How to brew coffee in a press. Coffee for French press: the best brands, recipe

A French press for coffee is a useful device that helps you brew your favorite drink without any problems. It was invented by the Italians back in the 19th century, but the French began to produce it on a large scale. Therefore, it is often called a French coffee pot. The convenience of this device is that the drink is brewed in it in a matter of minutes, and when poured into cups, all the grounds remain at the bottom.

This type of teapot itself is a transparent flask made of heat-resistant glass with a special piston inside. It contains a fine mesh filter that prevents the thickening from getting into the cups.

A high-quality French press is the key to a delicious drink.

When purchasing, you need to pay attention to the following details:

  1. The filter should fit tightly to the glass cylinder and rise and fall easily without any effort or jerking. There are models with silicone sealing rings along the edge of the mesh, but practice shows that they wear out quickly and give off a noticeable specific odor.
  2. The fastening of the flask must be of high quality and strong to prevent the glass cylinder from coming off.
  3. The piston is made of metal or food-grade plastic. It is better to give preference to stainless steel, as it is durable, resistant to mechanical damage, has a long service life, is easy to clean and does not absorb foreign odors.
  4. The glass must be of high quality, without chips, cracks and other minor defects.

The design of the devices is very diverse, so choosing a French press will not be difficult. The volume of the flask can be any from 350 to 1000 ml. The higher the glass cylinder, the larger the volume of the product.

How to use a French press correctly


It is better to use the tea leaves until the remainder is left, without leaving it for later, otherwise it will not acquire the best taste.

The process of brewing a drink in the device looks like this:

  1. Gently rinse the glass cylinder with hot water to prevent it from cracking from the boiling water.
  2. Add coffee or tea and pour boiling water to the top.
  3. Wait a few minutes until the drink infuses and acquires the desired taste and color.
  4. Carefully release and lift the piston several times. This allows you to get a strong drink and lower the grounds to the bottom.
  5. After this, the drink can be poured into cups.

There are practically no disadvantages to using a French press.

The advantages of using such a device are obvious:

  • low cost;
  • easy cleaning;
  • compactness;
  • ability to adjust the strength of the drink;
  • attractive look.

Coffee prepared in such a brewer is strong, thick and has a rich taste and smell, since all the essential oils are preserved in full.

Among the disadvantages, it should be mentioned that the glass cylinder is a fragile thing and can break if handled carelessly. Therefore, you should use the device carefully and carefully.

Caring for the device after use

After use, remove the piston and discard the remaining contents. When rinsing, it is advisable to ensure that there are no remaining coffee grounds left anywhere in the piston, otherwise they will adversely affect the taste of the coffee during subsequent brewing.


It is recommended to disassemble and clean the filter from time to time. The main thing is to remember the placement of the parts so that you can assemble them later.

The glass flask must not only be rinsed, but also washed well with a kitchen sponge. Long-term use leads to the accumulation of a brownish coating on its walls, which is then difficult to remove.

Which bean grinding is preferable for a French press?


Only coarsely ground beans are suitable for a French press.

For this device, coarse grinding is preferable - in the form of clearly visible pieces of ground grains. Powdered coffee will simply clog the filter. Therefore, coffee should resemble coarse sand more than the usual powder.

The correct way to brew coffee in a French press

Knowing how to brew coffee in a French press, you can often prepare such drinks.


Brewing coffee using a French press is easy.

The cooking sequence looks like this:

  1. Boil water.
  2. Grind the grains. Use only fresh raw materials, grinding them just before cooking. Then the coffee will have a tasty and lasting aroma.
  3. Transfer the crushed mass into a flask at the rate of 1 tsp. per cup.
  4. Pour boiling water over it.
  5. Leave for 3-5 minutes. There is no need to insist longer, otherwise the drink will turn out too bitter.
  6. Slowly lower the piston, being careful not to tilt the filter, otherwise the grounds will rise up. It is not recommended to move the piston sharply, as hot liquid may splash onto your hands and burn you.

