Opinions on French Press?
 

For those of you who really know coffee, what is your opinion of coffee make with a French Press? Personally, I really enjoy it, but my only comparison of our home coffee is regular drip coffee. Coffee from the French press seems creamier. How course or fine should the grind be? I've got a burr grinder, can't recall what kind, but I have it set on for little courser than drip coffee.

Also, what is a good way to store whole beans? I'm the only one in the house who is interested in grinding coffee, so I want it to be stored well.

Thanks! :tu

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

Mr. Moo...you there

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

It runs a dead heat with a Chemex in my book.
Easier and cleaner than a vacpot without any real drawbacks.
Better than most autodrip brewers only because most autodrip brewers don't work very well.

Press: 9.2
Vac: 9.0
Manual Pourover: 9.2
mokapot: 9.35
espresso: 9.8

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

French press before I discovered home roasting, was the only coffee I could enjoy black. Great depth of flavor and substance in the actual end product you just cannot replicate. It is unique and something to be enjoyed over a drip pot any day.

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

Thanks guy. Any recommendations on how fine/course to grind the beans?

Oh, and what is a good way to store beans? If I put them in a glass mason jar with a good seal will that keep them fresh?

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

I take french press grind to medium-coarse. Let the depth of the sludge at the bottom of your cup be your guide - too much sludge, too fine a grind.

Store beans out of the light. A sealed glass jar is probably the best thing but I mostly use old plastic OJ jugs and they're fine if the coffee doesn't sit around for mweeks and weeks. Refrigeration or freezing of fresh roast will work to extend bean freshness but, to avoid water condensation, you need to let the (glass only) jar and contents return to room temp before opening and using. I think air is the killer on bean freshness - sealed glass jar, sealed plastic jug, ziplock bags, etc., may all be fine for a week or two.

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

French Press rocks for brewed coffee. Drawbacks are it's strictly brew and serve as it gets cold quick.

Make sure your water is off boiled, and pour the excess hot water into your coffee mug to heat it up.

My family has been using the same French Press (from France) since the mid 70's!

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

I use an old Illy can and just keep refilling it. It has a wonderful pop art look to it and does a good job of keeping sealed. Looks appropriate next to the espresso machine and grinder.

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

OK this is really good. I went last night to Caribou (regional place like Starbucks) and bought a half-pound of Sumatra beans. This morning I messed around with the grinder a little to find the right size setting while the water was heating. Tossed those grounds since some were too fine. Then I ground enough for 4 cups of coffee and brewed it in the French press. This is much "fruitier" than I previously thought Sumatra to be. REally good. I don't have time to do this every morning, but on weekends this is going to be a regular event. Thanks for the advice! :tu

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

Recently introduced to French Press and Moka Pot thanks to members of the asylum. Treat myself to a Moka brew on occasion but primarily addicted to the French Press, shame it took this ole timer so long; as they say, better late than never. Used the drip machine to keep the coffee warm, felt it's better than letting it collect dust. There is no issue of the brew setting too long, in addition, it also has a timer. Of course had to include the cordless water kettle as part of the 'slippery slope' package, oh what a combo. Lotta good info :tu, adding a few steps to my coffee brewing ritual. Oh, by the way, may need to add few coffee related 'smileys' to the asylum. :ss

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

To me, the French Press is the best way to drink coffee, hands down.

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

word

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

Been brewing with a french press for a few weeks, and I'm not sure I'll ever drink another cup of drip. I get a much softer texture, as well as a vivid flavor. Only problem I have is that my grinder tends to produce some dust, which I think makes the coffee harsh at the bottom of the mug, so I don't drink that. I have found that I want a bit of milk in mine, whereas I used to drink drip without it.

I grind almost at the coarsest setting, since I like to let it brew a little longer before pressing.

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

Unless you get a Bodum Columbia, which is a double-walled french press that retains temp very nicely for as much as half an hour with very little temp loss. I use it for coffee; I use my older German-made pyrex model for steeping teas.

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

that is what I use. Heath speaks the truth

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

I've got one of those thermos carafe things. I pour the coffee into that once I press coffee is done brewing.

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

That is what I do too. I bring the Thermos to work every day.

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

For what I consider a traditional cup of coffee French press is the way to go. It's simple, cheap, there are no moving parts and most importantly it is the best quality cup of coffee you can make. Although Moo calls mokapot coffee regular coffee not espresso I consider it an in between state. Not a coffee not an espresso just a mokapot coffee because it is so different in texture and flavor than and other non-espresso method of coffee. More in an other category that would include things like Cuban or Turkish coffee which are not espresso but are made with coffee beans and water but bear very little resemblance to coffee that say for instance my grandfather would recognize.

One of the biggest difference between French press and drip for me is "mouth feel". In fact tasting a cup of drip side by side with a french press is a really good way to illustrate that concept. Drip is thin like water and the french press is full like wine. I'm sure Mr.Moo can speak to why the water/grounds exposure/time relationship creates a more nuanced and rich flavor in a French press. Although he may just say "autodrip brewers don't work very well".

http://www.planetarydesign.us/allproducts.html

Makes a great double-walled, vacuum-insulated french press. I have two in the 20oz and the 32oz. Look great and work ridiculous well. I have made coffee in the morning for my wife and I and when I have gotten home from work the last cup in the pot was still warm not hot but warm. Not that I drank it but I was damn impressed.

