I have been loving my french press for years - in the morning. What I do is, put the grind in, water in, let it sit for 4-5 min. And then : stir it up ! Until the crema forms on top, and the grind sinks by itself. Then I press down the press filter easily. Also : I like my grind rather fine , not medium coarse. To coarse makes it taste too watery for me. Thanks for your video ☺️❤️ I enjoyed it☕
hmm... your comment was 2 yrs ago, but I bet you're still drinking coffee, so maybe you'll see my question. I just bought my first French press. The instructions say the filter will become clogged if I don't use coarse grind. How do you get around that?
You don't need a 'fancy' French press coffee filter. Take a regular paper coffee filter (the ones that are round and rippled) and wrap it around the bottom of the plunger. When ready to press, place the plunger into position and press down. It will be slower than normal as the filter will not allow the liquid to flow as quickly. The coffee filter will filter out all the unwanted silt.
You could save some time and headache,Just put a percolator filter in between the mesh and metal plunger on your French press...They are cheaper than normal filters, they are no gaps to allow grounds through and there are no dyes used in making them.
I use James' technique and love it. I have a Secura stainless steel press so the coffee remains steaming hot throughout the process. After I pour the water in I leave it for 4 minutes. Then I give it a slow, brief stir and let it go for 7 more minutes. The results are really good and not bitter at all. I know that sounds like a long time but its oh so good!
Same here! I used the technique first shown here but soon grew tired of the silt. I came across James' video and loved his technique so much so that the French Press happens to be one of my favourite ways to brew
I personally like doing my french press as follows: *Heat up water on my gooseneck kettle to 200°F. *Pour just a little bit on the press. *Add the coffee grounds, shake to get an even surface. *Add just enough water from gooseneck to make sure all the grounds get wet but not too much. *Bloom for 1 minute, a crust will form. *Pour the rest of the water from the gooseneck, breaking the crust should release all those wonderful smells and oils and form bubbles. *Wait 5 minutes and then push the filter down slowly. *Serve and enjoy! I do like trying to do it in several different ways but this is the one I currently like most.
Just tried something similar this morning but I stirred the grounds after they finished blooming for one minute to release the trapped air, each ground has. Definitely enjoyed the finished result
Exactly. I’ve done it 10 different ways. Yours is exactly what I do. A little water let sit. Then the rest. Stir very little. Wait 5 min then push. Perfect every time. All these other methods make a very weak coffee that I can see thru. Who wants that.
My latest French press recipe is to brew it in a Hario Switch. 😊 I close the valve, add coffee, pour in just off boil water, and let it sit for 2 or 3 minutes. Then open the valve to let the coffee drain into the cup. It’s really just like filtered French press: well extracted and full bodied. I brewed French press for 3 decades but finally got tired of the silt, so I taught myself how to pourover with the V60. But I missed the infusion subtleties so tried the Switch: ah! Perfect.
@@kiramiftari9486 yeah, that delayed my initial purchase too. I hate plastic being anywhere in the food process. But I found that there's just a tiny surface that contacts the coffee and there's no apparent effect on the flavour. Whatever material they chose to use there is AFAICT completely inert. It's also -- so far -- really rugged and long lasting. I scrupulously wash the thing and I see no signs of wear or breakdown. I have no regrets with this thing.
Thnx for your review, good to know! No BPA free plastic is inert, that is a myth - there are so many other harmful chemicals besides BPA that are being extracted while you are steeping with that little piece of plastic in the boiled water! But on the big scale of things - this may be a good reason for making an exception ;-)) ...@@BruceWalkerPhotography
My thought exactly when watching this video. If I want a paper-filtered immersion brew - asI often do - why would I use a French press and not a Hario Switch, Clever Dripper, or Aeropress?
My totally NOT a barista French Press method: 1 same weight in beans - but I do a coarse grind. Why? When I was in Paris there was one of those gorgeous shops that had all these delicious things but only bags of coarse ground coffee (ground the same morning). I asked why only coarse - their answer: French press! so 2: I get the water and take my time - let the grinds and water get to know each other....finally 3 I press Down slowly....a little sludge is not a bad thing - think Moka pot.....and bitterness is part of life... I love the mess I love the earthiness of real proper French press.....if you want coffee filtered through paper treated with ? alarming chemicals...there are easier ways. I use the FP BECAUSE I like the intensity even a bit of bitterness, I love the moka pot too - so NOT clean perfect modern.....G
Great short video. If you want to save some money, for the second method, instead of buying the paper sock filter, you can use the reusable coffee cloth filter (just $2 in the supermarket) applying the same technique. Be sure to clean it afterward with just hot water (Don’t use soap please).
This is what I do to greatly reduce the sludge in a french press. 1) on the french press plunger, I use THREE screens. 2) I bought a small very fine strainer. 3) after steeping I use the strainer to remove the bulk of the grounds and then plunge smoothly with the plunger. I won’t say I am sludge free, but it works really well.
French pull method 1: can be a bit messy but you start the brew with the plunger all the way down, add grounds and water like normal and brew, and then when you're done, just pull carefully upwards (preferably over trash or sink since some grounds tend to fall out). French pull method 2: But if you do a french pull method while incorporating a paper filter within the plunger (keeping some excess around the sides) you end up with easy clean up and a clean cup too!
Great video- with a lot of options. I use two filters-it changes the taste. I have experimented with two filters and an additional small percolator filter. As you mentioned, getting the sediment out is of prime importance. I also find that the thicker the glass on the press the better the taste.
Fantastic breakdown of French Press brewing, Josh! Loved exploring the three different recipes, especially James Hoffman's Ultimate Technique! The Caffi paper filters (aka 'the sock') are a game-changer-I can't wait to try them out. Thanks for the handy links! Also, big shoutout to Seven Miles Coffee for the awesome coffee shop and training courses. Your content always elevates my coffee game!
