Brewing on the French Press

Brewed Guatemala coffee on the French Press

I just visited some friends in their newly opened lifestyle hairdressing salon, which is combined with a marketing department inside. They have for some time been fascinated by the specialty coffee that I make, so I offered to brew some cups. I took along my 8 cups French Press from Bodum, which is suitable for about four people, if they only drink one cup each. I also took a bag of my newly roasted volcanic coffee from Guatemala Antigua, which especially has a special character, when brewed on a french press.

I just figured in the shop, that I should summarize the steps in producing a well brewed french press, so I snap a couple of pictures along the brewing process and this is what I come up with.

Including serving spoon when purchasing a Bodum press pot

When you have some freshly roasted beans which is properly ground for french press (Should be so coarse that it wouldn't penetrate the filter), the dosage is the next variable to consider. Bodum have including this serving spoon along with their french press, which makes its fairly simple to dosage the right use of ground coffee. The chosen french press for today is a 8 cup, which equals 8 serving spoons.

The most people who seeks a more powerful cup have a trend of adding an extra serving spoon. This of cause affects the press filter, contributing a filter that can't be pressed down all the way, which also maybe leading to a over extracted cup of coffee.

8 serving spoons of ground coffee poured into a 8 cup french press

The right way of controlling whether your cup should hold some more intense, dark, powerful and stronger flavors is only by letting the water fusion with the coffee grounds a little longer then normal. I go be my own set off rules;

• Thin coffee (Tea like appearance with coffee flavors): Under 4 minutes.
• General coffee (Coffee flavors which is enjoyed by the most people) 4-6 minutes.
• Strong coffee (Dark cup of coffee with more bitterness): 6-8 minutes.

In the above picture is shown how much coffee 8 serving spoon is providing to the french press.

CO2 gasses is realized from the coffee grounds.

The next step is simply to add water on the already added coffee grounds. The picture above shows the reaction of the water impacting the coffee ground, because the hot water causes the CO2 gasses within the coffee grounds released and is therefore piling up.

Release the CO2 gasses by stirring

If you want the coffee ground to fully merge with the hot water, you have to release the CO2 gasses trapped in layers of coffee grounds. Simply take a spoon, which you stir in circles in the foamy layer of mixed coffee grounds and gasses.

When you have real eased these gasses, fill up the french press to the bottom of the silver line and let it merge, until your preferred tasting zone.

// Hendrup

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