Make Your Own French Press Coffee // Caffeine Diaries
How to make expensive-tasting coffee when you’re on a road trip, a conservative budget, or avoiding takeouts? Use a French press. French press coffee is so easy, and tastes great.
Using a French press yields the most delicious coffee imaginable, allows you to control the concentration, and is super budget-friendly!
While initially, operating a French press looks intimidating, it is actually very easy to use.
Step 1
Measure out 1 heaping tablespoon of coffee and dump it in the bottom of the French press.
Step 2
Boil water, either on the stove, or I prefer using an electric kettle since it shuts itself off as soon as it is ready. In other words, if I forget about it…
Step 3
Measure out 12 ounces of water in a heat-resistant glass measuring cup, and pour that into the French press.
Step 4
Agitate the grounds with a chopstick or a wooden spoon – because metal could break the beaker – then place the lid on top of the French press. You can lower the pusher to the top of the water.
Step 5
Set a timer for four minutes, wait, press, pour, enjoy! That’s it!
Time-Saving Steps
Some tweaks: in order to conserve energy and using utensils, we have two marks on our French press. One is for 8 ounces, one is for 16 ounces. We pour the water directly from the tea kettle into the French press, which means I don’t even have to measure it because we have pre-measured.
If I’m really in a hurry, when I pour the water in, I don’t even stir with the chopstick. I simply push the plunger until the screen is at the top of the water, and jiggle the printing press back-and-forth rapidly to stir everything up.
SO Easy to Adjust Strength
Next, experiment a couple times and decide how strong or weak you like your coffee. You can adjust either of the amount of water, or just the amount of coffee used.
Time of brewing might not matter that much. While my husband swears by the four-minute timer, I have seen plenty of travel French presses that operate by plunging, then leaving the grinds in while you sip.
Pro Tip: To Make It Really Fresh
We purchase our coffee whole bean, and grind it ourselves once a week so it is fresh. On your coffee grinder, you might have a “French press “setting for ensuring in this course enough for this expressing method.
Topping It Off
While some like their French press coffee black, I prefer it with half and half. No sugar. This month, I tried Starbuck’s White Chocolate Mocha creamer and Reddi Whip’s Sweet Foam.
What’s In Our Travel Coffee Kit
Bodum Chambord French Press Coffee Maker, 1 Liter, 34 Ounce, Chrome
Mr. Coffee 12 Cup Electric Coffee Grinder with Multi Settings, IDS77-RB,Black,3 Speed
IZELOKAY 401 Coffee Scoop, Stainless Steel 1 Table Spoon
Starbucks Vacuum Insulated Traveler Tumbler Coffee Mug 12 Oz – Silver Stainless Steel Brand: Starbucks
Eight O’Clock Whole Bean Coffee, The Original, 42 Ounce
For someone who loves coffee, putting together a basket with all the supplies for French press coffee would be a nice present. Don’t forget some whole beans, their choice of sugar, and a really special reusable travel mug!