The coffee is ready. All that remains is to pour it into cups. If desired, it can be supplemented with sugar, honey, cream, chocolate, caramel.

French press cappuccino

You can make cappuccino even without a coffee machine using a French press. You also need a coffee grinder and milk.


Cappuccino coffee has a pleasant and delicate taste.

Procedure:

  1. Grind the coffee.
  2. Rinse the flask with boiling water.
  3. Add coffee at the rate of 7 g per 100 ml of water. Pour hot water, which has not yet boiled, in two additions.
  4. Stir with a wooden spoon. Regular metal spoons can break fragile glass. Leave for 3-4 minutes.
  5. Lower the plunger to strain the drink. Pour coffee into cups.
  6. Heat the milk until hot. Pour into a cleaned French press and whisk the milk up and down with a quick up and down motion for 30 seconds. Leave for 30 seconds and stir with a wooden spoon to get rid of any bubbles.
  7. Procedure:
    1. Rinse the teapot with hot water.
    2. Grind the required amount of grains and pour into a French press.
    3. Slowly add boiling water. Stir and leave for 4 minutes.
    4. Carefully lower the piston down. Pour into preheated cups.
    5. Heat the milk and beat with a blender until foam forms.
    6. Add foam to coffee cups.

    You need to brew coffee at the same time as heating the milk so that the drink is not cold.

    Knowing how to use a French press, you can prepare delicious and healthy invigorating drinks for yourself and your family every day.

The prototype of the modern French press appeared in 1840, and already in 1900 the first industrial design of the “Cafeolette” appeared on store shelves and began to gain popularity. At the beginning of the twentieth century, a Milanese designer received a patent for a modern French press and launched production at the French Melior factory; this device got its name from the country of origin. History of the French Press on Wikipedia.

Sometimes this method of making coffee is criticized for being too dusty, but with the help of a regular French press, which is found in every home, you can please yourself and your loved ones with an aromatic and invigorating drink every morning.

Step one

Bring clean filtered or bottled water to almost a boil. We are preparing one cup of coffee, so we took 200 ml.

Step two

While the water is boiling, tar.
To brew a French press correctly, use our recipe: For every 100 ml of water you need 10 grams of coffee. We took 20 grams.
The grind should be coarse, like fine buckwheat or coarse sea salt, twice as coarse as for or.

Step three

Pour the ground coffee into a French press and add a small amount of hot water - about twice the weight of the beans. Stir using a bamboo stick, butter knife or regular teaspoon, you can use whatever you like.

Step four

Leave the poured coffee for 30 seconds to “bloom” - it should swell and increase in volume.

Step five

Add the remaining water. Insert the plunger into the French press flask and lower it to the surface of the coffee. Leave for 4 minutes.

Step six

Slowly, with a force of 8-9 kilograms, lower the piston. To understand how much force it should be, try pressing on a regular bathroom scale. If the piston drops tightly, then the grinding of the grain is too fine, and if it is very easy, then it is coarse.

Immediately pour the finished drink into a cup. If you leave coffee in the French press, the brewing will continue and the coffee will begin to taste bitter.

Life hack: If you like coffee with foam, then simply froth the milk in a French press. Fill a third of the flask, and by actively hitting the surface with the piston you will get a lush foam.

Which coffee is best to use for making a drink in a French press?

The most important criterion is the grinding level. Ideally, it should be as large as granulated sugar. If the grinding is fine, it will be more difficult to push the piston with the filter. However, the size of the coffee particles will not affect the taste in any way. With the right brewing technology it will be perfect!

It's time to go straight to technologies. Now we will tell you how to brew ground coffee in a French press so that it turns out for real delicious.

Before you start brewing the drink, you need to prepare everything necessary ingredients.

So, arm yourself with a French press, and don’t forget to prepare:

  • Three teaspoons of ground coffee
  • Kettle or saucepan
  • Timer

You will also need 250 ml of water - preferably bottled (but not mineral) or passed through a filter.

