Photo by bloodstone/iStockphoto
Nearly all the coffee I brew for myself is press pot or espresso. I love my espresso machine, of which you will certainly hear much more in the future, but an espresso or a caffé macchiato just doesn't last long enough for the first awakening of my taste buds in the morning. I no longer enjoy the steamed-milk and espresso cappuccino, and I never liked the extreme dilution of a caffé latte.
Thus, in the morning I use the press pot (also known as the plunger pot or French Press), which can make a mug or two, or four, according to the situation and mood.
The moment I first became enamored with press pot coffee was nearly concurrent with my entry into the profession. [Curator's note: the press pot also shows darker roasts to their best advantage, as Peet's coffee has always demonstrated.] Because the metal screen is more porous than a paper filter, it allows the coffee oils and sediment, and the entire coffee flavor, to be present in the cup, and because the filter is metal rather than paper, it doesn't impart any other flavors (if you keep it clean), as paper filters inevitably do.
The classic press pot is elegantly simple: a glass or metal cylinder, a metal screen filter, and the lid. One should preheat the glass with hot water from the kettle, or at least hot tap water. Measure the coffee grounds (two tablespoons for each six fluid ounces of water), then pour in the hot water--about a third of the pot at first.
Photo by Jerry Baldwin
All of the popular brands, Bodum, Bonjour, and Melior (now owned by Bodum, also known as La Cafetiere in the UK) make four standard sizes, using the European cup measure: 3, 4, 8, or 12 cups (12, 17, 32, and 48 fluid ounces). Frieling, Bodum, and others also make unbreakable stainless steel and plastic models.
The photo, seen at top, has both the classic eight and 12-cup models. The principal differences among various brands and editions are the finish work of the metal, and the handle and knob. There are inexpensive press pots available, made less expensive by lower-quality elements, including thinner glass.
I cannot recommend this brewing method highly enough, but it does depend on you to purchase fresh beans, grind before brewing, use enough coffee, and only brew the amount you will consume in 20-30 minutes. It's easy to brew more and the method is very flexible. Unlike some other methods, you get equally good results with any fraction of a pot.
Keep the screen filter clean! If you don't want to wash it thoroughly, after you've rinsed out the grounds, put enough water in the pot to cover the screen. This will keep the oils from going rancid. Take the filter apparatus apart and put the whole thing in the dishwasher, or wash and rinse each part carefully at least once a week.
Not everyone loves this method, I'm sorry to hear. People complain of sediment, but this is the byproduct of filtering that lets the oil and the flavor of the coffee pass through into the cup. I find it much, much more satisfying than a cup of filtered drip coffee, though I don't drink the dregs. Others complain that the coffee cools too fast. Preheating the pot and the cups, making smaller, fresher quantities, and using a pot cozy will all help; Bodum makes an insulated glass model, and Bodum and Frieling make insulated stainless steel models. Some people seem to break the beakers often. I haven't broken a beaker in decades, but one could purchase the stainless steel models or be more careful.
[Unlike the curator! I break mine about once a year, faithfully, and have memorized every store in a 20-mile radius that carries refills. Recently I've taken to using an opaque thermal reinforced-glass carafe made by Bonjour, not as elegant or well-engineered as the models Jerry recommends but durable at least. And--subject for another day--I use mine for tea.]
Some people like the simpler cleanup of a paper filter, but I am not willing to sacrifice flavor for convenience. I think cleanup is easy enough. Depending on where I am, I put coffee grounds (not espresso grounds) down the sink drain. This has never caused any problem in my plumbing. But it does remove the grounds from the compost bin, where they really belong. Coffee grounds of all types are a valuable addition to the compost.
The entire coffee buying and roasting crew at Peet's use press pots as their primary brewer. It's the only method that puts all the flavor of our coffee in the cup.
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We recently started using a press pot at home and have been wondering about grinding the beans at home: we know it's preferable generally but we have a basic home grinder with nothing comparable to the "french press" setting that they have on the commercial grinder at our market. I assume that we will get even more sediment if we use the smaller grind on our home grinder. So far we've been going to the market and grinding small batches on the french press setting, no more than a weeks' worth at a time. Any suggestions? Is there another work around other than just living with the increased sediment (we get a lot already even with the commercial grinder)?
