Advanced Press Pot Techniques for Coffee

[BrootalBandito]

This is a very unique method. I am quite intrigued. I always thought (assumed) that you would want to leave the coffee in there and not scoop anything out because you would essentially be removing some of the flavorful oils along with the saturated grounds. I though a press pot was a method that allowed you to keep those oils in your cup for tasting.

[CoffeeGeek]

@BrootalBandito The oils, etc all remain in the liquid portion due to their extraction. The pressing action doesn't contribute a great amount to the overall cup components, but it does do some. I did the extract mojo test on two samples - one skimmed, one not (same amt of coffee used); the non-skimmed one did have more TDS, but only marginally so (about 1% more). This is why I recommend using a bit more coffee.

[teakbridge101]

CoffeeGeek, I have got a 12oz pot, just enough for two 6oz cups max. What amount of coffee should I add?

[CoffeeGeek]

@teakbridge101 I recommend using 8 or 9g per 100ml, if using the method shown in this video.

[IgnatiusForYou]

Hi,

How much coffee does the plunger pot in your video make? As in volume wise, as I refer to your instructions of 7g+2extra Grams per cup. You made 35, so that is about 4 cups? Am I right? And how much should 7g of coffee in volume liquid produce?

I am a coffee newb, pardon my questions if they seem really newby.

[CoffeeGeek]

@IgnatiusForYou this is Bodum's 4 cup presspot. IIRC, it can hold up to 425-450g (ml) of water with ground coffee added as a maximum.

[teakbridge101]

CoffeeGeek, what exactly does cupping add to the taste, texture, etc. of the coffee that the lack there of does not?

[CoffeeGeek]

@teakbridge101 I'm not sure I understand this question.

[teakbridge101]

@CoffeeGeek Well, cupping obviously is a less common technique. In doing it, does it 'do' something to the coffee (be it the flavor, texture, etc) that is different from simply pressing it?

[CoffeeGeek]

@teakbridge101 Well, cupping involves accessing everything about the coffee - the brew, the grinds, etc. Breaking the crust during cupping releases a large portion of aromas in one go, allowing evaluators a better chance to evaluate and judge aromas. Because there is relatively little disturbance of the cup after crust is broken and scum cleared off, it lets you test the cooldown of the coffee more accurately as well.

[carvinrigged]

Thanks for sharing the info. I have been home roasting for 3 years,and allways in persuit of the ultimate cup ! Believe it or not the best coffee I ever had was done wrong in every step of the process. Uganda coffee roasted on the stove top in a stainless skillet,ground witha blade grinder,brewed in a Bunn pour o matic. I have invested several hundred bucks and cannot duplicate the results. It had to be a fluke ,and I think the credit goes to the Uganda beans alone !!!!

[idiaz001]

Removing the grounds before plunging defeats the purpose of a french press. This technique can be done using any old container and filer. It is misleading to call it a press technique since the french press in meant to press the coffee grounds in the hot water so as to force out the yummy caffeine and lipids from the beans. Not to bash your technique...to each his/her own I guess.

[CoffeeGeek]

@idiaz001 very much disagree. The purpose of a press pot is to provide a FULL IMMERSION brew. In other words, all the brewing water is contact with all the coffee for a set time. The plunging afterwards doesn't play anywhere near as great a role as the immersion does in the overall extraction. That said, it does play some role, and this is the reason why I use 1g more coffee per 100ml.

[BenjaminNArnason]

@coffeegeek you are crazy removing the beautiful coffee froth, in the best coffee's of the world the froth is the key for example,

the turkish coffe, expresso even americano should haf a nice froth

and in the coffee drinks capochino ,late .....

The froth gives the richness of the coffee a beautiful light top.

Love Benjamín

[TheJferg74]

What setting do you use on the Baratza? Also, what is your grams of ground coffee to ounces of water ratio? I have a 32 oz press pot.

[CoffeeGeek]

@TheJferg74 Visit Baratza's website (I can't post the link in comments here); click the link for their blog, and download the technical paper I wrote on their grinders - in it, you'll find suggested settings for all their grinders, for all major types of grinding from espresso to press pot. Hope that helps.

