# A Full Court Press on the French Press!



## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

Some time back member orange fury, in post #779 of the "What Are You Drinking" thread, featured a photo of a French Press and proclaimed the inherent superiority of a cup of coffee made by said method. My gastronomic passions inflamed I rushed right out and purchased the requisite French press, a "bodum Chambord 8 Cup Press," though let the record show that their definition of the volume of a cup and mine (mine's way bigger!)are drastically different. Also picked up some coarsely ground coffee. Brought it all home and prepared my first pot of "pressed coffee...and it was good...not great, but certainly very good. However, given the glass carafe, my second cup (and this just about emptied the 8 cup 'bodum Chanbord') was unsatisfactorily cooler than the first. 

Hence a second shopping foray, resulting in the purchase of a second press, a "frieling French Solution" (their labeling, not mine!), which featured an insulated stainless steel carafe. The freiling did indeed solve the problem of the cold second cup and eliminated the few grounds that always seem to make their way into the cup of joe made with the bodum Chambord. At this point my collector's instinct kicked in and I went shopping in search of a third example of the French press to add to my collection(!), resulting in the purchase of a coffee press offered by le Creuset in stoneware....a better insulator than the glass carafe, but the worst of my little group in terms of producing a cup of Joe, absent residual grounds in our cup! Bottom line seems to be a French press yields a very good cup of coffee, but not that much better than coffee properly brewed by other methods and if a few wayward grounds in your cup creep you out, a press is not the coffee maker for you.

This all got me to thinking what the experiences of others with French presses and other, perhaps even more exotic methods of making that morning cup of Joe might include. Please, share your experiences/thoughts and recommendations!


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## mankson (Sep 27, 2012)

Interesting post. I've been using a Bodum press for quite a while, but I don't find that second cup to be too much cooler than the first.

One thing you might try is grinding your own beans. While the usual prescription for the press is coarse grind, I find that I get much better brews by making my own finer grind. If the beans are freshly roasted (or at least not too old), then you'll also get more of the oils, which enhances the flavor.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

^^Thank you for the suggestions on how I might get a better cup of Joe fro a French press! As to the differing temps of our second cups from the Bodum press, I suspect I may dawdle over my cup a bit more extensively than you might, taking 15 to 20 minutes to finish a mug. I suspect the delay in pouring the second cup may account for the differing temperatures noted. As to the fineness of the grind, I'm going to have to pick up a grinder before I can start experimenting with that aspect of the preparation. However, does the finer grind result in more grounds in your cup?


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## barneco (Mar 4, 2014)

Long-time coffee snob and french press user, myself.

At first glance, it would seem that fineness of the grind might affect the the amount of sludge you end up with in at the bottom of your cup, but for the most part it doesn't. What it DOES affect is the ease of plunging, as well as the extraction rate. A change in fineness of the grind will change the amount of time the grounds need to spend steeping for optimal extraction. It's a balance between ease of plunging(not flavor related) and the amount of coffee used. You can "stretch" the beans a bit(i.e. use a bit less beans) with a finer grind(because more is extracted), but go too fine and it'll be tough to plunge, and the transition from optimal to over-extraction gets much quicker. I get the best results from a grind size that's VERY roughly equivalent to grains of kosher salt.

What really affects how much sludge you get in your cup is the _evenness _of the grind. The best grinders grinders will end up producing particles of the target grind size consistently. Less-than-perfect grinders will produce grains of the desired size, but also smaller particles of varying sizes down into the "dust" range, which is called "fines" and is what makes its way past the screen and into your cup as sludge. It really doesn't matter what size grind you select...a poor grinder will produce dust and fines on a coarse grind setting as well as an espresso grind setting.

If you're going to begin grinding your own(highly recommended), I'd recommend the following grinder:

https://www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-L...271&sr=8-4&keywords=kitchenaid+coffee+grinder

It's not a multi-purpose machine(i.e. it wouldn't do for an espresso grinder), but it's an EXCELLENT drip/press machine. I'll have to dig for the link, but someone conducted a test matching this grinder against some popular cheaper grinders, as well as some 1K+ professional espresso grinders, and this one was proven to produce the most even grind for coffee in the drip and press ranges.

That said, you'll NEVER eliminate the sludge from a press cup. It's part of the deal. I personally do find that a press makes the best cup of coffee, and I'm willing to live with the sludge. In fact, I've been drinking it this way for so long, now, that if I buy a cup elsewhere and don't have it, I feel gipped!  I've come to appreciate it in much the same way I would the layer of yeast sediment in a bottle-conditioned beer. If it bothers you to the extent that you don't enjoy the cup, then I'd suggest skipping the press method - don't waste your time trying to eliminate it.

