You must have just bought your French press or you are about to buy one and you may be asking how best can you enjoy it and the best way or how fine to grind your coffee. You are now asking the question, ” how fine should I grind my coffee beans for a french press”.
Even if you are a newcomer, the French press is not a difficult method, it is one of the most simple and cheap ways to prepare your coffee. If you are new to the French press, all you need to do is just to follow the simple steps and you will make a great coffee.
We will take you through how fine you should grind your coffee for your French press.
If you know the French press coffee, then you will agree that it is usually dense, with a beauty lather on the surface of the coffee cup when done.
To make sure the coffee is fully expressed, you should decant it as soon as you finish brewing. This will make it stay the same and not allow for bitterness or chalkiness.
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How Fine Should I Grind My Coffee Beans For A French Press
There is an argument going on that using less coarse grind is better because it allows the extraction of compounds faster. It is said that there is more surface area, so the soluble compounds are extracted from the ground beans into the water faster.
One of the fears of using finer grinds is that the coffee may end up cloudy and your cup will have silt. French press pots have a screen to hold back medium-sized grounds. Although, there are established facts that French press coffee calls for evenly ground, coarse powder.
In a way, a lot of people press coffee because they prefer their coffee pressed. To enable press coffee, a coarse grind of your coffee bean will usually work. Trying to use fine ground your coffee for french press will defeat its purpose, and will make it impossible to use a press pot to brew, this would make it almost impossible to get a consistently good cup of coffee.
When you want to use a press pot for your coffee, using a coarse grind should come to mind. The decision to use a fine ground coffee bean will make your coffee taste bitter, while using a ground coffee that is too coarse will make your coffee taste weak and bland.
Therefore, as you grind your coarse coffee, ensure that the grounded coffee attains that level of allround consistency for brewing.
However, it is not a bad idea if you can experiment with finer grind each time you brew.
What do you think?
This Manual Burr Coffee Grinder by Vkchef is perfect for grinding your coffee into that coarse consistent grind you need for your french. You should check it out.
I’m sure you’ll thank me.
Why is a coarse ground usually used?
People generally agree that a French press is best used with a coarsely ground coffee and water under boiling temperature. Let it immerse for about three to five minutes then, you have a great cup of coffee.
An inconsistent grind will contain a range of particle sizes from fine to coarse. When you use a coarsely ground coffee, it is less likely to contain a lot of fines.
It means you are less likely to have a cloudy cup with flavours. Using a coffee grinder and sieve can solve the issue by using a more finely ground bean.
How to use a finer or moderate grind for french press
This is the method you should use for your own experimentation with grind size.
The coffee
For the coffee, you should make use thirty-five grams of beans for every sixteen-ounce (475ml) of water. Make use of a digital scale to make sure you know exactly how much coffee and water you are using and can adjust as needed.
Then you grind your coffee to medium-coarse making use of a quality grinder. If clear coffee is important to you then you need to sieve it so you can remove the large particles.
When you remove the large particles then it will result in more consistent extraction.
Method
Make sure you use water that has been boiled at 93 degrees. To achieve this all you need to do is boil it hot and after boiling you wait for it to cool for about thirty seconds.
After stirring the coffee and water, you should cover the beaker with the lid then insert the plunger lightly.
This should not touch the coffee at all. The lid is there to insulate the brew during extraction because water cools quickly in a glass beaker.
After waiting for about eight to ten minutes, almost all the coffee particles will have sunk inside. Be careful with this and keep an eye on this and then make a note when you are ready to push the plunger.
Make sure you do this slowly and avoid stirring up the fines. You should leave a little space between the ground and the screen, after this, you should let the grounds become saturated enough to sink and avoid a slimy brew.
You should pour carefully to avoid disturbing the grounds and leave a few sips in the pot, you should not drink the silty part under the screen.
Repeat this process wit finer grinds and see if you notice any difference.
Suitable water temperature for finer grinds
When you are adjusting your grind size it is always advisable to consider the water temperature because a finer grind has more surface area and it will extract easier and faster.
When you lower the temperature can slow the extraction rate and help avoid bitterness due to over-extraction.
When you are using a medium grind, you need to lower the temperature of the water from the recommended 93 degrees. Making use of water around 91 degrees and brewing for some time.
If you lower the water temperature with a coarse grind, you might get an under-extracted cup unless the brew time is extended to compensate.
All the factors involved will affect one another, if you change one factor, you may need to change another.
Four common mistakes to avoid while grinding coffee with French press
A lot of people are in love with the French press, and I am sure you must have spent some money to get your own French Press to make your coffee.
Using the French press is easy, but you need to take note of some certain mistakes, you have to avoid them if you want a smooth and fine product after making your Coffee using your French press.
