French press

[Mollysdad]

A while back, I whined about how bad the Keurig coffee was in my old coffee machine. Many here advised me to try a French press. Then, in a moment of insanity, I cleaned my Keurig, and it quit altogether. Maybe that was karma to push me into another style. I ordered a stainless French press from Amazon. I didn't want broken glass down the road, literally.
My first surprise is that evidently, the French think 4 oz. is a cup of coffee, because a 16oz, batch is called four cups??? I bought the six cup size which makes one large cup in my world.
My new press arrived Saturday, and OMG! What a great cup of coffee!
Three scoops and 12 oz. of water are just right for a nice bold flavor.
Now if it would just boil the water too!

[AlinCal]

We stayed in an Airstream AirBnB outside of Yosemite a few mo. ago and it had fresh ground coffee in an unmarked jar so no telling what it was and a French press, had to google how to use it. But the coffee was good.

[GCinSC2]

Glad you found an old answer to a really old question. Many opinions just like hitches. Here's one of mine.

I accidentally collected 5 old school percolators, 2 stainless and 3 pyrex flameware. Add 3 drip-o-lators from two mfgrs and a pair of for lack of a better name soft brew steepers.

Our go to weekend pot is a 9 cup pyrex perc and if we have a small crowd I'd get a west bend 18 cup drip-o-lator and if its a big crowd, the 11 qt mirro ware cowboy boiler.

None of them are electric, any can be used with a coleman or profane burner and all but 2 of the perc's are made in USA.

It's just fun to have a choice.

Gary

[zanymad]

Your post made me laugh!! Clearly if I go to France I'm going to have to bring my own coffee cup and say, "fill her up"! Love my coffee press...and yes, I also wish it boiled the water as well. I'm now wondering if my grandma was ahead of the game with her electric percolator. ��

[OTRA15]

FYI the Best Coffemaker thread

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f484...er-132587.html

has many posts about the French Press:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/sear...archid=7483500

. . . as do many other threads here:

https://www.google.com/search?q=fren...=airforums.com

French Press coffee is great, but hard to serve really hot, and also a real pain to clean IMO. Melita brown filters and really good freshly ground beans -- now you're talkin' ! Keep It Simple, Stu . . .

FYI

[alano]

Lots of different techniques to try. I used to stir and let sit several minutes until I read on-line that folks said leaving it too long creates a bitter taste and suggested stirring for only 10 seconds before plunging. So that's my preferred method.

If you like your cafetière, there's a smaller group of aficionados who rave about their Aeropress. It's a bit like a french press, but made out of plastic so it travels well and produces higher pressures, akin to an espresso machine but without the need for electricity.

[Mollysdad]

When I cleaned out the motorhome, I threw out a perfectly good Black & Decker under cabinet coffee maker. I no longer needed a pot of 4 -8 cups. I set it next to the trash, so hopefully someone found it a new home.

Originally Posted by alano

Lots of different techniques to try. I used to stir and let sit several minutes until I read on-line that folks said leaving it too long creates a bitter taste and suggested stirring for only 10 seconds before plunging. So that's my preferred method.

Really? My instructions say to leave sit for 3-4 minutes. I'll try your way next.
I confess, I like my coffee with a splash of Bailey's.

[AWCHIEF]

I have been using French Presses for close to 40 years. I have two that I use in the trailer. A Bodum with plastic body and a stainless insulated Coleman. Both appreciate a medium fresh ground coffee. I need a new grinder. My old electric one crapped out a couple of weeks ago. I have a manual grinder that works but is a PITA. I also have two different size glass presses for the house that I have had many years. I like to let my sit for a few minutes before pressing. I like a stronger coffee.
Like most things Americans want more when the rest of the world has learned to be happy with less. That definetly includes coffee cup size.
My secondary method is a small Keurig that lives in the trailer. With a larger full featured version in the house.

[NorCal Matt]

Originally Posted by alano

If you like your cafetière, there's a smaller group of aficionados who rave about their Aeropress. It's a bit like a french press, but made out of plastic so it travels well and produces higher pressures, akin to an espresso machine but without the need for electricity.

We LOVE coffee, and are willing to spend time and energy to get a good cup. I've roasted my own for over a decade now and couldn't possibly go back.

That said, we've tried a few ways in the trailer and have settled upon our trusty Aeropress. That reason we moved on from the French press was simply being a pain to clean while trying to watch our water use.

The fun part is all the ways you can make coffee, I've got a whole cabinet full! Im glad you found something you like!

[AWCHIEF]

Made an impulse buy last night at BB&B. They tricked me by having a big stack of Aeropress right inside the door. After getting an agreement that if I was not happy with the press I could return it and exceptance of a 20% discount coupon I brought one home. After a couple of cups this morning I think this might be a keeper. A bit of a learning curve on use and proper grind. Used two different beans. Both seemed smoother, less bitter than when used in my espresso machine. Let the experimentations begin.

[trumpetguy]

I have tried to get a good cup from a press over the years but to no avail. When others make it I like the product. I am a home roaster and good coffee is so important to me. I have found that a Bialetti stainless stove top espresso pot is the best for me. It is called a twelve cup pot but I get only two mugs for my morning brew. As always though it is the ratio of coffee to water that is critical. Six oz. filtered water to 11 grams of coffee. Perfect.

