Succeed in your French Press
Iconic, accessible and simple. This often underestimated coffee maker is nevertheless capable of producing exceptional coffees, provided you are patient. Brewing methods like the French press are the most consistent and easy to learn. Furthermore, with infusion, there are no secrets; the quality of the coffee obtained will depend above all on the quality and freshness of the coffee used.
Which grains to choose?
For coffee prepared with a French press, we recommend choosing one of our organic specialty coffees with a medium or light roast. Our first harvest and large reserve coffees are perfect for this method.
What grind for a French press coffee maker?
To prepare a French press, you will need a coarse grind, equivalent to coarse salt. Grinding too fine may allow particles to pass through the metal filter. A grind that is too coarse risks giving an under-extracted coffee, lacking in taste.
For even better coffee, we recommend custom grinding your coffee, just before extraction. The fresher the coffee is ground, the more aromas and nuances it will have. To elevate your in-cup experience, we recommend pairing your French press with aHario manual grinder or Braun electric grinder .
How much coffee should I use for a French press?
To prepare a French press, you will need 60-70g of ground coffee per liter of water. Whatever the quantity of coffee prepared, we advise you to respect this ratio of water to coffee for best results.
For example, for our small Lacor French press coffee maker you will need 18g to 21g of ground coffee to prepare 300ml of coffee. For our Lacor 6-cup coffee maker you will need 48g to 56g of coffee to prepare 800ml.
What do I need to make a French press?
A scale with a timer is recommended for preparing the French press. The Timemore black Mirror is the scale recommended by our baristas.
For water temperature we recommend a temperature between 88°C and 94°C. Water that is too hot risks burning the coffee, while water that is too cold will not extract the flavors properly. Opt for a lower temperature for a dark roast coffee and a higher temperature for a light roast. To facilitate extraction we recommend the use of a swan neck kettle with adjustable temperature such as the Fish Smart from Timemore .
Our recipe
- Place the French press on the scale and remove the cap and plunger
- Pour in the ground coffee then tare
- Pour in the hot water. Think of 1ml of water = 1g of water.
- Start the timer and let it infuse for 3 to 5 minutes depending on the desired intensity.
- A crust should have formed at the top. Take a spoon and mix it to dissolve the coffee.
- Wait a minute or two for the coffee to fall to the bottom of the coffee maker. The longer you wait for the coffee to brew, the less chance there is of particles passing through the plunger filter.
- Once your patience is up, put the lid and plunger back in place and gently press down on the plunger. Be careful not to press too quickly or too hard so as not to agitate the coffee deposited at the bottom.
- Now you can enjoy your delicious Araku coffee!
The result is not to my liking, what can I do?
If your coffee is too bitter , your coffee is probably over-extracted! Consider increasing the grind size and lowering the water temperature. Using specialty coffee beans with a lighter roast is also key to achieving less bitterness in the cup.
If your coffee is too acidic or lacks flavor , then your coffee is probably under-extracted! Consider reducing the grind size, increasing the
water temperature and increase the dose of ground coffee.
Some coffees are naturally more tart or fruity. If these profiles are not to your taste, do not hesitate to take our online quiz to guide you towards a specialty coffee that will suit you better.
For more advice, do not hesitate to come and see us directly! Our baristas will be delighted to welcome you and guide you on the preparation of our exceptional coffees.