[TheJferg74]

@CoffeeGeek Thanks. I typically have my Baratza set at 32 for press pot and I use 55 grams ground coffee for a 32oz press pot.

[GeoDreamR]

Can pressed coffee later be used for iced coffee ? Or is that defeating purpose ?

[ErnestSpence]

@GeoDreamR

I have heard of people using the press pot to make iced coffee, but it seems the most common way (that I've seen anyway, please someone comment if you know better!) is to use cold water and leave it in the fridge for a few hours before plunging. Never tried it myself, although it's been something I've been meaning to for a while.

p.s. Just realised you posted this 6 months ago!!! Sorry.

[bhdrkrc]

i think before adding the coffee heating the press will be helpfull to serve a hot coffee otherwise if u dont heat up the press your coffee will be really cold because waiting 4 mins is enough time to have a cold coffee

[ATMfromNJ]

@bhdrkrc Do you press regularly? I do everyday, and I have NEVER had a problem with my coffee being anything but PIPING HOT after those four minutes of brewing. I kid you not. I usually have to wait a few minutes after I pour from the press into my cup to take a sip because it's so darn hot. Heating the press is a waste of time and possibly dangerous (i.e. you may burn yourself).

[simonsays525]

What is the point of removing the coffee from the pot? The press pot is going to catch those ground anyways and you are using a small enough press pot that you are almost going to pour all the coffee in one cup. Why don't you just leave it all in there?

[jguan]

@simonsays525

Just try it, I certainly noticed a difference.

[ErnestSpence]

@simonsays525

Have you tried using this technique? In my experience, the filter hasn't been able to get all of the grinds unfortunately. I've been using a similar technique for a while and removing the grounds before plunging has resulted in a cleaner cup, while still retaining the body you get with a press pot.

[TheWanderingWayfarer]

Does the amount of coffee relative to the size of the press pot matter? In other words, if you have an 8 cup press pot and only make 4 cups worth of coffee, will it effect the quality of the final product vs. making the same amount in a 4-cup press pot?

Thanks.

[CoffeeGeek]

@TheWanderingWayfarer That's a good question, and unfortunately, I don't have a definitive answer. I've struggled with this very Q regarding siphon brewers (ie, brewing 3 cups in a 5 cup pot, or 4 in an 8 cup) and found, if I REALLY delved into it, that underbrewing the volume will result in a lesser cup, but just barely. Press, I just don't know.

[TheWanderingWayfarer]

@CoffeeGeek Interesting. I've heard a lot of good things about the vacpot. Now you have me considering purchasing one. Does the brewing yield a reasonably different cup of coffee from a press pot or?

[markpianoman]

Doesn't this spooning off the grounds kind of get rid of any potential crema?

[CoffeeGeek]

@markpianoman Press pot coffee doesn't have crema. Only espresso has crema. Do you mean "bloom"? If so, there's a sorta-common consensus that the bloom on brewed coffee is detrimental to taste, and should be avoided in the final cup.

[markpianoman]

@CoffeeGeek I have an espresso machine and I'm acquainted with crema. I don't have a French press yet - it's in the mail. I saw on some other folk's videos what clearly looks like crema (bloom?) coming through onto the top from the press pot. I've also heard that espresso crema doesn't add any good flavor. I'll have to experiment when my Bodum Columbia press pot arrives. Thanks for your video!

[markpianoman]

@CoffeeGeek I've lived much of my life in Germany and usually ordered a cup of coffee at the local bakery...it came out of a great MWF automatic machine with what we always described as "crema" on the top. Perhaps this "crema" was actually "bloom" but it sure tasted great!

[CoffeeGeek]

@markpianoman The bloom on brewed (not espresso, but on drip, on press, on vacpot, etc) is considered by some in the industry to be bad - I'm still on the fence on that though. But food for thought: the Clover brewing machine, the darling of some in this industry, completely removes bloom from the final brew (the filtration is bottom up, not top down). Some believe this improves the cup. I think it takes away body and some characteristics, while preserving more delicate tastes.