I use a Mr. Coffee type drip paper filter. Then I take a leather punch (from hobby store or Amazon) to poke a hole in the center of the paper filter, place it on the spindle, then place the fine screen and strainer as usual on top of the paper filter. Then, trim the excess paper, leaving about one half inch more than the diameter of the press. Finally, I use the press normally for sludge-free coffee. Note: I make a batch of prepared paper filters in advance, so this method is easy and quick.
Good tip on removing the grounds on top. I let it sit for 4-5 min midlevel water, then stir, then wait again. I see how this makes less of grounds while around. Im deffo gonna try this update, cheers 👍
Over ten years ago, I picked up a brand new Hario Chambord still in the box at a garage sale with an extra beaker/carafe for $5. I've used it almost every weekend since. Best deal of my life! Lol.
I just stumbled upon this video and did exactly the same- Just had an amazing french press coffee with Indian coffee powder :-) thank you for making this video..... u made my saturday
We dont have this kind of filter in Brasil. It would be awesome IF it came here. Otherwise, we do James Hoffman's method. The Best, in my opinion. Great vídeo, btw! Obrigado!
I was waiting for the moment you would mention Hoffmann 🤣 My French press method: let sit in water for 4 minutes, stir the crust, let sit for another 8 minutes, then press the filter *slowly* until it's just under the surface of the water. Perfect every time 😎☕️
For French Press (FP) coffee: 1) I use 0.5oz of grounds (2 level TBS) per 8oz of water or 1/2 cup of grounds for 4 cups (32oz) of water. This actually makes the coffee a tad stronger. The 'exact' math is 1.85 TBS per 8oz of water or 7.5 TBS per 4 cups (32oz) of water 2) To filter out more ‘mud’ - that’s what my Mom (RIP) called it - I use a paper 'Disk' type coffee filter (4 - 4.5") or a regular 8-12 cup paper coffee filter under the bottom of my FP - between the coffee and the FP filter.The spring around the bottom of the FP will compensate. Less mud gets thru AND it makes it much easier to CLEAN the FP / plunger section. 3) About half-way thru brewing, I stir the mixture with a WOODEN spoon (do NOT use a metal spoon, lest you break the glass) to circulate the grounds and get more flavor out of the oils in the grounds.
Double Walled Vacuum thermal french press makes all the difference, it gives you time to let the grounds settle. . I use a 14-1 ratio for most coffees. Lately we're using Ipanema Brazil Bourbon coffee ground at the french press setting of my burr grinder. (17-1 is good for V60 or drip, but for french press, 14or15-1 is better. First I pour some boiling water from my kettle into the coffee pot to "heat it up" and let it sit while I grind the coffee. I pour out that water, then put the coffee grounds into the pot. I fill halfway and give it a good quick stir, this helps to get a better extraction ad encourages the finer grounds to go to the bottom as they lose their CO2 very quickly. Then continue to fill to the line I use. Put the lid on and let it steep for 4-5 minutes and DO NOT SKIM, if you skim you have to wait another five minutes minutes. Next, I press the coffee . . . . slowly, letting the crust do its job and allowing all the steeped coffee to make that pass through the crust. Last, let it sit for a good solid minute or two before pouring. This will result in a really hot cup of coffee with almost not fine grounds in the cup.
I wouldn’t put this out but I don’t see anyone else approximate my method. I am happy to learn about the division of mls. by 17 to determine grams of beans. Otherwise, after pouring the water off the boil over the grounds, I whip the brew with a wooden spoon handle vigorously for a few seconds, then let it settle for four minutes with the filter in place to keep in the heat. Slowly press down, you will meet little resistance so be careful. I have a cup then, pouring through a strainer for grounds, and pour the rest into a thermos for refills. I stole the whisking step from the tea ceremony, guessing if it doesn’t hurt brewing tea it shouldn’t interfere with the brewing step of other substances. What do you think?
I pre-heat the beaker so it's very hot and use the second method in the video. I break the "crust" on the top first, then let it settle. Any grains on the top, I remove with a spoon. I only push the plunger until it is completely submerged in the coffee. Then I wait a few more minutes. Pour slowly and the coffee will still be filtered as it passes. I've even poured the entire beaker into a carafe that has a filter so it's filtered twice
I don't mind a bit of sludge in hot brewed coffee so I just use an additional metal strainer to take the edge off. For French Press cold brew I like to strain through a cloth filter. Give the filter a good rinse, wring it out, bag it up, and pop it in the freezer for next time.
I use James Hoffman’s method… As long as you thorougly preheat your french press, the coffee will remain very hot… And i also think that if you keep the coffee infusing for at least 10 minutes after breaking the crust, you have even better results!
You know there is a really easy method that is cheaper than 20 cents per filter. Buy a pour over coffee maker. Use this in conjunction with a hot plate set just hot enough to keep the coffee hot, if you wish, but it's not required if you aren't dilly dallying around. So what I do is I use to plain automatic drip filters, one I put over the French press, then push the plunger onto it and down into the coffee, thereby using the plunger as just a form to hold the paper filter. I also plunge very slowly, as you did, but this time it's just to keep the coffee from squirting around the plunger and paper filter, which it will do if you are too aggressive with the plunge. You want the coffee going through the filter. This will normally remove almost all of the sediment/sludge, and the oil responsible for raising your cholesterol. Because I do have high cholesterol, I then pour into the filter on the "pour over" coffee maker, and allow it to drain into the glass container. If you plunged too aggressively, you will see a lot of sediment in the pour over filter. Even setting my grinder to a very course setting, you still get a lot of fine powder. It will also drain much slower as a result of this fine powder clogging the filter. If you plunge very slowly, there should be almost no fine powder/sludge in the filter and it will drain very quickly. I am using this second filter mostly to catch more oil, but also as a quality check to remove any powder that made it around the plunger. Using two, or even three of these filters, is much cheaper than 20 cents per filter. What I would love to see, is a french press specifically designed to use these kinds of filters. I don't want to pay tons of money for some expensive specialty filter like the one you demonstrated. Anyway, buy brewing for about 3 to 4 minutes, and using this method, I feel I get the smoothest, and healthiest cup of coffee. Since I do keto, I also use butter from grass fed cows, and MCT oil in my coffee, along with some stevia, or erythritol. They call this, "Bullet Proof Coffee."
