The cafetiere (or French press) is one of our favourite ways of making coffee, especially if you are brewing at home. It’s an easy way to make good coffee, but there are still some best practices to follow. To make the most of your cafetiere be sure to use a course grind coffee and follow these steps:
The Warm Up
Always pre-warm the the cafetiere with hot water. It will reduce the amount of heat loss while brewing the coffee. You can take this a step further by also warming your mug up before you start. This way the finished coffee won’t end up going cold too quickly.
How Much Coffee To Use?
Use the scoop provided (or alternatively, a dessert spoon full) and measure out one scoop per cup (this is approx. 10g, use two scoops/dessert spoons per mug). It pays to experiment here; you may like it a little weaker or stronger so find the dosage that suits your taste for each coffee origin! I like mine quite strong when I brew Brazil but when it comes to more lightly roasted beans, such as those from Ethiopia, I tend to use a little less coffee so I can pick out more of the fruity notes.
Pour
Pour over water (just off the boil) onto the coffee grounds. Pour slowly, and be sure to wet all the grounds to ensure all the flavour infuses evenly.
Wait
Leave to stand for 3-4 minutes with the plunger covering the top of the cafetiere. Next, remove the cover and stir the coffee with a wooden spoon for 10 seconds.
Plunge
Replace the plunger and push it down slowly. If you come up against resistance, gently lift the plunger slightly then continue to push down to the bottom.
Finally
Leave for a few seconds to stand, then pour your coffee and enjoy thoroughly!