Step-by-step instructions - how to make coffee in a French press so that it turns out very tasty:

  • Step 1. Heat water in a kettle. But do not boil - ideally, its temperature should not be 100°C, but 90-95°C
  • Step 2. Warm up the jacket and piston by rinsing them with boiling water. It’s a good idea to warm up the cups you plan to drink from.
  • Step 3. Pour coffee into the flask. It is important to maintain proportions. For a drink with a velvety, balanced and not too bitter taste, the ideal proportions are 7 grams of ground beans per 100 ml of water
  • Step 4. Now water is poured in, but not all of it, but only 100 ml. It is important to ensure that the coffee poured inside is completely covered with water.
  • Step 5. Wait 1 minute (in order to keep track of time, it is better to use a timer)
  • Step 6. The remaining water is added to the inside of the flask. This is done very carefully so as not to damage the foam formed on the surface of the coffee.
  • Step 7. Close the lid tightly. Now wait about 3 more minutes
  • Step 8 Very carefully push the piston all the way to the end. Don't make sudden movements! If you press the plunger too hard, the hot contents may splash and burn your hands.
  • Step 9. Immediately pour the contents of the vessel into cups or pour it into another container. Otherwise, you will end up with over-extracted coffee and the flavor will become too rich and bitter.

Now you know how to make coffee in a French press - and you understand that, firstly, it is not at all difficult, and secondly, it is very convenient. Well, so that you can give your drink a truly impeccable taste, we have prepared a few more important recommendations for you. Be sure to check it out!

When choosing coffee, pay attention to the characteristics of a particular variety, characteristics of its taste pyramid. The bouquet may be dominated by acidic fruit and berry notes, or there may be notes of tobacco, tart nuts, and a noble bitterness. In general, there are a lot of shades of taste, as evidenced by the table below.

A responsible producer always describes the flavor pyramid that characterizes each variety - so that the buyer can make the right choice.

To achieve impeccable taste, it is not enough to know how to properly brew coffee in a French press. You need to choose the right one roast type- so that a particular variety fully reveals its bouquet. The degree of roasting directly affects the taste characteristics of coffee: the more intense the heat treatment, the more intense and bitter the taste will be.


It is better to grind the grains immediately before brewing. If you order already ground coffee from the manufacturer, store it in an airtight container to prevent oxygen from entering. For this purpose, Roastnmill packaging is, firstly, made from multi-layer ECO paper, and secondly, equipped with a reliable degassing valve.

Coffee is also adversely affected by sunlight, high humidity levels and foreign products with an active odor. Therefore, it should be stored in a dry and closed room - for example, in a cupboard with wooden or plastic doors.

A few words about how to brew coffee in a French press with unusual flavors:

  • Add spices - such as nutmeg, cinnamon and cardamom - necessary when direct cooking is carried out (that is, pour into the coffee powder before it is covered with water)
  • To add chocolate, alcohol, milk, cream, caramel or various toppings, the drink must first be brewed and poured into cups

Enjoy your viewing and enjoy your coffee!

How to use French press or, as this device is popularly called, bistro,- such, at first glance, a simple and easy-to-use device that allows you to quickly and easily prepare rich coffee or aromatic tea, the women’s website “Beautiful and Successful” will tell you today. We are happy to share with our readers some secrets that will help you prepare a wonderful French press coffee, and we’ll tell you about the correct sequence for brewing an aromatic drink - after all, the taste and consistency of coffee prepared in a bistro differs from what those who prepare it in a Turkish coffee pot or coffee maker are used to. In a word, today we will learn how to use a French press correctly.

French press or French press called a teapot with a glass flask and a piston (plunger) for squeezing. Also called a French press cooking method drink in this wonderful device.

Americans and Europeans have long used a French press to make coffee, but for some reason in our country this convenient and easy-to-use device is used exclusively for brewing tea.

Many people mistakenly believe that coffee made in a French press cannot be tasty. Let's try to dispel this misconception, and for this you just need to know how to use a French press.