I bought a new grinder recently and I find that now I don't get any grit coming through the French press sieve even without a paper filter. I think I'm getting more uniform sizes of the coffee bits. I also don't push the plunger all the way to the bottom. I just press it half way down, then pour. Hoping this would not stir up any junk at the bottom, a la James Hoffmann.
i'm currently trying to grind the coffee beans underwater to remove the oxidation problem associated with grinding coffee beans in the air. You gotta try it taste fantastic you actually get to experience what coffee really taste like Try it with a fruity bean for best new coffee drink
I put the ground coffee into the press, cover the grounds with boiled water and stir to make sure the grounds are thoroughly wet, leave for 30 seonds then add the rest of the boiled water and leave for 4 minutes, Then with two soupsoons, remove the floating grounds and then wipe the side of the press to remove any remainng grounds on the glass. replace the filter and push it veeery sloooowly to the bottom and then pour the coffee.
I don't want to sound unsophisticated but if you use a paper sock is there some kind of differance between that and a Mr Coffee? I've been using a French press for a while and it makes great coffee-BUT it's just cowboy coffee with a strainer, when you think about it. Oh it's got a great name for pretension sake but the same results can be had by boiling coffee adding a few drops of cold water to settle the grounds and pouring slowly.
I use a much cheaper regular drip filters and just put in under the plunger. The plunger goes down a little slower but not bad. I do that to remove the oils due to my cholesterol.
I put five scoops of coffee grounds from the scoop that comes with the French press. Boil my water and then do the you know wait around game and then punch it down. I don't ever have any issues with sediment it doesn't at all bother me and yeah it's there but it's not detrimental to drinking the coffee I don't even notice it in my cup if there's any and if there is any it's usually at the bottom by that time you're just going to go get you another cup of coffee so who cares You don't like it in there when you get to the bottom just rinse it out pour you another cup you'll be good to go Sha
Rinse your grounds : once you grind the beans and pour the grounds in the vessel , add enough cold water to cover the grounds and immediately stir this mixture vigorously . Firmly press plunger all the way down then drain off water and sediment. Ready to go ! Add hot water and brew as normal. Note : this also eliminates acid taste !
I add coffe grind, hot water just off the boil, wait 30 seconds, add a tiniest pinch of salt, stir with a fork, leave it for 1 minute, then slowly press, and pour slowly avoiding tipping as much as possible. Yes, there is a little sludge on the cup. but seeing this, i might go to the Japanese store and buy the japanese cup filters.
Why not use a Pour Over to filter out the finings? They are easier to find the filters and all you need to do is wait for the coffee to drip through the pour over. I use my Hario with my French Press all the time and it's great
As we often hear, perfection is the enemy of what is good. Paper and cloth filters remove much of the essential oils that are key to the best brew. This is the whole point of using a press. A little sludge is a small price to pay, but if you are really concerned about it, gently remove the grounds at the end of the steep time as in the video, but then immediately gently push the plunger down. In this way the coffee will still be hot and the sludge minimal.
The oils seem to be bitter tasting so it may depend on the roast. A lighter sweeter roast benefits by removing the oils, but if you prefer darker more bitter flavors then keep the oils.
I'm not a coffee person, but I have a genuine question. Could you pour the French press coffee through a clean, fine cloth after you make it to get the silt out? Like a muslin cloth or something else that's fine but washable.
There's another problem with french presses . . . they loose too much heat so the coffee is luke warm. You need to make a "cozy" to go over as good a fit as you can make it. Then you can let it brew just a little longer so the sludge sinks. Kindof a pain so I switched back to pour-over
...or, you could pour from the French press through a laser cut metal filter cone, and have no sediment. No paper required amd no oils lost. I use the cone from my pour over glass, either for making pour over coffee or for filtering brewed loose leaf tea. So why not for filtering French press coffee? It would definitely make it smoother and sweeter by removing the bitter fine grinds.
I like the idea of manual brew as I don't want to invest in an expensive machine at home. I'm no barista but my method these days is, in a small cup (like the one to measure rice) I put ground coffee 10 grams (in my country there is a brand that sells a box of 10x10 sachets of 10 grams ground coffee) and pour a hot water from electric kettle just until every grains is soaked. Then after the crema appear, I add another water until the cup is full around 150-180 ml. Then I wait while eating my breakfast, I don't count time, but probably 4 minutes. Then I pour to a cup using a fine stainless steel filter. That's it, I like to add milk and sugar in it. If I was bother with the left over grain, I simply don't drink it to the last drop. I dunno, if you have any advice about my method to make it better, I highly appreciate it. thx in advance.
If you like coffee with milk and sugar, check out the south indian filter coffee receipes (available here on you tube). I can't explain why that mehtod is not praised more in the western world ...✌
Best method is to just give up on the concept of the french press entirely. Let your grounds steep in a random container for 4 minutes and then pour your coffee through a filtered pour-over into a serving receptacle of your choice.
@@AvastarBin agreed. It's very slow. The key is to pour slowly and leave a tiny bit of coffee liquid at the bottom along with most of the grounds. Still kinda slow but it works much better.
A French press is supposed to be a little bit silty! If you don’t like that go with a pour over style. Me personally I enjoy the French press a very little bit of silt doesn’t bother me and the press makes a perfect cup of black coffee.