Dre, your home grinder should work well for this most forgiving brewing method. Going too fine will result in a faster extraction and a more difficult press, so proceed with caution, but the benefit of grinding fresh far outweighs this minor inconvenience.
You will get sediment even with a relatively coarse grind, as it's the fines that pass through the mesh, not the actual grounds. Just let the sediment settle and don't drink that last half sip in your cup.
Grinding coffee beans just before brewing is the best way to improve the coffee you're drinking.
I have been using a French press for about a year. I got the idea from an episode of Good Eats with Alton Brown. I was never happy with our drip coffee maker. The coffee was always bitter.
We used blade grinder initially. We never got the grind fine enough, and the coffee tended to be weak. We got a burr grinder and it was worked great. I see some sediment, but it is not a problem.
I drink my coffee black, and I never have trouble with the temperature. My wife drinks hers with a lot of cream and has complained about it not being hot enough.
If the home grinder is a blade grinder, it will result in more sediment because it does not achieve nearly as uniform a grind as a burr grinder that allows the beans to fall out of the grinding mechanism as soon as they reach the desired size. Still, sediment is a fact of life with a french press regardless of grind quality and I think using a blade grinder is preferable for this method to drinking coffee that was ground a week earlier. Blue Bottle has an excellent guide to using a french press effectively: http://www.bluebottlecoffee.net/preparation_frenchpress.html.
The correct web address is http://www.bluebottlecoffee.net
Then click on Preparation in the list on the left. Tabs will direct you to your preferred type of prep.
one thing about presses: the coffee grounds are not as easy to compost as with a drip/paper filter system; getting most of the grounds into the recycle bin is a nuisance but can just toss the filter and grounds onto the compost pile
Dre—
Richa is right. You should definitely grind your own coffee immediately prior to brewing. Blender style grinders are less than ideal for french press since it's hard to get an even grind that isn't finer than you would ideally want. It's still worth doing, even with this sort of grinder, since coffee flavor deteriorates quite quickly after grinding.
The only thing more important than this probably using enough coffee. You don't waste coffee by being generous in the amount you use, rather by brewing it too weak.
Your problems with this sort of grinder center around having too fine a grind. There are several things you can do to make things go better:
First, be careful how you grind. Stop the grinder and inspect the coffee once or twice to see how its going. You are looking for the coarsest possible even grind. For this method, it's probably better to have a few overly large chunks than too much fine dust. I find that this is best accomplished with short pulses rather than a continuous grind.
The inevitably finer grind will definitely have more sediment than with a burr grinder and you should be careful when pressing the coffee as the grounds can form a plug if they are not thoroughly wetted and still floating at the top of the brew. The upside is that it brews much more quickly with the finer grind—90 seconds may be adequate.
Secondly, there is something called a nylon fine sediment filter available from the folks at sweetmarias.com. (Look for their French press page.) This is just a finer additional filter that you install on the plunger. This doesn't make pressing any easier but it does noticeably reduce the amount of sediment present in the pressed coffee.
Finally, save up for a burr grinder. Even though you can make fine french press coffe without one, you will be glad you did. Or you can do like I do and keep your eyes open for an old one. I've found several at flea markets over the years. The rule is to look out for smallish cast metal things with cranks. If it's shiny it's probably a meat grinder, otherwise there's a decent chance it's a grinder, or if you are really lucky, an old style roaster!
Thanks for the great article! I have been a French press user for a number of years and have gone through numerous glass carafes and I really appreciate the links to the plastic ones.
I will second (or third) the recommendation for a good burr grinder. They do a great job of producing a consistent grind. I'd also recommend either finding a source of freshly roasted beans, or perhaps roasting them yourself. Recently roasted quality beans that are freshly ground and used in a French press produce the BEST coffee.
Question: Where can I purchase a press like the one in the top picture? I think it is an amazing piece of work and would love to have one.
A very informative article! I'll have to try your technique (1/3 water, stir, remaining water) sometime. I've been using all the water, filling it until the head just reaches the top, than stirring to let off the gas, which leaves just the right amount of room in my 12 cup Bodum for the plunger.
As far as cleanup, I found a use for my old manual drip maker, I put a filter in the filter holder, take the strainer out of the sink and put the filter holder over the drain. I put some water in the carafe, rinsing off the plunger and stirring to loosen the grinds. Than I pour into the filter and let gravity do the rest. This keeps the grinds out of the drain and leaves you with something to compost if you so choose.