I would like to immediately note that The taste of coffee prepared in this way will differ from the usual– it will not be the same as the taste of coffee from a Turk or a coffee maker, it will be different, but the coffee will be delicious. This will be appreciated by real coffee lovers who will listen to our advice and figure out how to use a French press.

How does a French press work?

The French press has a very simple design. Includes:

  • glass container - flask. The diameter of the flask is the same in all models, but French presses vary in size– from the smallest (0.35 ml) to the largest (1 l). The capacity increases due to the height of the flask, that is, the higher it is, the greater the volume for liquid.
  • a metal or plastic case with a handle into which the flask is inserted.
  • A metal piston (plunger) is attached to the lid. It moves up and down easily. Actually, this is what it is squeezing press. On its base there is a round mesh filter along the diameter of the flask, a small spring and a steel part, which are fastened together with a bolt.

How to use a French press: the correct coffee brewing sequence

  • First rinse the flask with boiling water and wipe dry.
  • Boil water in a kettle.
  • Preparing coffee. If you will grind just before cooking and pour into a prepared French press, then this option is the most ideal. Be sure to consider the proportions and how much coffee you need to add. The quality and taste of the drink largely depends on this - this is what those who know how to use a French press say.

At first glance, this may seem like a lot. But more often they use it for a French press coarse coffee, from which essential oils are less easily extracted, so in this case there will not be much coffee to brew. But if you have medium or finely ground grains, then the proportion can be reduced. It all depends on your taste preferences.

  • Pour the ground grains into the bottom of the device.
  • After the kettle has boiled, leave it to cool for literally 10 - 15 seconds. This is enough to ensure that the water is at the desired temperature. Those who already know how to use a French press will remember that for coffee prepared in this way, it is recommended water temperature 90 - 95 degrees.
  • Pour boiling water over the coffee, not reaching the edge of the flask by 2 fingers, do not cover with the lid yet.
  • Now attention! From now on we'll detect 4 minutes and continue to learn how to use a French press correctly. When brewed correctly, you should immediately develop a characteristic coffee foam - cream. We quickly stir it with a wooden spoon and enjoy the aroma that spreads throughout the kitchen! The site draws your attention to the fact that if suddenly at this stage you do not get cream, then either the water temperature was incorrect, or, most likely, the coffee is of poor quality.
  • After you stir, the cap will foam a little and change color to a lighter color. At the same time, its density will be good and its height will be up to 1 cm - that is, real coffee cream, as when brewed by those who know how to use a French press. You can admire the beautiful foam stains that have formed on the surface.
  • Next, take the lid and lower the plunger to the foam, not lower! To brew coffee you will need 4 minutes. You still have time until you lower the press to the bottom. Don't rush. Wait until exactly 4 minutes have passed. If you follow the tips on how to use a French press correctly, then Your coffee should be soft and pleasant to the taste. Depending on the variety, it will have a natural bitterness. You will learn about this a little later, when we tell you which varieties are best suited for brewing coffee in a French press.
  • The next moment is lowering the piston. This must be done smoothly in one movement, without crawling along the walls or lifting up and down, as when brewing tea in this device. The coffee grounds fall under the press and the process of releasing caffeine into the drink stops. Depending on what kind of coffee you prefer, you can increase or decrease the brewing time - that is, adjust the process to suit you: make the coffee strong or not.
  • For those who know how to use a French press and know how to do it correctly, the foam will remain. But in order for it to get into your cup, you need to use a little advice: when pouring the coffee into another container, Scroll and shake the flask a little. About the same as pouring coffee out of a Turkish coffee so that the cream is preserved.
  • French coffee is ready!
Tea in a French press should be brewed using the same technology. Points to consider are infusion time(it will depend on the type of tea) and the fact that the piston can be raised several times to play with it before using it to squeeze out the tea leaves. A French press is especially convenient for herbal tea lovers.

What determines the taste of coffee made in a French press?

Affects the taste of the drink freshness of the beans, degree of roasting, water quality, and of course, type of coffee. We talked about it on the website. Now you know how to do it right.