The Hoffmann method was altered. He doesnt remove the sediments but rather breaks the crust and lets the sediments settle and fall to the bottom. Only the foam shall be removed by his method
ok so letz go for Option nr 2😂😂 i get Christmas gift the french press didnt used yet time to use 😅😅I will let you know i trust you 99% 😅😅 1% on the end of project Cheers
Hot water and coffee is enough for me... these fancy methods are for those who do it it as a business. At home just take your coffee the way you like it. Everyone his or her own. French press then pour over via a filter.
With bean coffee I love my creamier coffee , to me it feels and tastes smooth more mellow earthier and not so bitter , but the waiting of 4 minutes just isn’t hot enough by then for me , I’ll leave the last bit in the cup with the coffee it’s definitely bitter , best to leave that behind , not nice . Anyhow that’s how I enjoy it 👍
if you're brewing at a 1:17 ratio, that means 1 part coffee and 17 parts water, making 18 parts altogether, so you would divide the total volume by 18. unless you mean it's a 1:16 ratio?
Ratio is just that. 1 ingredient to how many (mulitple) of a different ingredient. Adding the parts and then dividing is to take a preferred end result then working backwards. Definitely a method, but it is more common in (at least Australia) coffee to work from the multiply method starting with a desired base of coffee then figuring out preferred volume. Granted coffee gets left behind in the bed, but that's where adjustments are made to the method. :) as long as its consistent :)
1 to 17 coffee ratio, freshly grounded, on a french press yeah, the sediment doesn't really bother me, I just shake the cup each now and then so it mixes in as I drink (then again, I have snacked on coffee beans...) Gotta clarify: I'm not a certified coffee connoisseur or a snobbish hipster, I just like my warm, bitter, gentle, toasty, caramel-ish stimulant 6 times a day drink that way
I'm lazy. I pour hot water over the coffee in a glass, just like instant. After a bit of a stir I wait 4 minutes before breaking the surface with a spoon. 2 minutes later the coffee is ready. Just don't drink the sludge. Oh, I sometimes add a pinch of salt to enhance the flavour.
I'm currently only doing Cold Brew on my French press. 12 grams of medium coarse for each 100ml of water. I usually brew 96 grams of medium coarse, 88 SCA (Excellent), on 800 ml of water. The coffee that I buy (88 SCA) is pretty cheap here in Colombia, 500 grams bags are around $10 USD in a coffee shop called Pergamino, in Medellín. That last us (2 people) 2 days worth of latte (About 1 1/2 litters of cold brew latte in total, which comes to around 375 ml of cold brew latte a day for each). In my opinion, it's the perfect amount, as cold brew starts to taste woody by the end of the second day in the fridge (40 to 48 hours after being brewed). No paper filter, my press has a rubber seal around the plunger and a pretty small mesh which is good for small grind. 18 to 20 hours extraction.
Paper filtered coffee is only better for SOME people's cholesterol because the oil floats and stays on top of the grinds/filter. Just running coffee through a filter does not work. And it's only beneficial to those that have a sensitivity to the coffee oils and that's not many people. You can do a test to see by just quit drinking coffee after a lipid panel and then take another test a few days or a week later after quitting coffee. If there's a significante difference then try paper filter pour-over or switch to tea
I have been loving my french press for years - in the morning. What I do is, put the grind in, water in, let it sit for 4-5 min. And then : stir it up ! Until the crema forms on top, and the grind sinks by itself. Then I press down the press filter easily.
Also : I like my grind rather fine , not medium coarse. To coarse makes it taste too watery for me.
Thanks for your video ☺️❤️ I enjoyed it☕
Zollo😊
I do the exact same 🙂
Ty for This info
hmm... your comment was 2 yrs ago, but I bet you're still drinking coffee, so maybe you'll see my question. I just bought my first French press. The instructions say the filter will become clogged if I don't use coarse grind. How do you get around that?
You don't need a 'fancy' French press coffee filter. Take a regular paper coffee filter (the ones that are round and rippled) and wrap it around the bottom of the plunger. When ready to press, place the plunger into position and press down. It will be slower than normal as the filter will not allow the liquid to flow as quickly. The coffee filter will filter out all the unwanted silt.
Paper filters out oils that I like in my coffee. I never use paper
You could save some time and headache,Just put a percolator filter in between the mesh and metal plunger on your French press...They are cheaper than normal filters, they are no gaps to allow grounds through and there are no dyes used in making them.
@@bjones8470 Oh that's why my cup had no oil!
Who drinks hot coffee from a tumbler?
Oh man!
That’s literally WHY I grab the French Press!
I love a bit of grit ☕️☕️😁
Same
Grit is part of the coffee's soul.
I use James' technique and love it. I have a Secura stainless steel press so the coffee remains steaming hot throughout the process. After I pour the water in I leave it for 4 minutes. Then I give it a slow, brief stir and let it go for 7 more minutes. The results are really good and not bitter at all. I know that sounds like a long time but its oh so good!
Same here! I used the technique first shown here but soon grew tired of the silt. I came across James' video and loved his technique so much so that the French Press happens to be one of my favourite ways to brew
which method does james do - could someone link a video to it please?
@GSicKz,
Here ya go! This makes the best coffee. Enjoyl
ruclips.net/video/st571DYYTR8/видео.htmlsi=gxOXIg1SI7q-FyZj
I personally like doing my french press as follows:
*Heat up water on my gooseneck kettle to 200°F.
*Pour just a little bit on the press.
*Add the coffee grounds, shake to get an even surface.
*Add just enough water from gooseneck to make sure all the grounds get wet but not too much.
*Bloom for 1 minute, a crust will form.
*Pour the rest of the water from the gooseneck, breaking the crust should release all those wonderful smells and oils and form bubbles.
*Wait 5 minutes and then push the filter down slowly.
*Serve and enjoy!
I do like trying to do it in several different ways but this is the one I currently like most.
This worked so well. Thank you!
