Educate me on French Pressing (2 specific questions)
Educate me on French Pressing (2 specific questions)
Pour over guy here but I enjoy just a touch of oils in my extractions so I've settled on coffee sock use. Never liked the French Press side of things, but I've just learned about FP with paper filters, the Espro paper filter and more interestingly the Caffi bag filter. I'd like to experiment with this. The Caffi filter especially is appealing as the cleanup looks super easy (big change compared to my coffee sock ritual) and I like the idea of cleaning up the murky FP taste with some decent filtering. I'm considering trying an Espro device so I would have the option to try their paper filter too, but that's less interesting since you still have to clean grounds out of your FP bucket. The Espro devices are pricey though. I'm curious if anyone thinks the finer mesh buckets on the Espro would contribute any cleanup benefit at all if using a paper filter like the Caffi bag? I would assume the much finer filter mechanism of the paper would just trump any plunger filter mechanism. Ok, my next question is what's going on with insulated FP brewers? Stanley, Yeti, even Espro (they even make a travel mug FP that you just leave the grounds in!!) and many others make these. I don't mean to be rude, but are FP drinkers just barbarians that think there is no such thing as over-extraction? How in the world can you just leave coffee grounds sitting in contact with your brew for hours as these insulated FP brewers claim? Don't you need to decant as soon as the brew is complete?
The main thing that affects taste with FP that I have found is brewing time.
I find myself experimenting with brew time, for each and every different bag of beans or grounds to achieve optimal taste.
Starting with standard 4 minute brewing time: If that brew is underextracted, add 1 minute the next time; Likewise, if that brew is overextracted, subtract 1 minute the next time.
I can dial in the optimal brew time for taste for a new bag within 2-3 days.
Medium roasts tend to be overextracted at 4 minutes, dark roasts can go 4 minutes or more.
I have a hot water pot that maintains water temperature at 195F, and I don't like futzing with it.
I don't use paper filters, just a fine mesh filter.
Interesting, I've heard of extending beyond four but never shortening it, especially with water that cool. Most sources seem to push temp beyond the pour over range to just shy of boiling for FP. Four pour over usually go slightly higher in temp for lighter roasts so would have thought maybe longer extraction on those.
On a graph of time vs extraction, I'm sure there's a logarithmic curve for any given temperature, with optimal extraction for taste falling some time value well before maximum extraction before the bitter astringent compounds are added to the brew.
I've never tried a light roast in any brewing method, but I suspect it would be even more finicky to get right than medium roast.
"Most sources" consensus is a good starting point, but it's really up to 1) What resources and equipment you have, 2) how much effort you're willing to put in, and 3) your personal taste.
I'll echo someone else's suggestion of trying out James Hoffman's French press method. I get pretty clean cups while still retaining that oily goodness.
It sounds like you want an Aeropress. You get the same results as a French press with a paper filter, and the whole process, including cleanup, is much more streamlined. It also stores a little easier.
Have an aeropress. I find getting the brew right is almost as fussy as pour over but never quite as good. Also, I often brew larger batches. I like chemex for that but a 32oz FP would work. I know there's a mega aeropress out now, but I've heard it's clunky and kind of a pain. I just want to experiment with FP since that would be new to me (other than some messing around with it I did as a dumb college student).
Ah then yeah, French press is the way to go. They're pretty great systems if you like the oil. I do, so I don't even use the paper filter.
I use an insulated FP because the glass ones would break after a year or so of just standard use. The insulated metal one I've had is going on 13 years now. I have only recently had to replace the plunger, as it wore out and was allowing grinds to pass on the side.
How do you know when to stop plunging with the insulated one? I thought you are supposed to stop just before you hit the grounds. Also, why not do just metal instead of insulated? With most insulated do to double wall they don't recommend dishwasher. With a metal one that's not insulated you could throw it in the dishwasher.
Stop plunging? When it bottoms out, everything I've read says when it bottoms out. The insulated one was on sale, and I can't remember ever seeing a regular metal french press. I have thrown mine in the dishwasher. I usually just rinse it, or quick hand wash it, but I've tossed it in the dishwasher plenty.
I also am a mainly pour over person but incorporate other methods (French Press, AeroPress, Syphon, etc.) depending on how I’m feeling and the beans I’m brewing. Check out Hoffman’s French Press video. I used to not enjoy most FP because I would either way over extract or make it too weak. His approach has minimal agitation, maximizes immersion by letting it sit as long as possible after removing the bitter floating grounds, and reduces the grinds in the final brew by not plunging all the way and decanting slowly. As an addition, you could just decant through one of your pour over filters if you still don’t enjoy the mouth feel.
Mind if I ask what you don't like about French Press coffee? I ask only because we've been FP-only when at home for more than 10 years now. I can enjoy a cup of coffee from just about anywhere when on the road, so I'm definitely not a picky drinker but I do enjoy homemade FP the most.
I find it opposite end of spectrum from pour over. Don't you agree it's a different taste? I think it's just personal preference. It's far more oily and often has sediment / fines in the cup. You ever have any cholesterol issues? I've also heard the cafestol is something to look out for with FP (but again, I'm only interested in trying paper filtered FP which should clean a lot of that up).
Jeez, thanks for that invitation down the rabbit hole lol. Prior to your comment, I'd never come across any studies on boiled vs filtered coffee and its effects on hypertension and overall cardiovascular health. I've since read several and I'm now questioning my life choices. Seriously though, thanks for tip, and I'll definitely be doing my own experiments soon.
the only reason I use an insulated one is because it's more robust, and the guarantees I won't burn myself on the outside like an idiot. you really do not want to leave your coffee on top of those grounds for very long
How in the world is this epreso travel mug FP getting such good reviews?
I've seen gibberish that the over extraction doesn't happen in these giant insulated FP systems because there is no agitation, but there would be a ton of agitation in a bloody travel mug. Even in a counter top insulated 32 or 34 oz insulated FP every time you pour off a cup it would be agitating. I'm perplexed.
I have one of those. Well, a variation of one of those. I think mine is from Stanley. It's really awesome as a camping system since I don't have to worry about breaking it, and I don't need to keep track of different parts and filters. But I pour it into a mug immediately after the designated brew time. I would never dream of leaving it in there. Bleck!