Take note of these mistakes when making use of your French Press:
Make use of the right quantity
How good the coffee will be depending on the coffee-water ratio. A general rule is within the range of 1:10 coffee-to-water ratio. This means one gram of coffee for ten grams of water.
Everyone may not be able to measure their coffee before they brew a new one. Do not forget that it is worth the hassle. It is preferable to measure out your coffee and water to prevent the coffee-to-water ratio from being too much.
You can get a scale you can use for measurement if you do not have one.
Remove the coffee from the French press after pressing
The result of leaving your coffee in the French press after pressing is that you will end up drinking a very bitter coffee. This happens because you may have pushed down the plunger, it will keep brewing.
If you want to drink your coffee and enjoy it then you need to avoid making this mistake. If you will take more than a cup then you should make the correct amount of coffee that you want to drink.
That is, if you want to make coffee for yourself alone, you should make only for yourself, if you want to make for family use or for more guests then you should make the exact amount that will be enough for your family.
Use the best Brew Time
The best and standard brew time for a French press is usually four minutes. However, four minutes may be too short for a time.
You should stir lightly at the top of the press to let the grounds settle and you should also use a spoon to remove the white foam from the top.
Should You stir a French press
A French press requires an even grind, if you have 40 grams of coffee, you will need to begin with 80 grams of water. You need to give the grounds a delicate mix with a chopstick. Allow the coffee to bloom for some seconds.
French press for making coffee recommended just for you
Upgraded French Press Coffee Maker Stainless Steel 34 oz
The Upgraded French Press Coffee Maker Stainless Steel 34 oz is a fine quality material-which gives off resilient shine which protects it from rust. The large carafe made of thick borosilicate glass that can withstand boiling water. It is portable and even fit to travel within a travelling bag or even a backpack.
This makes it easy to be brought on camping or even to go to work. The glass beaker lets you monitor the whole procedure of making your coffee.
Watching the hot water and coffee grounds separate as you press the stainless-steel filter arm. This French coffee press features an exact scale lone so that you can prepare exactly the right amount of coffee to meet your needs.
This is also perfect for birthday gifts, wedding gifts, for holidays DIY enthusiasts. If you are tired of unpleasant muddiness while enjoying your flavour coffee this coffee French press which was designed with a four-level filtration system with a spring seal edge and a perforated late to filter out big flavour coffee.
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Easy to clean
- Stainless steel
- Durable
- Portable
- Does not occupy space
- Great blending power
Cons:
- Glass beaker may be vulnerable to break
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Final verdict
This French press is value for money, you get to enjoy what you paid for. The fact that it is very portable and can be used for gift items and the like is what makes it amazing.
French Press Coffee Maker – BEST Presses Makers – 34 Oz, 8 Cup
The French Press Coffee Maker – BEST Presses Makers – 34 Oz, 8 Cup is a plastic-free machine which is the only coffee maker with an encapsulated stainless-steel double lid built double to endure high temperature and to keep your fingers safe compared to other thin lids that can burn you.
It has a 4-level filtration system that increases the purity of your coffee, giving it a delicate texture. It also has a German borosilicate glass which makes the coffee press slightly breakable.
It also comes with a three-year replacement guarantee which is best for customer service. This enables buyers to buy with confidence because they trust that if anything happens to this French press, it can be replaced without you spending money for repairs.
Pros:
- Three years warranty
- Easy to use
- Stainless-steel material
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Cons:
- Glass part may be breakable
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Final verdict
This French press is a powerful one with no plastic body at all. It is durable and heat resistant. If this is in your budget you should get it because it will meet your expectations.
French Presses Coffee Maker – Stainless Steel & Heat Resistant Borosilicate Glass Coffee Pot (silver-12oz)
The French Presses Coffee Maker – Stainless Steel & Heat Resistant Borosilicate Glass Coffee Pot (silver-12oz) comes with a gentle filtrations system, a stainless-steel mesh filter that extracts oils and aromas from coffee beans.
It can also prevent coffee beans from entering the coffee cup. This French press comes with a very durable structure and insulating material and anti-corrosion grain grade.
It also has a very great design that keeps coffee warm and long-lasting.
This French press is a good item for gifting. If you are finding it difficult to get a gift item this French press is a very good idea.
Pros:
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Cons:
No warranty
Final verdict
This product is a full stainless-steel design which is said to be durable and may be less breakable. The bad side is that it does not come with a three-year warranty like some of the other French press. If this product will meet your needs you should get it.
How Fine Should I Grind My Coffee Beans For A French Press – Final words
Learning to grind your coffee finely and coarsely for a french press is important in getting the best-brewed drink for you. So, try it out and let me know how it goes.