[markbyronphoto]

@CoffeeGeek Great video. I've been looking at different techniques to get the most out of my french press. Some chefs say not to spoon out the grounds or remove the bloom and to actually try to get the bloom into your cup with a slow pour. Their rationale is that the bloom holds the oils from the bean and that these oils are a source of rich flavor that should be preserved. Any thoughts?

[markpianoman]

The idea to spoon off the coffee grounds prior to plunging makes a lots of sense. The only thing confusing about the video is your reference to "cups" -- are these US measuring cups or the usual coffee cups that are more like 4 ounces rather than the 8 ounce US measuring cup?

[CoffeeGeek]

@markpianoman By "cups", I'm referring to Bodum's stated "cups volume" for the various presses. If it's a 3 cup press, use 8x3 grams. If it's the 8 cup press, use 8x8g of coffee.

[markpianoman]

@CoffeeGeek Thanks for the clarification!

[century1981]

Whats the ratio of coffee (in grams) to fluid oz. of water? Thanks.

[schnog7]

Cool! I will try this back to back tomorrow with the regular method and take some notes. Thanks!!!

[dongrub]

If you are to remove the grounds, has anyone ever tried to fill the stuff in while the stamp is pressed down and then remove the grounds by lifting it up? might be a bit messy, though.

[klarinetta]

I've tried a bit(just a bit)finer grind coffee but less of it with the same method and I got about the same strong taste but the cup was not as clean and it was on the edge of being bitter.

[CoffeeGeek]

@klarinetta that makes sense - more fine on the grounds = more fines overall = more extraction from the individual grains of coffee. Long steep times mean more bitters come out. Stick to a press pot grind, don't skimp on the coffee, and get a lovely cup! :D

[klarinetta]

This method makes the absolutely best French Press coffee I tasted. I do two different things though. I use a bit(not much just bit) more finer grind coffee and use about 1/3 more than you show here maybe more around 30 grams in 12 oz French press and let it brew for 6-7 min. I do like my coffee very strong most of the time and this way I do it does not for my taste make a bitter tasting coffee.

[klarinetta]

I've heard that you should not use coffee that was roasted more than 2 weeks ago to get the best cup of coffee you can get. Any input on that would be great. Thanks :)

[CoffeeGeek]

@klarinetta Coffee usually starts to be prime for drinking about 4 days after roast, though some coffees are different - some 3 days, some 6 days - a good roaster will let u know. Coffee, esp. if not sealed in an unopened 1 way valve bag, starts to decline after 8 days, but it is gradual. Most coffee should still retain a good portion of its flavour up to 12 days after roast.

[klarinetta]

@CoffeeGeek Thanks :)

[44Bigs]

Very interesting, the difference in taste is the same that I notice when I make just 1 cup of coffee. My current beans (dark espresso like beans) taste milder and a bit sweeter.

I should look into a small scale too.. never thought of it somehow.

[fodera6]

Cool ideas. I'll have to give it a try. I have a Shin Bistro as well and I love it. I have stirred at the beginning and left the grounds in but next pot I'll definitely try scooping out the crust and the bloom. Now if only I had a Vario!

[fodera6]

@fodera6 Tried your techniques today and made an awesome pot! I used Lavazza Qualita Oro (Gold) and pulled the beans and bloom at 3:30 . Noticeably sweeter and more nuanced extraction! Thanks!

[holmesauce]

You should state water volume in ounces or liters.

[TimEggers]

Wow! This really works; restores the upper end of the flavor profile quite nicely and really cleans the cups body. It's like lifting a shroud off the flavors and body of ones coffee. I won't make press without this method anymore (also brew on a scale for consistency) and since trying it really have fallen in love with press coffee all over again. I really can't say enough about this and how much it improves the cup. Do it now!

[MicroSSG]

With freshly roasted coffee, you will want to only use enough water initially to saturate the grounds. The purpose for this is that freshly roasted coffee needs to off gas. You don't want to taste the nitrogen in your cup. Once the bloom has completed and prior to the crust solidifying, add the remainder of the water, light stirring as needed while filling. Let stand to finish extracting. BTW, you can tell how fresh the beans are by the size of the bloom.

