Knowing how to make French Press coffee means knowing how to make what is probably the most robust, the richest coffee in the world. Ah, French means the spice of life, no? Mon Dieu, knowing the secrets of how to make French Press coffee shall surely lead to le bon vivant!
In truth, while it sounds like it must be a complicated, rocket-science type thing to know how to make coffee in a French Press, it isn't. French press instructions are very simple, and using the French Press to make coffee is fun. It's like the French kiss... simple, but first you still need to know what you're doing and what's required of you.
The biggest manufacturer of the French Press equipment is Bodum. The French Press is sometimes known the "press pot" or often times just "plunger". When you begin to make French Press coffee, you will need a tea kettle in addition to the French press.
The first part of knowing how to make French Pressed coffee is selecting really good coffee to begin with. As with most coffee brewing methods, any coffee can be French pressed. But, if you're using an exceptional brewing method, don't you want to use a better grade or blend of coffee than you would choose for everyday automatic drip coffee? Of course you do.
"City blend" or "French roasted" coffee beans are usually among the best with a French coffee press, because they are a darker roasted variety of coffee bean. Vietnamese or other Far East Asian coffees (they were taught by the French and Dutch colonialists a few centuries ago and they have arguable the best coffee-growing geophysical conditions on the planet) are also good choices.
As a rule of thumb with brewing any and all coffee, you should buy your own beans and grind them yourself. If you can't grind your own beans, or perhaps just don't feel like doing this step, buy small, vacuum-sealed bags of coffee.
Assuming, though, that you'll grind your own beans, know that a coarse grind works best in the French press coffee maker. Too fine a grind will result in sediment in your finished cup of coffee. A coarser grind will allow the filter to screen out unwanted particles, and ensures total separation of the liquid from the sediments.
Now, the next step preparing French Pressed coffee is estimating just the right proportions of coffee to the water. Simply use 1 ½ level tablespoons of ground coffee per six ounces of water. This will produce a very strong coffee, if you prefer a milder taste, just adjust the coffee down to 1 tablespoons. Experiment to see how you prefer your pressed coffee. And for the purest taste, always use the highest quality water available, filtered or bottled (not distilled) water is best.
Take your teakettle and fill it with cold, filtered water. Bring the water to a boil. Once it is boiling, take it off the heat and pour it directly onto the grounds in the French press coffee maker. Immediately put your lid on the pot, but wait for 3 - 5 minutes, allowing the coffee grounds steep before you depress the plunger. This will ensure that the coffee will exude all of it's very best flavor first.
There is nothing like the aroma of French pressed coffee steeping.
You will see that the coffee grounds expand or "swell" during the steeping process. After you have allowed the grounds to steep for up to 5 minutes, gently push down the French Press plunger, and watch as the mesh filter pushes the coffee grounds to the bottom to separate the liquid from the grounds.
Voila! You know how to make coffee using a French coffee press! There is no going back once you have experienced how easy and truly wonderful this coffee making method can be.
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