[larry9000]

French presses rock. When I worked in the corporate world, I carried a small French press with me when I traveled (internationally and domestically), along with ground coffee. Almost all hotel rooms in Asia had hot water for tea, so I'd use that to create some nitro-grade brew to combat the jet lag. Love them camping too!

[DKB_SATX]

Hi, my name is David and I am a coffee-maker addict. I'd just say I'm a coffee addict but that doesn't quite cover it. I have a Technivorm drip machine at home, as well as a couple of stove-top "mokas", a vacuum pot, a couple of French presses, various pour-over toys, a dead espresso machine I should recycle but I'm afraid I'll replace it if I do that... I have an electric burr grinder at home and a Hario hand-operated burr grinder for the Airstream.

I can't imagine how a 10-second steep would be enough to get a good cup out of a French press, but then again I like my coffee to have some authority so that may be the difference. I do a 3-4 minute steep before plunging the grounds down to the bottom and pouring off the first cup. The press rewards a somewhat-coarse grind because more of that gets filtered out... too fine a grind and you get a gritty finish on your cup.

[RadioWagon]

It was funny to see this post, as I was just thinking about coffee in our pending Airstream/RV life this morning. I decided it would likely be French Press all the way. With just one basic container and a timer, you get rich, velvety coffee.

Once, in my 20s, a friend who worked at a coffee shop told me he loved "cowboy coffee," which is where you put the grounds in the water, brew, and then throw a shot of cold water on the top to make the grounds sink to the bottom.

This does not work. There are still plenty of grounds on top, and everywhere. The fact that he thought this was okay baffled me.

So, team French press!

[NY24]

Over the years, I've tried several different methods and coffees. This year, I tried Freeze Dried Taster's Choice French Roast instant coffee (after giving up on instant coffee decades ago). Once I stopped using way too much coffee, I was amazed at how much I enjoyed it! The jar claims "105 cups" can be made per jar. I believe it. Simply add boiling water and stir. I do add 1% milk but, even "straight up", it makes a GOOD cup of coffee.

[GCinSC2]

Originally Posted by RadioWagon

Once, in my 20s, a friend who worked at a coffee shop told me he loved "cowboy coffee," which is where you put the grounds in the water, brew, and then throw a shot of cold water on the top to make the grounds sink to the bottom.

This does not work. There are still plenty of grounds on top, and everywhere. The fact that he thought this was okay baffled me.

So, team French press!

I see you're in the Carolina's? You going to Alumalina? I'll have my Cowboy pot, we'll see if you like that one.

[alano]

Originally Posted by DKB_SATX

Hi, my name is David and I am a coffee-maker addict. I'd just say I'm a coffee addict but that doesn't quite cover it. I have a Technivorm drip machine at home, as well as a couple of stove-top "mokas", a vacuum put, a couple of French presses, various pour-over toys, a dead espresso machine I should recycle but I'm afraid I'll replace it if I do that... I have an electric burr grinder at home and a Hario hand-operated burr grinder for the Airstream.

I can't imagine how a 10-second steep would be enough to get a good cup out of a French press, but then again I like my coffee to have some authority so that may be the difference. I do a 3-4 minute steep before plunging the grounds down to the bottom and pouring off the first cup. The press rewards a somewhat-coarse grind because more of that gets filtered out... too fine a grind and you get a gritty finish on your cup.

I was surprised as well, but I'm grateful to find a method that eliminates the several minute wait. You might also compensate with the amount of coffee you use. For the Bodum 8 cup (which is only 4 oz/cup) I generally use three heaping tablespoons of Pete's French Roast. Don't forget to stir during these 10 seconds. Your mileage may vary!

[trumpetguy]

Friend told me about a method of reversing from a push down to a pull up when removing the grounds from the press beaker. All you do is reverse the screen from top to bottom prior to adding coffee and water. Apparently this is quite the rage with some coffee hounds around the world.

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

. . .
. . . I ordered a stainless French press from Amazon.
. . . What a great cup of coffee!
. . .

Do you have a link for this French press? Thanks.

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

I have been using French Presses for close to 40 years. . .
. . . and a stainless insulated Coleman.
. . .

Same question, Michael, do you know if the Coleman is still made?

Thanks,

Peter

Originally Posted by Joe_Julie

. . .
. . . Does anyone know of a press you can put right on the burner of the stove?
. . .

Why do you want to put it on the stove, just to keep the coffee warm? We used to have a glass French press, and would put it on top of a warmer plate which seemed to be OK with the glass, like this "Flame Tamer:"

https://www.amazon.com/ChefLand-Heat...ser+gas+burner

This heat diffuser also works great for slow-simmering stews and one-pot meals, especially in a cast iron Dutch oven which is already fairly good at diffusing heat.

Thanks,

Peter

PS -- SS French presses: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_s...d=K8UPAKAAOEWR

[AWCHIEF]

Peter, no clue. Suggest you check with the Coleman folks.
Stanley now makes one that looks identical to me.