If you're really interested in improving your coffee experience, you're on the right track. This is entirely opinion, but I feel like the "bang for your buck" order of improvements over a pre-ground store-bought bag of coffee made in a krups drip machine would be:

1) Buy whole bean and grind before making (easy switch to make with drastic improvement) - look for FRESH beans, btw(if there's no date, it ain't fresh) and any grinder is better than nothing(if you don't want to spend a lot of money right away)
2) Switch to French Press (a major level above a drip machine, but imho a waste if you're using cruddy beans and not grinding your own - bad coffee is going to be bad in a french press too and may even be worse because of better extraction)
3) Home roast your own beans (bigger investment of $ and time, but I cannot possibly convey the difference between coffee I bought at the market vs coffee I roasted 4 days ago)

Also, FWIW, I have all of the presses you mention, and the Frieling insulated is by far the best. The insulating properties are the main selling point, but to be perfectly honest, I swtiched to it from the bodum varieties because I kept breaking the glass!

My recipe:

Water @ 200 deg F. 50g of beans, ground immediately before pouring. Pre-heat press by filling half-way with hot water(I fill it up, then grind beans), then empty. Add ground beans, start timer set to 4:00m, fill with water ~3/4 full. Wait 30 seconds for the bloom(or less if not using fresh beans), then stir. Finally, top off to JUST below the pour spout(any higher and you will end up with actual grounds[not fines] in your cup). Wait for time to beep, then plunge.

Sorry for the long post - I could talk coffee all day!


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## Searching_Best_Fit (Feb 11, 2015)

TBH at first I thought this was some French Cuff or Press thing, until I clicked in.

Well, the reason for that bad second cup is not only because of the temperature, it is also the amount of time water was exposed to coffee grounds, as barneco explained: over-extraction.

To get a good and full flavored coffee, you need to time the extraction precisely based on temperature, amount of beans and water. With a siphon method, one needs to see the fresh bubbles coming out of the solution to turn down the fire to get a good coffee. Timing is very important in making coffee.

Therefore, in order to produce consistent coffee taste with a French Press, when you make a 8-cup coffee pot, you need to empty it at the same time (in your case, probably two mugs). Otherwise, the coffee left in the pot will be over-extracted and/or in the wrong temperature.

I read it somewhere that some organization conduct a study of coffee extraction with espresso (pressure-steam brew), drip, press, and siphon methods. It turns out that the household dripping machine provides the most cost-effective extraction (80+% I think?).

Personally, I have a Bodum press but I only use it to brew tea, never bother it with coffee.

What barneco said is right: to get a better flavor, grind your own bean right before making it, and the bean is as fresh as possible. Make it with correct temperature and drink it at the right temperature as quickly as possible.

PS: the google found me a link to the coffeefaq.com: https://www.thecoffeefaq.com/3brewingtechniques.html about the brewing techniques. This is described in section 3.6.

Some more links:

https://prima-coffee.com/blog/a-beginners-guide-to-immersion-coffee-brewing


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

barneco and Searching Best Fit: Thanks to both of you for the excellent suggestions. Clearly the major problem with my coffee brewing experience to date has been me, LOL, but in my own defense, I simply followed the instructions that came with the three presses mentioned. Based on your suggestions, the first item on my 'to buy' list is a good coffee grinder. As to water temperature, I've simply been heating it in a tea pot to the point of boiling and then pouring it into the carafe with the previously inserted coffee grounds...the water is probably close to 212 degrees, as it is poured in, but I'm sure it cools to some extent throughout the four minutes it is allowed to steep. And yes, as SBF suggested, the second cup I poured from the respective carafes was not only cooler than the first, but also a bit stronger/more bitter brew. In the future I will immediately pour whatever doesn't go into the first cup into an insulated carafe, devoid of coffee grounds! Thank you again for the very informative and helpful suggestions. 

Any additional suggestions are certainly welcome...and probably much needed!


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## Searching_Best_Fit (Feb 11, 2015)

^^ Not to worry. Practice makes perfect. Just don't drink too much coffee.


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## barneco (Mar 4, 2014)

Searching_Best_Fit said:


> Just don't drink too much coffee.


Is there such a thing?!


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## barneco (Mar 4, 2014)

Searching_Best_Fit said:


> ...when you make a 8-cup coffee pot, you need to empty it at the same time (in your case, probably two mugs). Otherwise, the coffee left in the pot will be over-extracted and/or in the wrong temperature.


Excellent point - I do that as well, but neglected to say so.


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## SG_67 (Mar 22, 2014)

I use a French press on the weekends. My little treat to myself. 

My tastes wonderful! I grind my beans fresh for each brewing using a burr grinder. I think freshly ground beans will give a better flavor. 

I use a Bodum press as well and don't seem to have the same problem with the coffee cooling.


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## mankson (Sep 27, 2012)

I made brief mention in my first reply, and a few others mentioned as well, but I'll repeat here: using grounds from recently roasted coffee is important, and it's better if you grind them yourself. The burr grinder, water temperature, etc., won't matter if you're using old, dried grounds.

You can get whole beans in a number of places, but it's best if you can see the beans before you buy, so you can see whether they're still oily - the oils make the flavor. If you're lucky, you can find someplace that roasts on-site - Zumbachs in New Canaan is my favorite place for this (I don't live near there anymore, but I visit the area multiple times a year and always stock up when I do). There are also mail-order places that will ship soon after roasting - Dean's Beans is just one. Closer to your home, you might look into Intelligensia - I know that they were quite good when I lived in Chicago some years back, but I don't know whether they've outgrown their small-business roots.


