As one of the easiest brewing appliances to operate, the French press does not require rigorous water filling techniques and complex variable control, so it is often the first choice for lazy people to make coffee.
French Press french press
Originating in France, it consists of a cylindrical container and lid with a metal strainer that can be pulled up and down in the middle of the lid to separate the coffee grounds from the coffee liquid to control the extraction. The principle of the French press is the same as when we make tea, after steeping the coffee powder in hot water for a certain period of time, the piston is inserted downward to filter the coffee liquid. Although it is really convenient to brew coffee in a French press, there are still friends who report that the taste of the coffee brewed by themselves using the French press is always unsatisfactory.
How coarse is the grinding? How long to soak? How hot is the water? What is the ratio?
Usually we look at the tutorial of the French press, it is generally recommended to use coarse grinding, and Qianjie recommends choosing the thickness of 70% of the sieving rate of the Chinese No. 20 standard sieve, that is, the size of coarse sugar.
Coarse grinding not only increases the fault tolerance of the extraction process, but also reduces the amount of very fine powder from grinding. The metal filter of the French press is generally between 80-300 microns, and the filter hole is visible to the naked eye, so the fine powder can easily pass through and enter the coffee liquid to become cloudy. Of course, if you want to pursue more layers of flavor and texture, you can also use fine grinding, remember to reduce the steeping time accordingly to avoid over-extraction.
Time is a parameter that can be freely controlled by the French press, and without artificial stirring factors, soaking time is one of the keys to affect the extraction rate. Under the same conditions, the longer the extraction time, the more intense the taste, but it is also more likely to over-extract and cause bitterness, astringency, and woodiness. With coarse grinding, Qianjie recommends that the steeping time of medium-light roasted coffee is about 4 minutes, and medium-dark roasted coffee is more likely to extract bitterness, so it can be steeped for 3 minutes and 30 seconds. This time can fully release the positive flavor substances, and can also avoid the bitterness caused by soaking for too long.
Since the French press is filled directly at one time, the temperature of the extraction will slowly drop over time, so it needs to be slightly warmer than the water poured by hand. If you brew a medium-light roast sour, you can use 92 94, and if you brew a medium-dark roast bitter, you can use 89 90. In autumn and winter, when the room temperature is low, we can preheat the French press with boiling water in advance to reduce the heat dissipation during extraction.
Adjusting the concentration of coffee is of course inseparable from the ratio of powder to water, Qianjie generally recommends brewing with a ratio of 1:16 to powder, for example, using 15 grams of coffee, then you should pour 240ml of water, and the coffee concentration brewed with this ratio of powder and water will be about 11-1.Around 2%, it is a very comfortable concentration range. If you have friends who prefer something a little richer, you can also use a 1:15 ratio.
"Is this bean suitable for French press? ”
After choosing a coffee bean, many customers ask whether Front Street is suitable for French press brewing. Theoretically, the French press is suitable for all coffee beans that can be used for hand pour-over, but considering that its extraction principle is static steeping extraction, the oil brings more heaviness to the coffee, and the flavor tends to be rich and balanced, so it is more suitable for expressing more than medium roasted coffee, such as dark chocolate, nuts, and caramel flavors. If you use lightly roasted sour coffee to extract, the floral and fruity notes in the coffee are easy to be masked, but the rich flavor level cannot be highlighted.
"Lazy people" also have to clean and maintain your utensils
The metal filter of the French press will absorb and accumulate the oil released by the coffee after long-term use, and the residue on the filter and pressure bar will oxidize and deteriorate, thus affecting the subsequent use. Therefore, we must remember to clean up the French press in time after using it. When cleaning a French press, all metal parts should be disassembled, whether it is a container or a part, it needs to be cleaned with detergent and completely dried, dried and put away.
end -