Just tried something similar this morning but I stirred the grounds after they finished blooming for one minute to release the trapped air, each ground has.
Definitely enjoyed the finished result
@@rtm6930 This is what I do - I learned it from a Stumptown Coffee YT video - my favourite method so far!
Exactly. I’ve done it 10 different ways. Yours is exactly what I do. A little water let sit. Then the rest. Stir very little. Wait 5 min then push. Perfect every time. All these other methods make a very weak coffee that I can see thru. Who wants that.
My latest French press recipe is to brew it in a Hario Switch. 😊 I close the valve, add coffee, pour in just off boil water, and let it sit for 2 or 3 minutes. Then open the valve to let the coffee drain into the cup. It’s really just like filtered French press: well extracted and full bodied.
I brewed French press for 3 decades but finally got tired of the silt, so I taught myself how to pourover with the V60. But I missed the infusion subtleties so tried the Switch: ah! Perfect.
I was about to say clever dripper.
The only thing not to like about the Switch is that plastic part... I wish it was stainless steel,I'd buy it in a second
@@kiramiftari9486 yeah, that delayed my initial purchase too. I hate plastic being anywhere in the food process.
But I found that there's just a tiny surface that contacts the coffee and there's no apparent effect on the flavour. Whatever material they chose to use there is AFAICT completely inert. It's also -- so far -- really rugged and long lasting. I scrupulously wash the thing and I see no signs of wear or breakdown. I have no regrets with this thing.
Thnx for your review, good to know!
No BPA free plastic is inert, that is a myth - there are so many other harmful chemicals besides BPA that are being extracted while you are steeping with that little piece of plastic in the boiled water!
But on the big scale of things - this may be a good reason for making an exception ;-)) ...@@BruceWalkerPhotography
My thought exactly when watching this video. If I want a paper-filtered immersion brew - asI often do - why would I use a French press and not a Hario Switch, Clever Dripper, or Aeropress?
My totally NOT a barista French Press method: 1 same weight in beans - but I do a coarse grind. Why? When I was in Paris there was one of those gorgeous shops that had all these delicious things but only bags of coarse ground coffee (ground the same morning). I asked why only coarse - their answer: French press! so 2: I get the water and take my time - let the grinds and water get to know each other....finally 3 I press Down slowly....a little sludge is not a bad thing - think Moka pot.....and bitterness is part of life... I love the mess I love the earthiness of real proper French press.....if you want coffee filtered through paper treated with ? alarming chemicals...there are easier ways. I use the FP BECAUSE I like the intensity even a bit of bitterness, I love the moka pot too - so NOT clean perfect modern.....G
Great short video. If you want to save some money, for the second method, instead of buying the paper sock filter, you can use the reusable coffee cloth filter (just $2 in the supermarket) applying the same technique. Be sure to clean it afterward with just hot water (Don’t use soap please).
I hope you clean it in a bowl (for saving water and even more money) ...✌
I use a regular drip coffee paper filter with a kitchen strainer when pouring into the cup - cheap fast and easier to clean
Me too!! Cheap & easy.
This is what I do to greatly reduce the sludge in a french press. 1) on the french press plunger, I use THREE screens. 2) I bought a small very fine strainer. 3) after steeping I use the strainer to remove the bulk of the grounds and then plunge smoothly with the plunger. I won’t say I am sludge free, but it works really well.
French pull method 1: can be a bit messy but you start the brew with the plunger all the way down, add grounds and water like normal and brew, and then when you're done, just pull carefully upwards (preferably over trash or sink since some grounds tend to fall out). French pull method 2: But if you do a french pull method while incorporating a paper filter within the plunger (keeping some excess around the sides) you end up with easy clean up and a clean cup too!
Definitely interesting take on it! I'll have to try it!!
Ok but have you tried the French twist method?
Great video- with a lot of options. I use two filters-it changes the taste. I have experimented with two filters and an additional small percolator filter. As you mentioned, getting the sediment out is of prime importance. I also find that the thicker the glass on the press the better the taste.
Fantastic breakdown of French Press brewing, Josh! Loved exploring the three different recipes, especially James Hoffman's Ultimate Technique! The Caffi paper filters (aka 'the sock') are a game-changer-I can't wait to try them out. Thanks for the handy links! Also, big shoutout to Seven Miles Coffee for the awesome coffee shop and training courses. Your content always elevates my coffee game!
I use a Mr. Coffee type drip paper filter. Then I take a leather punch (from hobby store or Amazon) to poke a hole in the center of the paper filter, place it on the spindle, then place the fine screen and strainer as usual on top of the paper filter. Then, trim the excess paper, leaving about one half inch more than the diameter of the press. Finally, I use the press normally for sludge-free coffee. Note: I make a batch of prepared paper filters in advance, so this method is easy and quick.
I really like the idea of not stirring up the coffee and removing it before adding the filter. Great tip
Good tip on removing the grounds on top. I let it sit for 4-5 min midlevel water, then stir, then wait again. I see how this makes less of grounds while around. Im deffo gonna try this update, cheers 👍
Over ten years ago, I picked up a brand new Hario Chambord still in the box at a garage sale with an extra beaker/carafe for $5. I've used it almost every weekend since. Best deal of my life! Lol.
I just stumbled upon this video and did exactly the same- Just had an amazing french press coffee with Indian coffee powder :-) thank you for making this video..... u made my saturday
We dont have this kind of filter in Brasil. It would be awesome IF it came here. Otherwise, we do James Hoffman's method. The Best, in my opinion.
Great vídeo, btw! Obrigado!
I was waiting for the moment you would mention Hoffmann 🤣
My French press method: let sit in water for 4 minutes, stir the crust, let sit for another 8 minutes, then press the filter *slowly* until it's just under the surface of the water. Perfect every time 😎☕️
Need to point out Steven didn't break the crust, he just removed the entire thing which is not the Hoffman method.
