French press coffee: best brands, recipe

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Today we will talk about how to make coffee. The easiest and most convenient way to brew this drink at home is to use a special device called a French press.

What is this?

How to use such a device and what is it? The name itself is quite interesting. The device is actually very simple. French press - a glass jar with a filter for coffee. It was invented to obtain a drink by steeping and pressing.

In stores, appliances were put up for sale at the beginning of the twentieth century. The first French coffee pot was nothing more than a glass vessel with a piston in the form of a mesh, when pressed, the liquid separated from the thick. The principle of its operation has not changed to this day. And outwardly, the first models are not much different from the current ones.

The French press is said to have been invented by a Frenchman sometime in the early nineteenth century. Then coffee was brewed by the simplest method. As is always the case, the invention itself happened quite by accident. The story goes onthat a person boiled water, and then added ground coffee. He, of course, surfaced. Trying to clean the drink of impurities, the Frenchman decided to use a strainer to press the ground coffee to the bottom. Of course, later the design of the device was finalized.

How does it work?

The design is very simple. The device itself consists of a flask, which is usually made of glass. This is done in order to make it convenient to observe the brewing process. In addition, the device has a piston with a small handle and a mesh filter. The French press no longer has any fancy gadgets. How to use it, the instructions will tell you in detail. The main thing is not to forget to turn on the electricity. The device works due to the fact that the piston descends when pressed down on it and thereby compacts the coffee to the bottom of the flask. And on top there is a clean drink, which is poured into a cup. In this case, all unnecessary particles remain at the bottom of the French press. Here is such a fairly simple and ingenious device.

Does a French press drink taste different?

Coffee brewed in a French press has its own special taste. To feel the difference with drinks prepared in other ways, you just need to try this coffee and see if you like it or not. After all, taste is a very personal thing. The indisputable advantages of a French press include its low price, small size (unlike coffee makers), and simplicity of design. In addition, tea can be brewed in this appliance. This is also very convenient.

To taste and texture of coffeefrom a French press is very different from a drink from a coffee maker or a Turk. It does not turn out so thick at all, and there is no bitterness. Coffee has the true smell and taste of the beans themselves. This method of preparing the drink is very gentle, which allows its aroma to fully reveal. In addition, coffee prepared this way has the least amount of caffeine. For some connoisseurs of the drink, this is a very important indicator.

As a rule, coffee is brewed for no more than five minutes. This is quite enough. However, for lovers of a strong drink, it can be advised to slightly increase the cooking time. But keep in mind that this will also increase the caffeine content. Initially, the French press was invented specifically for brewing coffee, but it is often used to make aromatic tea, various herbal and berry infusions.

How to make coffee in a French press?

This is a very simple process. For cooking we need:

1. french press;
2. ground coffee;
3. boiling water;
4. long stick or stirrer.

First you need to boil the water and grind the coffee. The grains are crushed precisely after boiling water, so that they do not lie in the open air and do not lose their properties. Coffee is added to taste. As a rule, this is a spoon for a cup of water.

Ground coffee is poured into a French press and evenly poured with hot water. You need as much liquid for how many cups you expect. In order for coffee to give the maximum amount of its taste, you need to mix it withliquid - only very quickly. Next, the drink must be given time to infuse (about two to five minutes). Then you need to evenly and slowly lower the piston with the filter down to the bottom of the flask. This must be done carefully and evenly so that there is no tilt of the mesh. Otherwise, coffee may fall into the top of the vessel.

What is the best bean grind for a French press?

How to make coffee in a French press? This is easy enough to do. But, as in any business, there are some nuances that you need to know in order to get a good drink. Of course, the best coffee can only be made from quality beans. But the quality of their grinding also plays a role here. French press coffee should be ground evenly. A cheap coffee grinder will not work here at all, which will give you a mixture of small and large particles.

The grains should be ground coarsely or medium, but most importantly, very uniform. To achieve this effect, you need to purchase a good burr coffee grinder. In general, if we talk about how to brew coffee in a French press, then it must be said that there are a number of important nuances. For perfect results, you need three things: freshly ground quality coffee, a good French press, and a burr grinder. These ingredients will ensure that the best drink is prepared.

Why do you think coffee should only be taken with grains? The answer is simple. Ground coffee begins to lose its properties immediately in the air: the longer it lies, the less smell and taste will remain for the drink. Once again we want to emphasize that the coffee grinder must be chosen withmillstones - it grinds the grains more thoroughly and evenly. An apparatus with blades for grinding is not suitable, it gives a lot of dust and small particles. This mixture is not suitable for a French press. Uniformity is very important here.

Which French press is better to choose when buying?

Let's dwell on how to choose a good French press. First of all, you should pay attention to the fastening of the glass bulb: it must be strong enough. The indicator of the quality of the device is the glass itself. It should not have scratches, bubbles and cracks. Otherwise, it may crack during use. And the flask, as you understand, is the main part of the device.

There are also metal French presses. They will be more practical as they are harder to break. But then you will not be able to observe the brewing process itself. As for the filter in the device, it should fit snugly against a glass or metal flask, while moving evenly and gently, without tilting or jerking. This will ensure a good drink is prepared. And even medium-ground coffee will remain at the bottom of the flask and will not penetrate the top.

