My favorite way to brew coffee is by press pot, which also goes by proper names like the French Press, or the Bodum - which is actually the name of the company that made the brewing method famous among coffee drinkers.I was introduced to the French Press by my brother, who explained to me that it was recognized for superior brewing to the drip brewer. At the time, I didn't know enough about coffee to appreciate the quality it produced with just a few extra steps over the drip brewer. I do now![ad#Google Adsense - use me]If you aren't familiar with the press pot brewing method, click here to learn more. If you want to learn more about buying a press pot to make great coffee at home, the most competitive price for a Bodum press pot that we know is at Cooking.com
.If you are familiar with the French Press brewing method, here are some little tips that have made big differences in the coffee that I make. If you already knew all this, congratulations, you are probably making great coffee at home.1) Boiled coffee is spoiled coffee. You probably already knew that, but to be on the safe side, let your water sit for 30-60 seconds before pouring it onto the coffee from the boiling point. I was simply waiting for the boil to stop before pouring. This is still hot enough to risk spoiling the coffee, especially when I wait ten minutes before taking my first sip of the scalding hot coffee anyway. Give it time even after the boil stops before pouring.2) Let the coffee steep in the hot water for FOUR minutes. The fact that I was setting my timer for three minutes for so long is just proof that when you do something the same way for so long, you forget to question it. The proper brewing time for the press pot is four minutes.3) Stir the hot coffee and water after it has been sitting for a minute. I used to pour the water and immediately put the plunger over the pot, waiting for the timer to go off. Again, the water is piping hot, so there's no hurry to cover the pot with the plunger. What you see after you pour the water is a very light brown foam that forms over the coffee as it settles at the top of the water. This is called the "bloom" and is the result of outgassing of CO2 from the coffee - a natural product of brewing coffee. After a minute of steeping, you ensure a more even brew (and complete outgassing) when you stir the contents of the pot, instead of leaving the coffee to float at the top of the water for the full four minutes. After this stir, I then put the plunger in place and wait for the timer to go off.4) When the timer goes off, push the plunger SLOWLY. I'm as anxious as any caffeine addict for my first cup of the day. But, use some finesse and push the plunger slowly. It will ensure no ground coffee slips through the plunger and into your cup.
The final "advanced" step of French Press coffee is one that I haven't invested in yet. If you are not immediately drinking all of the coffee from the press pot at once, the remainder should go into a thermal container rather than sit in the press pot. Sediment, and possibly even ground coffee, will end up in your second cup if you let it sit in the press pot rather than have it sit in a thermal container until you are ready to drink it. I should know - that's what will keep happening to me until I invest in one. That's next!