BeanGuru

[xy1981ca]

Tried this today and it is a much cleaner cup, there is less body but now I can taste the complexity and the sweet notes much better. Good tip. Maybe they should make a french filter where the grounds are pulled out of the cup rather than pressed down.

[NuVanDibe]

the difference is more pronounced fresher coffee. i prefer to use coffee 2 days after roasting

[fodera6]

@xy1981ca I agree that would be cool. Kinda like what the Clover does.

[OPBTEAM]

Great video... keep posting top quality content!

[Ubookz]

I have used a french press but I prefer a small Vev Vigano two part expresso pot. I notice better taste with the same coffee; I believe it is the boiling water temperature forced through the ground coffee quickly,in a concentrated basket, the coffee grounds don't sit and stew in the brew.

[coffeeatyourplace]

Great video, thanks for sharing

[sonnyrants]

So I take it you're using 35 g x 9g/cup = 3.9 cups of water for the process. Is this correct? Also is that the Bodum Shin Bistro 4 cup press?

[steinarbeddari]

Great video Mark; Subscribed!

Funny how you say Tim calls it the "scum", sounds kind of pirate-ish in english, though I'm sure it's unintentional because "skum" in norwegian means foam or froth.

I will definitely try out this method and see how it compares to the aeropress.

[twochaudio]

I will try this,,, is this a easy question,,,I`m getting a taste It,s almost like the bottom notes of the coffee like a earthy taste

[Phewy]

Can't wait to try this out! Been trying to get a cleaner cup since experiencing the Clover. Thanks!

[Phewy]

Hmmm, wonder if you took the top off of the plunger, started it at the bottom with the grounds on top, poured over, covered, then pull the grounds up and out. Hmmmm....

[1skateofmind]

.....So, once the grinds are wasted and ready for removal the amount of coffee that you used is irrelevant to the brew after the process is complete. You wouldn't have added more coffee b/c you will be removing it later since all coffee grinds are technically "removed" after the process. You would want to add more coffee only b/c you would want a stronger brew but then then you go and brew for a whole 30 seconds less which would give a weak profile in the cup unless you adjust your grind size.

[CoffeeGeek]

The theory you point out is valid - normally I'd agree with you, based on all that I've read regarding coffee extraction.

HOWEVER ;) In practice, it's not the case. I've worked on this method for over a year now, and found that to get the same "strength" (ie, dilution, solids ratio, etc) as a normal press method, I had to up the initial dose of ground coffee. I've measured the TDS on these brews, and going about 20% more delivers it.

[1skateofmind]

I get that removing the crust produces a cleaner cup but there's a fallacy in video; you contradict yourself when you say that we should add more coffee "because" we'll be removing some at the end. In fact, after complete grind saturation has occured the grinds begin to float to the top forming the bloom or the crust, at which point, they have given their all; they are wasted; very little can still be extracted........

[mywytefeet]

Wow, awesome idea! Can't wait to try it out!

[kfcninjaboy]

I tried this out this morning. It came out great.

[NESJohnny]

I just tried it. I prefer the standard method, but it's always fun to try something different with my coffee. The lack of sediment is very noticeable; that's a great addition (or subtraction, I guess). Thanks for posting this!

[eggman6]

I used to have this kela brand cafateire/press pot. That had a curved cup like mesh which the coffee sits on, when you've finished brewing you pull the plunger up to lift out the coffee. So it pretty much works just like this method. But it seems like i cant find any info online now.

[CoffeeGeek]

Trudeau for a couple of years sold a press pot called the Tierra (I think), which pulled up all the ground coffee into the lid once you're done brewing, instead of "plunging" it down. Probably the same model / line you described. I have one around somewhere, and in theory it's awesome - in practice, the thing is a bit difficult to use.

[RuthlesSpy]

Hmmm....Nice video there...I'll definitely give this technique a try next morning.

[kupeovics]

I've been looking for a good video of this method for a while. It's great to see it in motion and with a good explanation. Thanks!

[spnakr007]

Nice, Mark!

[serpico007]

Interesting I'll need to try this next time and see if I notice any difference. Thanks Mark.

[bulldogg7000]

Thanks! I am getting great results with my Virtuoso @ 30-35 and my $15 IKEA press pot. Great camera choice btw...