When Abby Hoffman is mentioned in realize im at the wrong video… lol jk
Awesome idea honestly, after seeing this I managed to squeeze a v60 filter down as i pressed and it reduced the sediment massively, cheers
For French Press (FP) coffee:
1) I use 0.5oz of grounds (2 level TBS) per 8oz of water or 1/2 cup of grounds for 4 cups (32oz) of water. This actually makes the coffee a tad stronger. The 'exact' math is 1.85 TBS per 8oz of water or 7.5 TBS per 4 cups (32oz) of water
2) To filter out more ‘mud’ - that’s what my Mom (RIP) called it - I use a paper 'Disk' type coffee filter (4 - 4.5") or a regular 8-12 cup paper coffee filter under the bottom of my FP - between the coffee and the FP filter.The spring around the bottom of the FP will compensate. Less mud gets thru AND it makes it much easier to CLEAN the FP / plunger section.
3) About half-way thru brewing, I stir the mixture with a WOODEN spoon (do NOT use a metal spoon, lest you break the glass) to circulate the grounds and get more flavor out of the oils in the grounds.
I use a big regular coffee filter and put it over my press , sort of works in the same way but I don't have to buy another type of filter.
Double Walled Vacuum thermal french press makes all the difference, it gives you time to let the grounds settle. .
I use a 14-1 ratio for most coffees. Lately we're using Ipanema Brazil Bourbon coffee ground at the french press setting of my burr grinder. (17-1 is good for V60 or drip, but for french press, 14or15-1 is better.
First I pour some boiling water from my kettle into the coffee pot to "heat it up" and let it sit while I grind the coffee.
I pour out that water, then put the coffee grounds into the pot. I fill halfway and give it a good quick stir, this helps to get a better extraction ad encourages the finer grounds to go to the bottom as they lose their CO2 very quickly. Then continue to fill to the line I use.
Put the lid on and let it steep for 4-5 minutes and DO NOT SKIM, if you skim you have to wait another five minutes minutes.
Next, I press the coffee . . . . slowly, letting the crust do its job and allowing all the steeped coffee to make that pass through the crust.
Last, let it sit for a good solid minute or two before pouring.
This will result in a really hot cup of coffee with almost not fine grounds in the cup.
I wouldn’t put this out but I don’t see anyone else approximate my method. I am happy to learn about the division of mls. by 17 to determine grams of beans. Otherwise, after pouring the water off the boil over the grounds, I whip the brew with a wooden spoon handle vigorously for a few seconds, then let it settle for four minutes with the filter in place to keep in the heat. Slowly press down, you will meet little resistance so be careful. I have a cup then, pouring through a strainer for grounds, and pour the rest into a thermos for refills. I stole the whisking step from the tea ceremony, guessing if it doesn’t hurt brewing tea it shouldn’t interfere with the brewing step of other substances. What do you think?
The James Hoffmann method is fine for me, I wait for my coffee to cool a bit before drinking anyway
I pre-heat the beaker so it's very hot and use the second method in the video.
I break the "crust" on the top first, then let it settle. Any grains on the top, I remove with a spoon. I only push the plunger until it is completely submerged in the coffee. Then I wait a few more minutes.
Pour slowly and the coffee will still be filtered as it passes. I've even poured the entire beaker into a carafe that has a filter so it's filtered twice
Idk what's the name of this lad but he always delivers top notch content.
The name's Josh :) Pleasure to make your acquaintance!
1-17 works out to about 60gr per litre, for those not great at math before having coffee
I don't mind a bit of sludge in hot brewed coffee so I just use an additional metal strainer to take the edge off. For French Press cold brew I like to strain through a cloth filter. Give the filter a good rinse, wring it out, bag it up, and pop it in the freezer for next time.
My morning coffee is 3 scoops of beans, 350 ml water, steep for 8 mins, slowly plunge - Strong proper coffee with very little sludge at the end.
Thanks for the video, I like that you explained the pros and cons of each method
Seems like you could just pour through the filter at the end and get the same effect.
A pour-over dripper or Hario Switch fixes this issue very well. I used to save the last bit of coffee in the french press if I want to use it.
I use James Hoffman’s method… As long as you thorougly preheat your french press, the coffee will remain very hot… And i also think that if you keep the coffee infusing for at least 10 minutes after breaking the crust, you have even better results!
push it good
(Ah, push it) push it real good
(Ah, push it) push it good
(Ah, push it) p-push it real good
You know there is a really easy method that is cheaper than 20 cents per filter. Buy a pour over coffee maker. Use this in conjunction with a hot plate set just hot enough to keep the coffee hot, if you wish, but it's not required if you aren't dilly dallying around.
So what I do is I use to plain automatic drip filters, one I put over the French press, then push the plunger onto it and down into the coffee, thereby using the plunger as just a form to hold the paper filter. I also plunge very slowly, as you did, but this time it's just to keep the coffee from squirting around the plunger and paper filter, which it will do if you are too aggressive with the plunge. You want the coffee going through the filter.
This will normally remove almost all of the sediment/sludge, and the oil responsible for raising your cholesterol. Because I do have high cholesterol, I then pour into the filter on the "pour over" coffee maker, and allow it to drain into the glass container. If you plunged too aggressively, you will see a lot of sediment in the pour over filter. Even setting my grinder to a very course setting, you still get a lot of fine powder. It will also drain much slower as a result of this fine powder clogging the filter. If you plunge very slowly, there should be almost no fine powder/sludge in the filter and it will drain very quickly. I am using this second filter mostly to catch more oil, but also as a quality check to remove any powder that made it around the plunger.
Using two, or even three of these filters, is much cheaper than 20 cents per filter. What I would love to see, is a french press specifically designed to use these kinds of filters. I don't want to pay tons of money for some expensive specialty filter like the one you demonstrated.
