French Press methodology

[raisin]

I was following the instructions that came with the french press, and was disatisfied with the slight underlying bitterness. I was blaming my own home-roast for that, and avoided the darker roasts, believing that to be the root of the problem.

I also experimented with the coarseness of grind, and while finding that a finer grind produced a fuller flavor, i still couldn't kick that sour tongue.

Recently i gave up on the teapot and went back to the saucepan and thermometer method. I tightly controlled the temperature of the water before adding it to the press, and experimented with temp's ranging from 196* to 205*.

After all my experiments, I can state that my best cups are produced with water that is between 200* and 202* degrees, and that these temp's produce a full, smooth cup with virtually no trace of bitterness or sour aftertaste. It's so rich, it seems like i'm just sipping the crema!

The rest of my formula includes a finer than coarse grind (31 out of 40 (40 being the coarsest)) on my Baratza Virtuosa, and a less than standard 3min steeping period.

[mhortsch]

When you used the teapot method, how much time was there between cutting the heat and pouring into the beaker?

I typically cut the heat, grind and pour. The time it takes to grind seems to let the water cool down just enough.

Never broke it down with temp measurements though...

[Bigwaved]

I feel lazy after reading this and admitting that I use the microwave.

[Andyman]

It is my understanding that too hot of water will cause bitterness - did you increase or decrease the temp to get better esults?

Originally Posted by raisin

I was following the instructions that came with the french press, and was disatisfied with the slight underlying bitterness. I was blaming my own home-roast for that, and avoided the darker roasts, believing that to be the root of the problem.

I also experimented with the coarseness of grind, and while finding that a finer grind produced a fuller flavor, i still couldn't kick that sour tongue.

Recently i gave up on the teapot and went back to the saucepan and thermometer method. I tightly controlled the temperature of the water before adding it to the press, and experimented with temp's ranging from 196* to 205*.

After all my experiments, I can state that my best cups are produced with water that is between 200* and 202* degrees, and that these temp's produce a full, smooth cup with virtually no trace of bitterness or sour aftertaste. It's so rich, it seems like i'm just sipping the crema!

The rest of my formula includes a finer than coarse grind (31 out of 40 (40 being the coarsest)) on my Baratza Virtuosa, and a less than standard 3min steeping period.

[EvanS]

Good one raisin!! I have also recently reduced my extraction time. many say 4 min but I find that to be far to long. No more than 30 seems to work best for me. Seems over stirring can also add to over extraction. I had taken to knocking the grounds down into the water 3-4 times per brew thinking that more is better. Not so...

[raisin]

I was using the teapot for conveinance and safety in pouring, but it's near impossible to check the temp with a thermometer, and you can't even keep an eye on the bubble structure for an approximation of the true temp. With the saucepan, you can do both.

My experiments seem to indicate a very small window of correct water temps for an optimum FP extraction. Too hot, and the bitterness surfaces - too cold, and you will get a weak incomplete extraction.

It's a pain to manually (hot fingers!) check the temp for every pot, I think that with enough checking the size of the bubbles would be a close indicator of the proper temp, however i wish for something easy and accurate.

[mhortsch]

I bet one could easily drill a hole in a tea pot for thermometer insertion?

[omowasu]

Originally Posted by raisin

I was using the teapot for conveinance and safety in pouring, but it's near impossible to check the temp with a thermometer, and you can't even keep an eye on the bubble structure for an approximation of the true temp. With the saucepan, you can do both.

My experiments seem to indicate a very small window of correct water temps for an optimum FP extraction. Too hot, and the bitterness surfaces - too cold, and you will get a weak incomplete extraction.

It's a pain to manually (hot fingers!) check the temp for every pot, I think that with enough checking the size of the bubbles would be a close indicator of the proper temp, however i wish for something easy and accurate.

That seems like a lot of effort! Not that its bad - if you end up with the ideal cup of coffee. Personally, I let the water hit full boil in a teapot. Once the whistle is going full blast, I kill the heat and give it 20 seconds. I then decant into the French Press. All of my measurements show the water at 202-204 degrees. I give it 3-4 minutes and two stirs - one at the beginning and one at the middle of the steeping.

My coffee is rarely bitter, more smoky and nutty. I had heard that bitterness was the result of extracting at temps that were too LOW as opposed to HIGH. Water can only hit 211 degrees before boil - and it doesnt get any hotter. By the time the heat is killed and the water poured - even if immediate - the water has already lost 3-4 degrees from the teapot and the pour.

I wonder what others think about this... I grind very coarse as well.

[paperairplane]

That's it. I'm out. I give, I yield, I fold.

I boil water. I add it to beans. After some time, (iron a shirt) I put the result into a travel mug and go to work.

I like coffee, really I do. But I also like cooking, guns, knives, motorcylces, fiction, dogs, my wife - oh, and I have a full time job.