Proper care of the appliance

It's not enough to know how to make coffee in a French press. You also need to know how to take care of the equipment. Like any kitchen utensil, it must undergo some cleaning. It should be noted that coffee cannot be stored in a French press. The drink acquires a bad taste and smell. It must be consumed fresh. Moreover, the device itself can absorb foreign unpleasantsmell. Therefore, as soon as the drink is brewed and infused, it should be poured into cups, and the French press should be disassembled by removing the piston from it and washed. Carefully treat the walls of the flask with a soft sponge; over time, a yellowish coating from coffee or tea appears on them. The filter also needs to be washed well.

Which grade to choose for a French press?

How to choose coffee? It's no secret that a good drink can only be obtained from high-quality grains. So, you need to choose coffee for the French press wisely.

It should be remembered that it must be coarsely ground. Fine dust will not work. If you don’t have a coffee grinder or don’t want to waste your time, you can purchase ready-made ground beans right away. But for good taste, we advise you to grind coffee just before brewing, as it quickly loses its properties. Yes, and it is able to absorb foreign odors during storage. A brand of good coffee will give you great results. It is better to take grains of medium roast. In general, in a French press, you can brew absolutely any variety, even flavored varieties. You can also add your favorite spices.

Varieties of coffee

As you know, it is impossible to cook something good from a low-quality product. But at the same time, even excellent dishes and drinks can be spoiled by inept preparation. The same is true with coffee. A delicious drink cannot be obtained from expired or low-quality grains. But it's also easy to spoil the taste with the wrong preparation.

How to choose coffee? True connoisseurs knowthat only the variant in grains or ground form can be natural. And connoisseurs even believe that ground coffee also falls short of the standards, as it loses in aroma. There are several types of coffee beans. This is Arabica and Robusta. The homeland of the first variety is the Arabian Peninsula, the second grows in the Congo.

It must be said that these varieties have different properties. Robusta, for example, is never used on its own. This is explained by the fact that it has an unexpressed and completely unattractive aroma. But when mixed with Arabica, it gives strength to the drink and significantly reduces its cost. Depending on how the beans are processed, where they are grown, several thousand different varieties of coffee are isolated. Earth, sun, water and air in the places of growth give the drink its unique taste and aroma.

Coffee varieties are usually named according to geographical features. For example, if it is Brazilian Arabica, then it is immediately clear that it was grown in Brazil. The question of how to choose coffee for a French press rather depends on your taste preferences and financial capabilities. There are many varieties of grains. The price of the most expensive species reaches three hundred dollars per kilogram.

For a morning drink, a variety grown in Kenya and mixed with Colombian is great. It has a very bright taste, in which there are milky notes. This drink has a tonic property. But for the afternoon, a mixture of Indonesian, Kenyan and Costa Rican coffee is good. It's good when the beans are roasted strongermedium.

Bean roasting

When it comes to roasting, processed beans are usually sold. Heat treatment can be very different, and this is what gives the future drink different flavors and aromas. For example, a brown roast gives the beans a light brown hue. The coffee develops a delicate aroma with bready notes.

American roast gives the drink a moderate light brown tone. At the same time, the surface of the grains remains dry, the sourness is preserved in the taste. Urban processing takes longer than American processing. The grains begin to crack badly. With further frying, oil appears in some places on the surface, acidity disappears, and a bright saturation of taste appears.

Viennese processing makes the grains more vibrant. Oil on the surface collects in droplets. There is a slight bitterness to the taste. The saturation of this coffee is very strong. When roasting espresso, the smell becomes weaker, and the taste has more bitterness. French processing makes the grains almost black. The dominant taste note is bitterness. And of course, Italian roasting will make the future drink very bitter with burnt undertones.

If you prefer to get a ground look, then remember: the degree of grinding is very important. Coffee for a French press should be taken large or medium. Coarse grinding is also used to make a drink in a Turk. The medium one is used for coffee machines, and the small one is used to make the famous Turkish coffee. In general, the choice of coffee is a delicate matter. Rely onyour taste.

Lavazza

Alternatively, when choosing beans, you can stop at the famous Lavazza coffee. It's great for cooking in a French press. This is a traditional Italian brand that has been on the world market for a long time. Lavazza coffee has been pleasing its customers with its products for more than a hundred years. The company is very attentive to the taste preferences of consumers, taking into account their wishes, directing research to obtain new improved mixtures. The production uses high-quality bean varieties, specialized roasting, as well as hermetic vacuum packaging, which is very important, as it ensures the preservation of taste and aroma.

Other coffee brands

Besides, Jardin is one of the best coffee bean brands. It is represented by several varieties of varying degrees of heat treatment. Its popularity is explained by reasonable pricing and good taste. Such brands as Paulig, Kimbo, Gut, Gaggia, Malongo, "Live Coffee" have positively proven themselves. EvaDia grains have excellent quality. This brand is much cheaper than Lavazza, but is not inferior in taste and quality to its competitor, since the manufacturer uses selected varieties to make the best coffee.

All of the above brands are worthy of attention. Their popularity with consumers speaks for itself. In general, those brands that are able to offer lovers a good drink at a fairly reasonable price are considered the best. Try and you brew coffee in a French press and appreciate its merits. Maybe you will become a fan of cookinggreat drink in this way.