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

99% of the time I go with a french press. Far better than drip/filter coffee.

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

Just bought a french press and used it for the first time tonight, don't see me going back to the auto-drip anytime soon.

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

We have an expensive coffee maker and a 15 dollar french press. Even on busy mornings the french press wins out every time. My wife will not even drink coffee at the house if it is not made with the press. It just tastes better, not bitter, more creamy and flavorful.

We have a coffee grinder and grind our beans on the most corse setting. With that, we let the coffee sit once its in teh french press for a few minutes longer. We store them at room temperature in an airtight container. I have found that the freezer zaps the oils in the beans and leaves them somewhat lacking in flavor and profile.

Just my :2 anyway.

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

I've never read a French newspaper so I can't really comment about the Frech Press...;)

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

http://i41.tinypic.com/nnn0i9.jpg

Seriously. Can you smell it? That's a cap of freshly roasted daterra floating atop 48-ounces of soon-to-be-pressed coffee. French press? Yes. (Oui.)

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

Did you drink this yet, Dan? It's probably nearly cold by now.

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

Once I got my press.... Mr Coffee was tossed.

I will never go back to another type. I would like a K-cup one day just for sh!ts n giggles, but at $90+... i doubt it will happen anytime soon.

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

Seriously. No. But damn I wish I could. :r

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

Great picture Dan. Once my pot is ready to press I take a spoon and gently lift that cap out of the pot. I get a much cleaner pour.

I started out setting my Rocky grinder at 40 and steeped for 4 minutes. Now I am experimenting with the Rocky at 25 and steeping for 2-3 minutes. I use 195-200 degree water. I find that 4 minutes at this grind over extracts. The reults are very good. The character of the flavors is definitely improving.

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

4 minute steep is too engraved into my routine from decades of making a french press to try something else. The numbers on a Rocky are not uniform, but I use a "40" setting too. When I had a good slotted spoon, I would lift the cap out before pressing. Makes for a "brighter, cleaner" taste. I like density of the regular method as well.

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

Funny aside that I came across today; In Metals Market, there was a blurb on Severstal CEO promoting their "tea boy" because he fashioned a corporate logo for the CEO and his visitors in their espressos, and amazed them all with his creativity. The kid is now with the boss on the private jet, serving there in his new job.

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

I think that says it all! I just started using a French Press last month and I have no plans to use my coffee machine anytime soon!


Doug/Dux

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

:tpd:

I just bought a FP this past week and have used it a couple of times with some pre-ground coffee I've been using in my Kuerig. I'm already looking to sell the Kuerig to a friend. I don't drink coffee a lot, but was looking to get better results. The FP fits the bill. Wow, the flavor is soooo much better.

Now to get a burr grinder.

Another slippery slope, here I come....weeeeeee!!!!

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

French press + crappy grinder = 10 times better than drip.

French press + good grinder = even better!

The only reason that my French Press doesn't see more use is that I'm an espresso junkie.

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

I love coffee made with a French Press, I have only compared home roast between a Keurig and french press. keurig works well, french press is great!

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

Can anyone post a link to a good value grinder to use so I can break in my new Bodum 3 cup french press?

Also a good place to grab a few different samples of beans?

Thanks in advance.

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

For French press, I've had good luck with this
http://www.google.com/products/catal...=0CLMBEPMCMAM#

I would also give Sweet Marias a shot for samplers if you're roasting or UncleBeanz if you're ordering it roasted. ( I personally love Unclebeanz Negrita)

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

Anyone use a thermal FP? Thinking of getting one for the weekends when I want more than my normal travel mug. Wondering if the Bodum 1 liter is worth the price or if the less expensive ones work just as well.

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

Don't know about a thermal, but I just ordered this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...00_i00_details

Upgrading from an 8 cup to a 12 cup.

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

I'm assuming even with your 8 cupper, you don't pour it all out at once, right? So do you notice any difference in the taste after its sat in the FP for a while? I'm using a smaller Bodum and only do enough at a time to fill my mug.

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

Yeah, I can polish off the 8 cupper by an original fill and then as I walk out the door. I don't notice much of a difference other than probably gathering more "dust" as you get closer to the end I guess.

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

Mark mkarnold1 picked one up a few weeks ago and loves it :2
Not sure of the brand tho.

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

Bob,

I use the Bodum Columbia 8-Cup Stainless-Steel Thermal Press Pot. It works just like any other press pot but, it keeps coffee hot a long time. I can not taste much if any difference in taste after coffee sits in it quite a while.

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

Thanks Jim. I'm thinking this might be one of my next purchases.

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

A colleague of mine brought in a French Press set up to work last week so I could try it out. Needless to say is that I'm sold.

Just went and go my first FP. Now I can store my Keurig for guests use the FP for my daily use. Now I need to find some beans I like.

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

Maybe mine's just worn out, but I get a ton of dust from my Cuisinart. It's drinkable, but have to nearly decant the stuff to keep from getting more mud than I can stand.

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

I love my french press for a really deeply rich cup of coffee. Coarse ground is the way to go.

Re: Opinions on French Press?
 

I thought I had broken mine this morning. Dropped in the sink while cleaning. Luckily it didn't crack.