IMPROVING YOUR FRENCH PRESS COFFEE BREWING

WHY BREW WITH THE FRENCH PRESS?

The French press is an immersion brewing method, meaning that the coffee extracts while it is submerged in water. After it is allowed to brew for a certain amount of time, the filter is plunged downwards to separate the grounds from the brewed coffee.

Because the filter is more porous than, for instance, a paper filter used with a pour over brewing method, it allows more of the coffee’s oils to pass through. However, this also makes it more likely that there will be small particles of ground coffee at the bottom of your cup.

Amael Candanedo owns the specialty coffee shop Siete Granos in Panama. He recommends that home brewers experiment using a French press: “It allows you to make small adjustments to the variables. It’s inexpensive, and there are all sizes and all materials, so it’s accessible. Finally, you don’t need a whole lot of gadgets to execute the method. It’s very easy to use, and you can make many cups at once.”

When compared to other brewing methods, the French press can also be a lot more forgiving if you aren’t precise. Costa Rican barista Fabiola Solano says: “With some pouring methods, where you have to be much more careful about how you pour water and not to do it too fast. With the French press there’s no such risk. It’s almost infallible. 

“For someone who wants to try specialty coffee for the first time, it’s a very good way to start.”