How to Brew with the French Press

If you're looking at taking your coffee-hobby to the next step, you should seriously consider (if you haven't already) transitioning to a manual brew method. upgrading away from an automatic brewer gives you complete control over the taste of your coffee; the most minuscule adjustments can help accentuate the profiles of beans that you enjoy the most. This area of the coffee world is something we here at Sagebrush have never gone too in-depth about, but that's about to change.

This is the beginning of our new "Brew Guide" series, where we help you through any and every manual brew method out there. Short, to the point instructions will help you get exactly what you need as quickly as possible. We will be providing exact measurements and timing to help you establish a solid foundation to work off, leaving you plenty of creative leeway to adjust to your liking.

Our first brew guide is the French Press  

The french press is designed to bring out bold and earthy flavors, and pairs especially well with African or Indonesian coffees.

You'll need the following items for this brew method:

• French press brewer
• Kettle
• Thermometer
• 30g coarse-ground coffee
• Water
• Kitchen scale
• Timer

As a disclaimer, coffee is entirely based on taste, and it's never a crime to make small adjustments to this method if you'd like to experiment with the flavor profile of your coffee. Manual brew methods are manual for a reason and the freedom of making it your way is all part of the fun! Just remember to record the measurements of how you're brewing so you can easily recreate it to maintain consistency. 

Water: Heat 212ºF 17 ounces (350 grams)

Grind 30 grams of coffee coarse and put in the french press brewer

Pour 60-80 grams of water into the brewer and let sit for 30 seconds with some stirring

Pour the remainder of the water into the brewer and let sit for exactly 4 minutes

Place the lid over the brewer and gently press the filter downwards until it reaches the bottom

Pour brewed coffee immediately after the filter has been pressed down and enjoy!