The french press is a great way to make a strong cup a coffee. It pretty much like making tea but with coffee. The french press also comes in a number of sizes, so you can make coffee for one or many. Coffee with friends is a great way to drink it. Not only that, it is really simple to make. Quick too. Heating water is the only step that can slow down the whole process. The two main variables that can affect the flavor are coffee amount and size of the grind. I normally stick to one heaping tablespoon per 8 ounces. Let’s talk about how to grind coffee beans for a french press.

The french press is great on the go, Click here to see how they can be used at work for the perfect pick me up.

Lets Grind Coffee Beans For a French Press

Size of the Grind: Fine to Coarse.

How you will grind your coffee will be dictated by your taste. Find something that works for you. After all, the desire for a great cup of coffee is what brought you here. The overall grind you use will be based on the brewing method. However, there is a lot of wiggle room within the Fine – Medium – Coarse grinds.

Fine Grind

Different grind sizes have their place when brewing coffee. When it comes to brewing a strong bitter shot of espresso, you’ll want a fine grind. This will increase the surface area which is needed because the water normally passes through the coffee faster than other brew methods. There is a range within the ‘fine’ grind spectrum that will speed up or slow down the water. This will affect the flavor and bitter taste of the shot.

Medium Grind

This grind is where most drip coffees live. This lets the water pass through the grounds fast enough to not overflow the filter but slow enough to extract flavor. Again, the grind can be adjusted to taste. I have tried a pour over with fine grind. By the time enough water gets through to have a cup, it’s bitter and way over-extracted. On the other end of this, if the grind is too course, the coffee will be weak in flavor and caffeine.

Coarse Grind

Finally, this is where the french press shines. First of all, you want the coffee flakes to be large enough to not get through the mesh filter. Some will, of course. But if the grind is too fine, you’ll be crunching on your coffee as you drink it. I don’t know about you, but that’s not how I like to enjoy my morning. In a pour over or drip coffee set up, coarse coffee will come out weak and under extracted. However, in a french press, the coffee grinds float in the water for about 4 minutes. This gives them plenty of time to turn water into rich dark coffee.

Types of Grinders

A blade grinder is a common option when it comes to grinding coffee. They grind fast and they are pretty cost effective. The blade grinders will require a bit more attention than the burr grinder. First, with a blade grinder, you cannot ‘set’ a size; you have to run the grinder until it looks about the size you want. Since the blade smashes into the beans, the grinds will not be even. Some will be smaller than others. Another thing to watch out for is if you run a blade grinder for too long it can burn the smaller coffee grinds. Because of this I recommend pulsing the blade grinder for about 15 seconds at a time or less.

Burr grinders, on the other hand, are key for a consistent cup of coffee. The way a burr grinder works is by shaving the coffee beans. The teeth that do the shaving can be adjusted via a knob or something, depending on the grinder. This will allow you to get the same size grind every time. Personally, this is the type of grinder that I used almost every day. And it’s been the same grinder for over 8 years.

French Press Tip

• Once the water is boiling, let it sit for about a minute away from the heat source. Boiling water can burn the coffee and leave a bitter taste.
• When Pouring the water in the french press, only fill it up about halfway at first. Then swirl. This will allow room for the coffee to ‘bloom’ as it soaks up the water. It will expand a bit. Once it stops growing then fill the press up to the top metal bar.
• More often then not, I have found it to be difficult to plunge the filter to the bottom after brewing if I didn’t swirl enough to break up the coffee. To make sure it’s not clumping I press the plunger halfway then pull it back to the top.
• Let the coffee brew for 4 minutes then push the plunger to the bottom. The brew time will affect the flavor. Tweak this to your liking.
• When it comes to pouring the last of the coffee in the press, pour slowly and use a shallow angle. If you pour too fast you’ll end up with more grinds in your cup.
• If you break the glass part of your french press, chances are you can buy a new one to replace it. It should be cheaper than a whole new press.

I hope this has helped you find the settings that work for you when it comes to the french press.