Among the coffee lovers in the city, some enjoy the ritual of pour-over, some relish the laboratory-like feel of siphon brewing, and some prefer the convenience and simplicity of the French press. Yet the wonder of each coffee brewing device goes beyond appearance and technique. Making coffee is more like a science—each device has its own extraction characteristics, and we must continually experiment with different combinations to find the perfect ratio and the best taste.

The design principle of the French press is very simple: just pour water and ground coffee into the container, then push the plunger down to press the grounds to the bottom, and the coffee is filtered. The metal mesh filter can be washed and reused. Although simple in principle, it is highly efficient, and since it requires no paper filter, it is more eco-friendly and economical. The French press is the fastest way to extract the original essence of coffee. It preserves the precious natural oils of the coffee from being absorbed by paper filters, thus presenting the most original, rich, and varied flavors of coffee.

Operating a French press is as simple as a "lazy person's coffee device." Although it is easy to use, it does not sacrifice the full flavor of a good cup of coffee.

In fact, French press extraction is the brewing method closest to cupping. It brings out the oils, aroma, flavor, and various taste elements of coffee to the fullest. The smooth, sweet, and rich mouthfeel makes it an excellent choice for breakfast coffee.

For coffee beans used in a French press, single-origin beans or beans with a pronounced fruity acidity are more suitable, and medium to dark roast beans work well. Front Street Coffee recommends using beans with good balance. For example, in Front Street Coffee's bean list, the Front Street Brazil Cerrado coffee beans, Front Street Colombia Huila coffee beans, Front Street IndonesiaMandheling coffee beansand Front Street Costa Rica Tarrazu coffee beans—these beans have balanced flavors with notes of dark chocolate and fruit. Because the French press uses immersion extraction, it can express the oils, aroma, and rich coffee body. Dark roast beans tend to bring out the aroma and full body of coffee, so these medium-dark roast beans from Front Street Coffee are very suitable for French press brewing. Coffee made with a French press from dark roast beans has better aroma and a richer mouthfeel.

As for light roast coffee beans, Front Street does not recommend using them in a French press. Ethiopian coffee beans are generally suited to light roasting, such as Front StreetYirgacheffeNatural Red Cherry.

—Front Street Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Natural Red Cherry coffee is easy to highlight lemon, floral, and fruity notes with pour-over, but if brewed with a French press immersion, the resulting taste is relatively one-dimensional and muted.

Let's see how Front Street uses a French press to make an excellent cup of coffee. Front Street Brazil Queen's Estate, Front Street GoldenMandheling, Front Street Colombia Huila, and other coffee beans all have flavors suitable for a French press. Let's use this Front Street Colombia Huila coffee bean to demonstrate the brewing process.

Front Street Coffee's own-roasted coffee beans—use well-rested Front Street Huila coffee beans and grind to a coarseness suitable for a French press: medium-coarse, coarser than pour-over grind. Front Street recommends a standard sieve pass rate of 70%–75%. If the grounds are too fine, they will escape through the mesh holes, making the coffee cloudy.

You can start with a 1:10 coffee-to-water ratio. For 2 servings, that's 20g of coffee beans with about 200g of water. The final ratio depends on your taste. For example, Front Street Coffee's drip bag coffee contains 10 grams per packet, like the seasonal Front Street Brazil drip bag and Front Street Mandheling drip bag. Using these pre-ground drip bags to make French press coffee is especially convenient. Front Street recommends a 1:16 ratio: 15g of ground coffee with 240g of water.

Front Street recommends preparing a digital scale. Even if your French press has markings and a measuring spoon, a digital scale is still advisable, because coffee beans change density depending on growing altitude, roasting method, and many other factors—each bean's weight and lightness differ. Also, if you make a particularly delicious cup and want to replicate it, you must record the ratio. Conversely, if you make a bad cup, the data will tell you how to adjust.

At Front Street, use fresh, clean C'estbon mineral water (soft water). Do not extract with water that is too hard, and do not use unfiltered water. If the water itself is poor, it is very difficult to make good coffee.

Front Street Coffee brewing steps:

Grind the coffee beans, then pour them into the French press. Ignore what many people say about grind size—don't grind too coarse, just medium grind is fine.

Boil water; the recommended water temperature is 93°C. Then pour in the appropriate amount of water. We used 15g of ground coffee and poured in 240g of hot water. Stir with a spoon to fully integrate the grounds and water.

Put the lid on the French press with the filter at the highest position, and let it sit for 4 minutes.

Before pressing the filter down, you can open the lid and use a spoon to scoop out the foam and small particles floating on top, then press the filter all the way down.

Once brewing is complete, pour it out immediately into another insulated container! Don't delay, because the grounds are still steeping in it. Then pour into a cup and enjoy slowly.

The French press is the simplest, most convenient, and most eco-friendly brewing method. The coffee it produces is stronger, more flavorful, and more layered than a fully automatic drip coffee machine. It requires no electricity, no heating, no paper filter, and is easy to clean. You can drink it together with the coffee oils. It is most suitable for busy office workers who want to steal a moment of leisure. Come and try it yourself!

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style)

For more specialty coffee beans, please add the private WeChat of Front Street Coffee: qjcoffeex

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.