Anyway, buy brewing for about 3 to 4 minutes, and using this method, I feel I get the smoothest, and healthiest cup of coffee. Since I do keto, I also use butter from grass fed cows, and MCT oil in my coffee, along with some stevia, or erythritol. They call this, "Bullet Proof Coffee."
Leave it 3 minutes, and then mix it just a little bit, than wait 1 minute before press. Brilliant coffee. Best method out there.
I bought a new grinder recently and I find that now I don't get any grit coming through the French press sieve even without a paper filter. I think I'm getting more uniform sizes of the coffee bits. I also don't push the plunger all the way to the bottom. I just press it half way down, then pour. Hoping this would not stir up any junk at the bottom, a la James Hoffmann.
i'm currently trying to grind the coffee beans underwater to remove the oxidation problem associated with grinding coffee beans in the air. You gotta try it taste fantastic you actually get to experience what coffee really taste like Try it with a fruity bean for best new coffee drink
I quite like that sediment, it gives the coffee a smooth texture
I did the 1st method but have a small funnel in my coffee mug lined with a cheap coffee filter. Perfect cup and cheap
I put the ground coffee into the press, cover the grounds with boiled water and stir to make sure the grounds are thoroughly wet, leave for 30 seonds then add the rest of the boiled water and leave for 4 minutes, Then with two soupsoons, remove the floating grounds and then wipe the side of the press to remove any remainng grounds on the glass. replace the filter and push it veeery sloooowly to the bottom and then pour the coffee.
I don't want to sound unsophisticated but if you use a paper sock is there some kind of differance between that and a Mr Coffee? I've been using a French press for a while and it makes great coffee-BUT it's just cowboy coffee with a strainer, when you think about it. Oh it's got a great name for pretension sake but the same results can be had by boiling coffee adding a few drops of cold water to settle the grounds and pouring slowly.
Swedish Egg Coffee is the best "naturally filtered cowcoy coffee" ...
i enjoy " the sludge " it's part of the french press experience! Seriously....
I use a much cheaper regular drip filters and just put in under the plunger. The plunger goes down a little slower but not bad. I do that to remove the oils due to my cholesterol.
I put five scoops of coffee grounds from the scoop that comes with the French press. Boil my water and then do the you know wait around game and then punch it down. I don't ever have any issues with sediment it doesn't at all bother me and yeah it's there but it's not detrimental to drinking the coffee I don't even notice it in my cup if there's any and if there is any it's usually at the bottom by that time you're just going to go get you another cup of coffee so who cares You don't like it in there when you get to the bottom just rinse it out pour you another cup you'll be good to go Sha
Rinse your grounds : once you grind the beans and pour the grounds in the vessel , add enough cold water to cover the grounds and immediately stir this mixture vigorously . Firmly press plunger all the way down then drain off water and sediment. Ready to go ! Add hot water and brew as normal. Note : this also eliminates acid taste !
if you want the james hoffmann methos and still have a hot cup? get an insulated french press simple
I use my ESPRO P5 French Press, uses two mesh filters for super clean coffee 🙂
I wait a minute and coffee tastes fantastic
Thoroughly enjoyable. Thank you.
I add coffe grind, hot water just off the boil, wait 30 seconds, add a tiniest pinch of salt, stir with a fork, leave it for 1 minute, then slowly press, and pour slowly avoiding tipping as much as possible. Yes, there is a little sludge on the cup. but seeing this, i might go to the Japanese store and buy the japanese cup filters.
1½ min... Sir, you are not drinking coffee, you are drinking hot water with a hint of coffee flavour.
Why not use a Pour Over to filter out the finings? They are easier to find the filters and all you need to do is wait for the coffee to drip through the pour over. I use my Hario with my French Press all the time and it's great
Just stick a normal cone paper filter over the french press filter. Push slowly, and it works JUST AS WELL!
Why not pour it thru a filter after it’s pressed. Cheaper than those filters
As we often hear, perfection is the enemy of what is good. Paper and cloth filters remove much of the essential oils that are key to the best brew. This is the whole point of using a press. A little sludge is a small price to pay, but if you are really concerned about it, gently remove the grounds at the end of the steep time as in the video, but then immediately gently push the plunger down. In this way the coffee will still be hot and the sludge minimal.
The oils seem to be bitter tasting so it may depend on the roast. A lighter sweeter roast benefits by removing the oils, but if you prefer darker more bitter flavors then keep the oils.
The best part of a French press is that last sludgey sip.
I'm not a coffee person, but I have a genuine question. Could you pour the French press coffee through a clean, fine cloth after you make it to get the silt out? Like a muslin cloth or something else that's fine but washable.
There's another problem with french presses . . . they loose too much heat so the coffee is luke warm. You need to make a "cozy" to go over as good a fit as you can make it. Then you can let it brew just a little longer so the sludge sinks. Kindof a pain so I switched back to pour-over
So question you do zero out the scale when you put the French press on and then weigh the water?
...or, you could pour from the French press through a laser cut metal filter cone, and have no sediment. No paper required amd no oils lost.
I use the cone from my pour over glass, either for making pour over coffee or for filtering brewed loose leaf tea. So why not for filtering French press coffee? It would definitely make it smoother and sweeter by removing the bitter fine grinds.
I have cut a piece of coffee filter roughly to the size/shape of the press.
put the lid on for those four minutes or from start to finish to help retain heat
I like the idea of manual brew as I don't want to invest in an expensive machine at home. I'm no barista but my method these days is, in a small cup (like the one to measure rice) I put ground coffee 10 grams (in my country there is a brand that sells a box of 10x10 sachets of 10 grams ground coffee) and pour a hot water from electric kettle just until every grains is soaked. Then after the crema appear, I add another water until the cup is full around 150-180 ml. Then I wait while eating my breakfast, I don't count time, but probably 4 minutes. Then I pour to a cup using a fine stainless steel filter. That's it, I like to add milk and sugar in it. If I was bother with the left over grain, I simply don't drink it to the last drop. I dunno, if you have any advice about my method to make it better, I highly appreciate it. thx in advance.