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## SG_67 (Mar 22, 2014)

I still buy, and have done so for about 12 years, beans from Intelligentsia and can tell you they are as good now as they were back then. They've certainly grown but not out of control and, in my opinion, not so far that they've outstripped their own production capacity and ability to control quality. 

I agree though, the freshness of the grind and temperature of the water are key. Also, I brew for only 4 minutes, as anything more creates a bitter brew and anything less just flavored water.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

I may have to try some beans from Intelligentsia...right after I pick up a 'burr' grinder. Is the Kitchen Aid Burr grinder the recommended way to go? Not to sound like a piker, but will the less expensive grinders ($45 to $120 range) serve just as well or do they fall short in the fineness/coarseness of the grinding options?


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## barneco (Mar 4, 2014)

eagle2250 said:


> I may have to try some beans from Intelligentsia...right after I pick up a 'burr' grinder. Is the Kitchen Aid Burr grinder the recommended way to go? Not to sound like a piker, but will the less expensive grinders ($45 to $120 range) serve just as well or do they fall short in the fineness/coarseness of the grinding options?


Even a simple $30 Krupps blade grinder is worlds better than pre-ground beans. A (worthwhile, imho) step up from that would be a burr grinder - there are many options. The Baratza lineup is touted as an adequate set of home-use machines(https://www.amazon.com/Baratza-Enco...e=UTF8&qid=1433267307&sr=8-1&keywords=baratza). The kitchen-aid i mentioned previously isn't absolutely necessary - it's just an ideal french-press machine(excels at an even grind, and doesn't spin like an F1 machine). If I were in your position(and I once was), I'd skip the blade grinder period and opt for a budget burr grinder like the baratza. It'll be a HUGE upgrade from where you are now. If you fall in love with the hobby, you'll have justification to upgrade from that.


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## SG_67 (Mar 22, 2014)

eagle2250 said:


> I may have to try some beans from Intelligentsia...right after I pick up a 'burr' grinder. Is the Kitchen Aid Burr grinder the recommended way to go? Not to sound like a piker, but will the less expensive grinders ($45 to $120 range) serve just as well or do they fall short in the fineness/coarseness of the grinding options?


I have a Kitchen Aid Proline burr grinder and it works fine. I set it on 3 for a coarse grind and it works great.

As long as it's a burr grinder and not a blade type you're fine. The blade will heat the beans and it's difficult to get an even grind.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

Have any of you used manually powered/hand cranked grinders vs the electric powered options? Getting into the art of the coffee passion, so to speak, there are a number of rather interesting designs out there....would look good sitting on the counter, but perhaps inconvenient to use...yes. no? :icon_scratch:


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

My coffee grinder dilemma is resolved. Last evening my wife gifted me with a Kitchen Aid, Pro-Line coffee mill...what a machine and it's heavy enough, if I have to, I can use it as one of the World's most hefty paperweights. A great machine and an even greater gal! :thumbs-up:


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## SG_67 (Mar 22, 2014)

eagle2250 said:


> My coffee grinder dilemma is resolved. Last evening my wife gifted me with a Kitchen Aid, Pro-Line coffee mill...what a machine and it's heavy enough, if I have to, I can use it as one of the World's most hefty paperweights. A great machine and an even greater gal! :thumbs-up:


Eagle, 
That's what I have. I find that setting No. 3 produces the perfect coarseness for my press. Try it out and let me know what you think.


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## barneco (Mar 4, 2014)

SG_67 said:


> Eagle,
> That's what I have. I find that setting No. 3 produces the perfect coarseness for my press. Try it out and let me know what you think.


+1 on both counts. This is a perfect FP grinder.

Sent from my 831C using Tapatalk


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## Dhaller (Jan 20, 2008)

SG_67 said:


> I have a Kitchen Aid Proline burr grinder and it works fine. I set it on 3 for a coarse grind and it works great.
> 
> As long as it's a burr grinder and not a blade type you're fine. The blade will heat the beans and it's difficult to get an even grind.


I used to use a Zassenhaus hand grinder (before I got an excellent burr grinder); it was during a period of "I'm going to do things the old fashioned way", which, while admirable in spirit, well... as we all know, modern is generally better.

That said, I do enjoy bringing the Zassenhaus camping. I actually bring raw coffee beans camping, so I can roast the beans on the fire, grind them with the Zassenhaus, and then brew coffee at the camp site. Camping makes everything delicious, of course, so it's quite nice. It's too heavy to schlep through the actual bush, or on a multiday backcountry hike, but it's perfect for a softer weekend of camping.

(I'm mulling over something small to take on the actual trail - Zassenhaus does make some small grinders - but that's where their excellent construction (brass, steel, wood) become a liability. Perhaps I can really go full mountain man and just crush the beans with rocks? That's a YouTube video in the making!)

DH


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