Coffee making people: How do I make a good cup of coffee with a bodum?
Tuesday, January 31st, 2012 at
9:26 pm
I’ve got a french press coffee maker, and I want to know if there’s anything to do to make my coffee taste better than it is. Like brewing time and other weird little techniques.
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First off, great choice for a coffee maker although I’ve always found Bodum to be a little on the expensive side.
When it gets down to it, the french press takes coffee making and reduces it to a very simple yet elegant form. It makes strong coffee which I like but some might need some cream and sugar to soften it up. So if your coffee is not coming out right then it could be your grind, your water or how you’re doing it.
Coffee is a very personal thing, and I’ve always said that if you buy the cheapest coffee, you’re getting what you pay for. But if you like the cheap stuff, then by all means purchase it. Remember this is all about what you like, not what some coffee snob thinks. If you do want a change however try experimenting with different brands or different roasts. See if there’s a roaster in your area that can set you up with smaller samples and then go from there.
You’ll need a slightly coarser grind than what you’d use for a drip coffee maker, somewhere around a medium grind. That’s not to say that you can’t use regular store bought grounds but you’ll wind up with more sludge at the bottom of your cup when your done if you do. If you have your own burr grinder then you’re already ahead of the game.
Also as mentioned, water plays a role in this. If your tap water tastes funny, try using distilled or spring water and see if that improves matters. Don’t be afraid to experiement, try changing 1 variable at a time such as the water, the grind, the amount but only change 1 so you can tell right away if it’s helped or not.
Finally comes the coffee making itself.
1 tablespoon of ground coffee to 4 oz of water. This is what is considered the "golden ratio" for French Press coffee making. You mileage may vary however and like I said, don’t be afraid to tweak these values.
Your water should be just under boiling so bring it almost to a boil then let it sit for a few seconds.
Add your coffee to the press, pour the water evenly over the grounds. Let this sit for 1 minute. Do not fill the press to the top, you need some space between the top of the press and the coffee. You’ll probably notice a crust of ground coffee forming at the top, take a spoon and very gently break this up by stirring a bit. You can put the top back on the press now but don’t press it down yet.
Let this sit for another 3 minutes. The time it takes to steep the coffee depends on the grind and how you like it. I’ve found that 4 minutes from the time you add the water until you actually press is optimal,
Now you press. You should feel some resistance as you do this. If it gets difficult, try pulling slightly then continue pressing down.
Wait about a minute to allow some of the sediment to settle and then serve. Don’t wait too long as the coffee will continue to brew while it’s in contact with the water and will impart a rather bitter taste over time.
cream and sugar always does the trick
i use a teaspoon of coffee sugar if you use sugar fill your cup with hot water about half an inch from the top get some hot or cold full fat milk whisk i use cold milk it froth’s better or you can whisk up some cream pour it over the hot water sip it through the froth it makes a brilliant cup of coffee a lot of people like to use hot milk to make the coffee but i find it sickly.brown sugar is best if using sugar
hope this helps you
Use grounds that are 1 click coarser than "drip." Use the usual 2 tablespoons of ground per 6 oz cup, use a measuring cup and see how much your Bodum holds. Put the grounds in there and give them a splash of boiling water, enough to just wet then through. Wait 20 seconds and fill with remaining water. Let it steep 1 to 3 minutes depending on how strong you like; press the plunger slowly.
If it is too strong you can put a tablespoon of plain water into your cup. This "by-pass" water is built into other machines and methods. A filter type lets a portion of water through the sides of the filter without ever going through the grounds below.
Press pots make strong coffee. Resist the temptation to reduce the measure of grounds, just add the by-pass water to your cup.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/true-brew-recipe/index.html
This works well with a french press.
First make sure you get fresh roasted coffee from a local roaster or on line from someone like J. Martinez & Co. (www.martinezfinecoffees.com). If you do not have a grinder have them grind it for french press. This is a coarser grind than for a drip maker.
1. Boil some water.
2. Remove the top of the french press and place about a tablespoon of coffee per cup (you can adjust to your own taste) in the bottom.
3. Take the water off the stove and let it cool briefly (you want the water to be around 180 degrees F).
4. Pour the water in the French press.
5. Let the coffee steep for 5 mintues.
6. Press the plunger down to the bottom.
7. Pour your coffee.