Hope this is helpful to someone out there!
I've found the brewing method really depends on your coffee. Some coffees are good in a press pot (IMO, most are, actually -- making the French press a good choice).
Others excel, however, as espresso (a number of blends, certain single origins) or as vacuum pot coffee (particularly freshly roasted, brighter coffees from islands, Central America, etc.). Others still, say with a little roast age or a darker roast, perform better in a stove top moka pot.
Each coffee has different characteristics. And the best brewing process used for the extraction of flavors, and retention of not-so-good flavors, can vary based upon what coffee you're drinking.
I used a press for years with really varied results before getting serious about making good coffee. First I got a burr style grinder to get a good, coarse grind. Then I started making careful, consistent measurements (for me, five level tablespoons is sufficient for the 1 liter Bodum). Then I started controlling for temperature and brew times (water goes in at 195 degrees; brews for 5 minutes total). Then I got really careful about technique (fill 1/4, swirl thoroughly, fill the rest of the way, stir; after brewing, plunge very slowly).
If you're heating water from a kettle, you can bring it to a boil and then use a thermometer to measure how quickly your kettle loses heat. After that it's just a standard interval from boiling to pouring. But my life got a lot easier when I bought a variable temperature electric kettle (mine is from Breville).
One word: AeroPress™
I got an AeroPress about three years ago, after a slew of different drip and French Press coffee-brewing devices. I've never looked back.
It has all the benefits of the French Press [direct control over the process; better dispersion of the volatiles via mixing; etc.] and none of the drawbacks [grounds in the cup; poor yield per pound of beans due to the coarse grind; grounds left in the pot, slowing becoming bitter...]. I can now make coffee that's better than Starbucks or any of the other high-end cafes at home. It's to the point where I seldom drink coffee outside anymore - it's just too bitter or flavorless.
If you _really_ like coffee, you can afford a burr grinder. If you can afford a burr grinder, you can't afford not to get an AeroPress - it's only ~$30.
Don't take my word for it, though. Check out reviews on the web. The only reason this hasn't taken over the coffee-making world is that it's just not marketed and distributed well. Don't let that stop you - it's the best $30 you'll spend on coffee.
any good suggestions among these comments. Thanks to all of you for your interest in good coffee.
Let me add a few comments to the grinder discussion. Everyone who has recommended burr grinders is correct. For those still using a whirring blade grinder, consider installing a new blade:
www.culinaryparts.com
The best way to get a more even grind is to pick up the grinder and rotate it side to side while grinding. This helps the grinder to mix the particles; otherwise the fine particles all gather at the bottom. One could also count seconds and do it the same way each time to get a consistent result.
Melior formerly included a fine mesh nylon filter with new pots. I always threw them out, not caring about the sediment--so I'm not sure whether filters are still included. But generousmedium is right. Sweet Maria's does sell them and has them in stock as of April 8.
http://www.sweetmarias.com/frpress_images/frpress.nylon-screens.jpg
Jerry, great wisdom shared, thank you. I have a favorite French Press that I picked up at an outdoor gear shop made from titanium that is light and indestructible that I travel with everywhere. You can almost always get hot water, or if I am highly indulgent in my packing I will bring the small Bodum water heater, too. I have regretted anytime I am without it as it is the most sure way that I can wake up to a satisfying cup of coffee. I have many great memories around that little pot. Thanks for your advocacy of this preferred method of brewing. And thank you for your investment in a coffee blog. Bravo! -dh
A really nice article here. Thank you for the information you've provided.
I'm new to the world of grinding coffee and the French Press. I've only been grinding my own coffee and using a French Press for about 2 months now. While doing so, I've really improved the taste and enjoyment I get from drinking a good brew. However, something that's been bothering me, and has not been mentioned here at all in this article, are the alleged health effects of brewing coffee this way.
The following article states that brewing coffee via French Press can have negative impacts on Bad-Cholesterol levels.
http://health.msn.com/health-topics/cholesterol/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100110386
I was wondering if Jerry or anyone else on this forum has any helpful information regarding the French Press brewing method and the effects on your Cholesterol. Thanks for your time.
Jerry - I greatly appreciate the morning ritual of preparing coffee in a French press. It takes little time and the results are delicious, satisfying and invigorating. Not only do French presses brew great coffee, they are lovely and stylish and they make a kitchen feel cozy. Thanks for your excellent comments on how to brew wonderful coffee in these simple little machines.
