I've captured my process for making coffee in a french press in a way that will enable you to repeat it without necessarily needing the burr grinder / whole bean coffee. What you will need is a kettle and a kitchen scale (at least initially).
- Fill a kettle with 32 oz. of water and heat to around 200°.
A good coffee kettle will have a thermometer on the top with the appropriate temperature ranges highlighted for coffee.
- While the water is heating, measure 5 scoops of coffee beans in a coffee scoop.
- Grind coarse in a burr grinder.
Alternatively, you can measure out roughly 1.45 oz. of ground coffee.
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Add the coffee grounds to the french press.
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When the water is at the appropriate temperature, add just enough water to saturate the grounds and let sit for 40 seconds.
This process is known as blooming.
- Add the remaining water and cover with the lid for 4:20 minutes.
DO NOT PLUNGE YET!!! Also, I make sure that the pouring vents of the cover are not facing the lip of the french press so that it retains a proper seal.
- Press the coffee grinds to the bottom using a consistent, smooth motion, but not pressing the grinds against the bottom.
This can release a bitter flavor from the grinds into your delicious coffee.
- Prepare coffee as preferred!
This is definitely just enough to get you started. If you want to adjust the recipe, make adjustments with one step at a time, and keep notes about how things turned out. Coffee is definitely a personal preference, and you may find that you need to tweak it a touch. Do it! French pressing is definitely something that should be relaxing and enjoyable. Put love into it, and the coffee you end up with will love you back.
I prefer my coffee cold, so I make it the night before and stick it in the fridge overnight (the blasphemy, I know!). I also make this much because it gives me a solid two travel tumblers worth of coffee.
If I want to just make a single serving, I reduce the liquid to 16 oz. and the coffee beans to 3 scoops.
If I want to make the entire french press, I fill the entire 40 oz. kettle, and increase the coffee beans to 6 scoops.
I love a well done medium roast, but every once in a while, I like to sneak in a scoop of a dark roast to give a little punch to my coffee.
- 51 Oz. Bodum Chambord French Press
- Make a ton of coffee
- OXO BREW Conical Burr Coffee Grinder
- 40 oz. Coffee Gator Pour Over Kettle
- HMM Iron & Teak Coffee Scoop
- This is definitely non-essential, but I love it
- Coffee Gator Canister
- Highly recommended for keeping beans fresh longer