The French Press

A french press and mug

The French Press
 
Of all the different gadgets that can brew coffee, the french press is probably the most versatile. You can use a french press to make hot coffee, cold brew, and tea. If you have an insulated or double-walled pot, your french press can keep liquids hot or cold for long periods of time.
 
Hot coffee. If you are making hot coffee, use a coarse ground coffee. Check out the grind chart to get an idea of how course you grind your beans. Put the coffee grounds in the french press and add hot water. You can measure the grounds and water and adjust the ratio to get a cup that you like. Start with 55g of coffee per 1000ml of water and adjust from there. Let it brew for approximately 4 minutes before lowering the plunger on the french press. Experiment with ground size and amount of grounds and water. You can adjust the brew time as well to find a great tasting cup
 
Cold brew coffee. You can use the same grind for cold brew as you would for hot coffee. In other words, you want a coarse grind! Start with 128g of coffee to 512ml of water and let it sit for 12 to 24 hours. You can adjust the ratio of coffee and water to make stronger concentrate or reduce it to drink it as is. As with hot brewed coffee you
can adjust the brewing time to affect the brew strength.
 
Tea. Brew loose leaf tea much as you would coffee: put the leaves in the french press, top with hot water, and let it set for a few minutes (length of time will depend on the type of tea). When the tea has steeped long enough, press slowly down on the plunger to filter the leaves out of the tea. Pour and enjoy!
 
When you're evaluating french presses, look for one you can keep clean. Also consider durability and how well it will keep your beverages hot. I have tried a few french presses, and my favorite is 32oz stainless steel model made by coffee gator.

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