I do adore my French press for quick coffee fixes, but my preferred brewing method is making concentrated coffee via cold brew. That way I can have it hot or cold, and it works well with even low quality coffees (for a while, the only type we could get in China) as well as the coffee and chicory that I was raised on.
When I'm trying a new coffee, however, I always reach for the French press.
i used to own a coffee house and our house coffee was always made in a press.
To avoid the sediment in my cup, I simply pour the coffee though through a mesh tea strainer on its way into my cup-this catches all of the sediment, and I can drink that last bit of coffee in my cup.
Thanks to everyone for their response to my grinder question. Sounds like I need to start looking for a burr grinder.
Dear Jerry,
French press brew contains two potent diterpenes, cafestol and kahweol, which cause the human body to manufacture LDL cholesterol. This results in LDL cholesterol levels about ten percent higher for the average French press coffee drinker vs. drinkers of paper-filtered coffee.
If you google "French press" cholesterol, you'll get 13,800 hits. See, for example:
"In fact, cafestol is the most potent dietary cholesterol-elevating agent known, said Dr. David Moore, professor of molecular and cellular biology at BCM, and Dr. Marie-Louise Ricketts, a postdoctoral student and first author of the report. Cafetiere, or French press coffee, boiled Scandinavian brew and espresso contain the highest levels of the compound, which is removed by paper filters used in most other brewing processes."
http://www.bcm.edu/news/item.cfm?newsID=912
Paper Filters Reduce Cholesterol in Coffee - By DIPALI PATHAK
Baylor College of Medicine
"French-press coffee, boiled Scandinavian brew and espresso contain the highest levels of cafestol. None of those methods use paper filters."
http://www.texmedctr.tmc.edu/root/en/TMCServices/News/2007/07-15/Paper+Filters+Reduce+Cholesterol.htm
Although the health risks of unfiltered coffee had been well known for more than a decade, I was not aware of this while developing the AeroPress. But blind tasters always preferred paper-filtered AeroPress brew over metal-filtered AeroPress brew - despite claims that paper removes flavorful oils. Thus we (fortunately) chose paper filtration for the AeroPress.
You mentioned that paper filters inevitably impart flavor to the brew. Perhaps that was true in the past, but blind tasters were unable to distinguish between clear hot water and the same water passed through AeroPress microfilters.
Sincerely yours,
Alan Adler
www.aerobie.com
I enjoy the pressed pot, but as Harold McGee points out (in the invaluable On Food and Cooking), the stability of press brew is poor. So its (very real) flavor benefits are fleeting. For my own consumption, press is great. But for a larger group, a good pot of drip works fine.
He does say on p 445 that the press pot "leaves tiny suspended particles in the brew..." This is part of the texture and flavor that I love. He also says on p 447, "Freshly brewed coffee is best enjoyed immediately--its flavor is evanescent." This second quotation is correctly applied to all brewing methods. For me, this is the operative sentence.
For groups of 8-12 or so, I just crank out pot after pot of the 1.5 liter presspot (I have several.) It's great because everyone get very fresh coffee. Bigger groups present challenges.
A caution to other readers: Harold McGee's 2004 edition is much more, though not entirely, accurate about coffee. The earlier 1984 version had many mistakes, and I do not recommend the coffee section of the earlier edition.
Jerry, you are indisputably the Godfather of Presspotting, but attention must be given to the history of this technology and ritual,and to the late and lightly lamented Insta-Brewer which dates from the dark days of 1942, Still, who can forget the young and urbane Michael Caine, nonchalantly brewing up a pot of...what?....may have been coffee, in the 1965 film THE IPCRESS FILE with what else? an ugly old Insta-Brewer, whose simple process all these latter-day designer machines so shamelessly aggrandized.
The Insta-Brewer was ungainly, with its awkward vertical proportions and cheap black plastic fittings, and the metal band held the unforgivably thin-glassed beaker in a stranglehold that all too often led to breakage and heartbreak in the morning.
It is also good to remember that it was an American product, made in Pennsylvania. It was cheap. So cheap, in fact, that one wonders if the Insta-Brewer's corporate owners were not selling press pots, but replacement beakers. But Man, that was coffee.