While there are many creative things your French press could do, none are more important in the morning than brewing a perfect cup of coffee. Unfortunately, while French presses are straightforward to use, there is a bit of a learning curve to overcome if you want your coffee to be just right, and one of the biggest factors to consider is steeping time.
Now, how long you steep coffee in a French press is influenced by personal preference, but there are a few things to keep in mind. A longer brew time results in a punchier cup of Joe, but leave the grounds to steep in water for too long and you’ll start noticing bitter notes in your brew. This is due to over-extraction, which is when less desirable flavor compounds begin being extracted from coffee. It’s a bit of a balancing act to let the coffee steep long enough for only the good flavors to come out, but typically, four to five minutes is the sweet spot for a full-bodied cup. Fans of stronger coffee can push this to six or eight minutes, but be cautious when steeping more than that.
That said, steeping time isn’t set in stone because the grind size of your coffee and the temperature of the water you use will also impact how the coffee turns out. And if you do mess up, you can save the bitter coffee with a dash of salt, but it’s still best to try and avoid it altogether.
Grind size (and water temp) matters when using a French Press
The grind size of your coffee has a lot to do with how long it takes to extract flavor from it. Water takes longer to infiltrate coarse coffee grounds (which is the grind size recommended for French press) because they are larger in size, making them better for longer brew times. Conversely, finely ground coffee absorbs water quickly, allowing extraction to happen faster, which is why it’s ideal for rapid brewing methods like espresso machines. Additionally, burr grinders are great for producing full-bodied coffee in a French press because of how consistently they can produce uniform coffee grounds, meaning there are fewer fine granules to spoil your morning brew.
As for water temperature, you don’t want it to be too hot or too cool. If the water is too hot, it hastens the release of compounds like pyridines, which are responsible for bitter flavors. On the flip side, water that is too cool can lead to under-extraction, meaning coffee with less body and sour notes. Ideally, the water temperature should be between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit. An electric kettle, such as Elite Gourmet’s Stainless Steel Digital Kettle, is excellent for precisely heating water, though you can also use an instant-read thermometer, like this one from ThermoPro if you prefer boiling water on the stove.
When using the right grind size and water at the right temperature, you’ll notice a massive difference in how your French press coffee turns out. Of course, you can also tweak the process according to your taste, allowing the coffee to steep less or for longer depending on how strong you want your ideal cup!
