Please help with my French Press brewing method

[TJM128]

I have owned a 4-cup Bodum Chambord French Press for quite a while now, but have never seemed to perfect using it. I have looked looked up how to brew using one and it seems that everyone has their own method. Sometimes the coffee I brew comes out tasting decent. Other times, bitter and nasty. Here's my method:

I use fresh roasted beans that I buy from GoCoffeeGo, so that shouldn't be the problem. The ratio I use is 7g/6oz water.

Using a Hario Skerton manual grinder (on a 9 setting), I grind the beans (42g) to a coarse grind. I use an electric kettle to boil 32oz of water. I use hot water to preheat my press.

Once it boils, I let it sit for 1-2 minutes (I don't have a thermometer) and put the ground beans in the empty Press (then shake it to produce a flat surface). I pour the water in at around the 2 minute mark, evenly distributing it throughout the grinds. Then the lid goes on.

After a minute, I take off the lid to stir it. The lid goes back on.

I let it brew for 4 minutes, following a steep of about 10 seconds.

Can someone please let me know if there is anything that I'm doing incorrectly and/or ways to improve the brew? I'd greatly appreciate it. I'm 19 and I'm on a budget so some equipment will have to wait unfortunately. I'd really like to taste the cupping notes that are described by the roasters and experience the true taste of fresh brewed coffee!

Thanks in advance,

Tom

 

[nomadmobilecoffee]

Hi, Tom.

French Press isn't my go-to brew method as I prefer the pour-over, and syphon methods. But check out the Intelligentsia French Press Brew guide here, which is what I use. The process you describe seems correct. However, 42 grams of coffee for 32 oz of water sounds like a recipe for weak coffee.

Give it a try and let us know how it works for you.

 

[TJM128]

Thank you very much for the reply. I'll give it a go tomorrow.

 

[TJM128]

I know that you say that you don't prefer a French Press, but do you know if I'd have to wait 1-2 minutes after it boils? It doesn't call for that on Intelligentsia's method but methods that I've come across have. Maybe I'll invest in a thermometer to save me the headache lol

 

[peterjschmidt]

The first thing I noticed is your coffee:water ratio. I'd bump that up to 10 or 11 grams of coffee for 6 ounces of water.

I'd also tighten up your grind; I don't know your grinder, but the general press pot instructions call for a coarse grind, which is not always the best. My guess is that 'they' came up w/ the coarse setting to reduce the coffee sludge in the bottom of the cup. But you'll get sludge no matter how you grind, so I'd rather grind appropriately. And by appropriately I mean this; it's a teeter-totter between grind setting and steep time; coarser grind-longer steep / finer grind-shorter steep. I'd rather grind fairly fine, and steep shorter (3min. is my steep time), for a better extraction.

I also don't think you need to wait 2min. to add the water. The SCCA says 195-205* for water temp, which may or may not be true. How low is really too low? But my thinking is that the materials of the press and the coffee itself act as heat sinks, so if you start at 195 the temp of the slurry is instantly out of the accepted range, let alone by the end of your steep time. I add my water fairly quickly after it comes off a boil.

 

[Redswing]

wow peter...good answer. i like that.

 

[Bardo]

I have not been stirring the slurry before pressing it. Do you all do that? I have been very happy with my coffee using the same process you list above, minus the stirring.

 

[peterjschmidt]

I give mine a swirl with the handle halfway through the steep time. That's sufficient agitation, and I'm concerned about the temp of the slurry so I like to keep the lid on it, and don't stir. I honestly don't know if stirring or swirling matter that much.