I simply cannot spend any more time on coffee. Check that - I cannot spend time evaluating the difference between 195* and 202* and their relative impacts on extraction.

(Plus my wife refuses to allow me to drill holes in our teapot)

[raisin]

Originally Posted by Andyman

It is my understanding that too hot of water will cause bitterness - did you increase or decrease the temp to get better esults?

I've been using the teapot for the last few months, boil, pause, pour.

Originally Posted by omowasu

That seems like a lot of effort! Not that its bad - if you end up with the ideal cup of coffee. Personally, I let the water hit full boil in a teapot. Once the whistle is going full blast, I kill the heat and give it 20 seconds. I then decant into the French Press. All of my measurements show the water at 202-204 degrees. I give it 3-4 minutes and two stirs - one at the beginning and one at the middle of the steeping.

My coffee is rarely bitter, more smoky and nutty. I had heard that bitterness was the result of extracting at temps that were too LOW as opposed to HIGH. Water can only hit 211 degrees before boil - and it doesnt get any hotter. By the time the heat is killed and the water poured - even if immediate - the water has already lost 3-4 degrees from the teapot and the pour.

I checked the actual temp right after adding the 202* water to a room temp 32oz FP, and found it to be in the 180* range. It seems that the mass of the glass and grinds absorbs heat rapidly, down to a more constant brewing range of 160* - 180* range. If bitterness is a product of high temps, it might be the initial hot flash that extracts/produces this element.

Originally Posted by paperairplane

That's it. I'm out. I give, I yield, I fold.

I boil water. I add it to beans. After some time, (iron a shirt) I put the result into a travel mug and go to work.

I like coffee, really I do. But I also like cooking, guns, knives, motorcylces, fiction, dogs, my wife - oh, and I have a full time job.

I simply cannot spend any more time on coffee. Check that - I cannot spend time evaluating the difference between 195* and 202* and their relative impacts on extraction.

(Plus my wife refuses to allow me to drill holes in our teapot)

Yes, i started that way, too! life was way simple back then... lol

But now I am on the dark side, I buy single origin beans, roast them myself (after midnight, for the best voltage), grind them in a burr grinder, and ONLY drink my own coffee!

When you get in this deep, that's when you start burning fingers measuring water temps, what can i say? Except, now I know, and you know what? - now, YOU know.


hey, it's after midnight, where's my bag of Misty Valley?

[Bigwaved]

Originally Posted by raisin

But now I am on the dark side, I buy single origin beans, roast them myself [SIZE="3"](after midnight, for the best voltage)[/SIZE], grind them in a burr grinder, and ONLY drink my own coffee!

When you get in this deep, that's when you start burning fingers measuring water temps, what can i say? Except, now I know, and you know what? - now, YOU know.


hey, it's after midnight, where's my bag of Misty Valley?

You are beyond the darkside...lol

[germantown rob]

What did I learn?

1- Andyman heard water too hot makes a bitter brew

2- Omowasu- heard water too low creates a bitter brew

3-Paperairplane only has time to read and post in the coffee forum but can't find the time to stick a thermometer any where. Plus he likes a bunch of stuff, works and is married but the strangest is he uses beans instead of grinds?

4- I trusted 200degrees to be the best temp and now it is confirmed!

5- Mike needs a good instant read thermometer with a long probe (you could check your teapot with one of these in 5 secs.)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...2NMR4&v=glance

[Mister Moo]

My thermocouple has demonstrated that a certain pot of water taken just to the boil and then cut off will fall from 210-212* to 205* in not more than 15-seconds; water poured into the pot, thereafter, is hitting the grounds around 200*. This finding is already way-confirmed by anyone with a thermocouple - I wouldn't suggest anyone spend any money on one just to find out it is so.

I cut the kettle off just as it boils and count "1-ethiopian yirgacheffe" through "10 ethiopian yirgacheffe" and pour slowly. Never bitter. I agree with EvanS that over-stirring is not a good thing; I stir once after pouring to thorughtly wet the grounds and that's it. Steep time is a function of grind quality, IMO. A regular coarse grind benefits from four minutes; a finer or less regular grind may do better with less steeping time.

[Nooner]

I think we have some people who are prime candidates for a PID Controlled Hotpot...

I'd been tempted to make one a while back, but never got around to it, and now I just can't justify the time/effort/money - the wife does pourover (chemex) and French Press, and I do Espresso. She just isn't that picky!

[muziq]

Originally Posted by Bigwaved

You are beyond the darkside...lol

Seriously, I take my french press a little less seriously, messing around more with grind and sticking to a firm 3 min steep. When I've noticed slight bitterness, I chalk it up to the grind and with a few adjustments, the bitterness is gone. Perhaps messing with some other beans, different quality of water, etc, could result in different, erm, results?