In some articles that tell you how to use a French press at home, you will find advice that for this device you need to use only coarsely ground coffee. Actually this is not true.

If you have a nylon strainer with small holes, you can choose any grind of coffee. The only thing you have to consider is that it will take some effort to push the plunger down when making finely ground coffee.

The taste of French coffee depends more on freshness of ground beans. As we said earlier, the best option is to prepare the grains just before cooking. It is then that the taste of coffee will be fully revealed. You will not make real coffee from ready-made ground beans purchased in packaged packs, even if you know how to use and how much coffee to pour into a French press.

Roast freshness also plays an important role. It is advisable that you use freshly roasted coffee – 2 – 4 weeks from the date of roasting.

Even those who know how to use a French press to make coffee will not make good real French coffee from weathered beans.

Don't forget that in many ways water quality determines the taste of coffee. It cannot be boiled again. And, of course, it is better to take filtered, but not distilled. Don't forget about the temperature: for French coffee it is 90–95 degrees (10 seconds of cooling after boiling).

What type of coffee is better to choose?

A French press is convenient because you can make any type of coffee in it. But the most expensive single-origin varieties, such as Kopi Luwak, Jamaica Blue Mountain, St. Helena Green Bourbon.

Today, if you try hard, you can find coffee blends specifically designed for the French press.

The device is also convenient because you can immediately add spices if you like to add them to your drink. Please keep in mind that coffee is prepared very quickly using this method, and not all spices will be able to manifest themselves in such a short time. You can brew the spices in advance and pour the resulting decoction into coffee - use it instead of water.

What to look for when buying a French press?

  • When choosing a French press, the main thing to pay attention to is tight fit of the strainer to the walls. Some manufacturers seal the piston edge with a silicone ring. But, as practice shows, silicone gives off a smell when brewing, as well as You won’t be able to use this press for more than 3 months.– the seal becomes unusable. So when purchasing, it is better to choose a simple French press with a stainless steel piston - the operating principle is the same in all models.
  • In some French presses, at first you will need to make a considerable effort to lift the piston: the plunger in good quality French presses has a super-tight design. This is good. In such models, as those who already know and know how to use a French press say, coffee is brewed very well. After a few weeks, the tightness will decrease.
  • Please note onto the strainer filter. If it is coarse, then you can only make coarsely ground coffee. Convenient for those who have the simplest coffee grinder. If the strainer is nylon, then those who know how to use a French press can prepare medium and finely ground coffee. By the way, when preparing coffee in a French press, remember the rule: with coarse grinding it will be easier to compress the grounds, at fine and medium, you will have to apply a little force to lower the piston.
  • Don't forget take care of the filter– periodically unwind and rinse the strainer with water.
  • We also recommend that you immediately purchase spare flask. Although it is heat-resistant, it is, according to those who know how to use a French press, very fragile. For the same reason, stir the coffee to create foam. preferably a wooden or plastic spoon– metal can break the flask.

Now you, our dear readers, know how to use a French press to make coffee and feel its natural taste.

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Making coffee in a French press is not only convenient and easy - you get a very tasty drink. The reason why coffee brewed this way has such a rich flavor is because the ground coffee is in contact with water for a long time. Coffee oils have enough time to mix with water, due to which the strength and bright taste of the drink is achieved. At the same time, floating in the water creates a problem: small particles seep through the mesh and spoil the texture of the drink. In addition, they can make the coffee too strong.

Two simple rules

To solve this problem, you just need to remember two features of the French press coffee brewing technology.

1. Do not lower the plunger or cover the French press with a lid immediately after pouring boiling water into the coffee. The grain particles must float in water for several minutes in order to brew properly.

2. Before lowering the piston, remove any floating coffee particles from the surface of the water. This is a very important point, because it is because of them that coffee can turn out bitter and cloudy.

Of course, grinding, roasting and brewing time also affect it, but if your coffee is good, it would be a shame to ruin it with incorrect brewing. Moreover, observing these subtleties requires absolutely no effort, and the difference in taste is quite noticeable.

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