French Press
Here at Joyride, we love the Chemex. It's a breathtaking sight, no question - from the sinuous curve of its hourglass form to the rich amber of a freshly blooming brew, it is quite literally a work of art. And it's a formidable piece of equipment too, producing a bright, clean brew that unlocks the subtle flavors of even the most nuanced single origin coffees.
But you can't always prostrate yourself at the altar of nuance, giving yourself a stress headache trying to pour to the exact decigram and extract those faintest hints of blackcurrant and rosewater (what the hell is rosewater, anyway?). Sometimes you need a deep, fudge-y brew, thick enough to pour over ice cream and strong enough to warm your bones on even the snowiest of New York mornings. For that, we turn to the French press.
And you don't have to sacrifice flavor in the pursuit of body, either; as Joyride co-founder Adam Belanich showed us today, a well-brewed French press can give you the best of both worlds. And it's really not all that hard - here are a few tricks to help you get the perfect cup of French pressed coffee:
- Use between 65-70 grams of beans for a 34 oz French press - Set a timer for 4 minutes; good coffee takes time!
- Pour in thirds: 1/3 of your water to start, 1/3 with 3:20 left on the clock (40 seconds in) and the remaining third with 2:00 left - remember to leave a little room at the top so that it won't overflow when you put the plunger in!
- Spin the French press as you pour, so that all the grounds can be wet evenly. Give the grounds one or two quick, snappy stirs as well - you want to agitate them, but not too much.
- While you wait, do the French press dance!
- Once the timer has finished, depress the plunger gently until you get to the grounds - you don't need to squeeze out every last drop, and you'll skip a lot of bitterness and astringency if you press gently.
- Once you've plunged, get that coffee into the mug ASAP! If the coffee stays in the French press, the beans will continue to extract, leaving you with a steaming mug of bitter funk. - Enjoy!
