French Press
Arguably the most polarizing brewing method around, and famous for its robust and gritty structure, the French press method is all about the details. Along with measuring out the coffee and water, it’s important to focus on timing: when to break the crust, when to decant. And clean the dang thing before checkout—your Airbnb host will thank you.
Step 1
Boil about 8 ounces more water than you need for brewing. You will use this for brewing as well as preheating your French press.
Step 2
Once the kettle boils, preheat the French press by pouring about 8 ounces of water into it. Once the French press is warm, pour that same water into your mugs to preheat them.
Step 3
Weigh the coffee. Adjust your grinder to grind the coffee similar to the above reference.
Step 4
Place the French press on the scale and tare it to zero. Add the ground coffee to the French press. Tare to zero again.
Step 5
Set the timer for 4–6 minutes. A shorter brew time will produce a brighter cup. A longer brew time will produce a sweeter cup.
Step 6
Start the timer as you begin to pour the freshly boiled hot water. Completely saturate the grounds as you pour.
Step 7
The coffee grounds will float on top of the water and form a crust. Let this sit for 1 minute. This essential step allows the coffee to degas, enabling the water to yield the full potential of the coffee. This is called the bloom.
Step 8
After 1 minute, break the crust with a spoon in a downward motion. Begin regularly stirring the coffee every 10–30 seconds to keep the coffee from settling at the bottom of the French press. This will ensure a full and even extraction.
Step 9
Stop stirring 1 minute before the timer is up to finally let the grounds settle at the bottom. This will help keep some sediment out of your cup.
Step 10
Place the plunger on the French press and press it down slowly to ½” above the layer of coffee grounds at the bottom.
Step 11
Pour out the water preheating the mugs, and serve the coffee.
