use a French press. The following sections are step-by-step instructions on the best method for this. You should also check the French press coffee instructions included with the model you buy, just in case they differ from the usual method.

Using French press by brand

Though most French press models have a similar look, there are a few brands that are more well-known for their high-quality products. We’ll discuss a couple of these brands below.

How to use French press by brew

We’ve discussed how to use a French press for coffee, but what about other tasty beverages? The methods for brewing both iced coffee and tea are listed below.

Final thoughts

There are several different machine options available to make a great cup of coffee. Though drip coffee makers are a good choice, many people are choosing a French press for the delicious, robust flavors it offers.

Why is a fine grind needed for espresso?

Fine grind is required because of the short time the coffee grind comes in contact with water. Pressure builds up in the espresso maker which forces the water through the fine grinds. If you were to use a coarse grind, the water would not be able to extract the flavour from the beans.

What is the best coffee grind for pour over?

For pour over coffee, the best grind to use is a medium-coarse grind. A medium-coarse grind will be similar in size to a French press grind but less chunky and will feel slightly smoother. If you are using a cone-shaped pour over, then use a medium-fine coffee grind instead. Since there are many different pour over brewers, each one will need a slightly different grind. You may need to experiment a bit more with this method until you find what tastes best for you. Keep in mind: the less time the water is in contact with the coffee grind, the finer the grind should be.

What is the best coffee to grind?

If you don’t already have one, you’ll want to get yourself a burr grinder for a better tasting coffee each morning. Though a conical burr grinder is more expensive than a blade grinder, it will create a better quality grind. This is because burr grinders are much more versatile and precise.

What is the most important step in coffee making?

One of the most important, and oftentimes overlooked steps in the coffee making process is the coffee grind. Over grinding or not grinding enough can make or break the bold and rich taste that coffee provides.

Can you use a burr grinder for coffee?

Therefore, you can use one grinder for any kind of coffee. They are also much more precise than blade grinders. Burr grinders create a much more even grind size than blade grinders, which makes for better coffee. More consistent sizes in the grind will provide better control of the flavor extraction from your coffee maker.

Is a conical burr grinder better than a blade grinder?

Though a conical burr grinder is more expensive than a blade grinder, it will create a better quality grind. This is because burr grinders are much more versatile and precise. They are versatile because they have different settings for grinds from extra coarse (for cold-brew) to fine (for espresso).

Do pour over brewers need different grinds?

Since there are many different pour over brewers, each one will need a slightly different grind. You may need to experiment a bit more with this method until you find what tastes best for you. Keep in mind: the less time the water is in contact with the coffee grind, the finer the grind should be.