If you like coffee with milk and sugar, check out the south indian filter coffee receipes (available here on you tube). I can't explain why that mehtod is not praised more in the western world ...✌
@@hanzschwanns7511 thanks
Best method is to just give up on the concept of the french press entirely. Let your grounds steep in a random container for 4 minutes and then pour your coffee through a filtered pour-over into a serving receptacle of your choice.
if you've actually tried this, you'll know it's a nightmare to do this as your filter gets clogued and no coffee is going through
Genius. Throughout all this I had the same idea. Just pour the coffee through a filter. Duh.
Always do that after cupping. 😊
@@AvastarBin agreed. It's very slow. The key is to pour slowly and leave a tiny bit of coffee liquid at the bottom along with most of the grounds. Still kinda slow but it works much better.
I have never encountered a bad French press coffee experience
I do method 1, but i don't press down at all, using the filter as a strainer basically
Cool this is really helpful
Method one. Take time with the press. Use paper filter over the cup or pot if brewing a larger amount.
I made my first cup of French roast coffee, and it was the bitterest, worst undrinkable coffee I've ever had. That has brought me here!
That is watery coffee! Mine is SO delicious.
I pass the French press coffee through a v60 with filter for sediment free coffee.
Pour water on grinds in circular motion
A French press is supposed to be a little bit silty! If you don’t like that go with a pour over style. Me personally I enjoy the French press a very little bit of silt doesn’t bother me and the press makes a perfect cup of black coffee.
The Hoffmann method was altered. He doesnt remove the sediments but rather breaks the crust and lets the sediments settle and fall to the bottom. Only the foam shall be removed by his method
Very good sharing
ok so letz go for Option nr 2😂😂 i get Christmas gift the french press didnt used yet time to use 😅😅I will let you know i trust you 99% 😅😅 1% on the end of project Cheers
Hot water and coffee is enough for me... these fancy methods are for those who do it it as a business. At home just take your coffee the way you like it. Everyone his or her own. French press then pour over via a filter.
With bean coffee I love my creamier coffee , to me it feels and tastes smooth more mellow earthier and not so bitter , but the waiting of 4 minutes just isn’t hot enough by then for me , I’ll leave the last bit in the cup with the coffee it’s definitely bitter , best to leave that behind , not nice . Anyhow that’s how I enjoy it 👍
Love having my technique confirmed
I was going to order coffee but there is no international shipping. Sad day!
How do you get a good extraction using decaf?
Make sure its fresh
Make sure it's not decaf
excellent 👌☺️
if you're brewing at a 1:17 ratio, that means 1 part coffee and 17 parts water, making 18 parts altogether, so you would divide the total volume by 18.
unless you mean it's a 1:16 ratio?
Ratio is just that. 1 ingredient to how many (mulitple) of a different ingredient.
Adding the parts and then dividing is to take a preferred end result then working backwards.
Definitely a method, but it is more common in (at least Australia) coffee to work from the multiply method starting with a desired base of coffee then figuring out preferred volume.
Granted coffee gets left behind in the bed, but that's where adjustments are made to the method. :) as long as its consistent :)
1 to 17 coffee ratio, freshly grounded, on a french press yeah, the sediment doesn't really bother me, I just shake the cup each now and then so it mixes in as I drink (then again, I have snacked on coffee beans...) Gotta clarify: I'm not a certified coffee connoisseur or a snobbish hipster, I just like my warm, bitter, gentle, toasty, caramel-ish stimulant 6 times a day drink that way
I'm lazy. I pour hot water over the coffee in a glass, just like instant. After a bit of a stir I wait 4 minutes before breaking the surface with a spoon. 2 minutes later the coffee is ready. Just don't drink the sludge. Oh, I sometimes add a pinch of salt to enhance the flavour.
Thanks a lot!
I drink French press coffee everyday and the small amount of sediment has NEVER bothered me one iota.
The sludge is the best part of the french pressed coffee.
A easier way is just to wrap a paper filter on bottom of the press and wait 5~10 minutes for coffee to settle down in the hot water, then press ..
Just use coarse ground. I have no problem with sludge :)
Nice video. Loved the use of Rubik's Cube in the background too. 🙂
I'm currently only doing Cold Brew on my French press. 12 grams of medium coarse for each 100ml of water.
I usually brew 96 grams of medium coarse, 88 SCA (Excellent), on 800 ml of water. The coffee that I buy (88 SCA) is pretty cheap here in Colombia, 500 grams bags are around $10 USD in a coffee shop called Pergamino, in Medellín.
That last us (2 people) 2 days worth of latte (About 1 1/2 litters of cold brew latte in total, which comes to around 375 ml of cold brew latte a day for each).
In my opinion, it's the perfect amount, as cold brew starts to taste woody by the end of the second day in the fridge (40 to 48 hours after being brewed).
No paper filter, my press has a rubber seal around the plunger and a pretty small mesh which is good for small grind. 18 to 20 hours extraction.
You did a better job at explaining the process than James.
why not covering the top ? what about using the press top while waiting those 5 extra minutes to just seal the chamber.
I have a no-name french press from amazon that has 2 screens, I never get any sediment
thank you!
Using a sock will reduce sludge but also weaken the coffee’s flavor.
It’s the cheapest and most sensible.. My Kerig machines are expensive and they always break and take up space
Paper filtered coffee is only better for SOME people's cholesterol because the oil floats and stays on top of the grinds/filter. Just running coffee through a filter does not work. And it's only beneficial to those that have a sensitivity to the coffee oils and that's not many people. You can do a test to see by just quit drinking coffee after a lipid panel and then take another test a few days or a week later after quitting coffee. If there's a significante difference then try paper filter pour-over or switch to tea