mmmmm, the French Press

Ron-P

It's been a long time, but it's back.

For the longest time I was an auto-drip style, Mr. Coffee machine. A year or so ago I went with a percolator which was a big step towards better coffee. Well, it died the other day so I cleaned out my French Press and used it for the first time this morning, absolutely the best brew I've had in a very, very long time.

gdb

We load our own home-ground coffee into a Keurig K-cup machine. Too much "mud" from a press but, they do make some good cafe!:cool:

Jstas

Umm, I do both auto drip and french press. Depends on how much I need to make.

If I'm making one or two cups, french press it. If I gotta make more than 2, I use the Mr Coffee. Well, actually, I use the Mr. Coffee every time. If I'm using the french press, I use the Mr. Coffee to boil the water. I find it does a better job of getting the right temp than me and my stove does.

I have an electric grinder too. This one:

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=16581712



Does a pretty good job and most places rate it tops on the list. Has a fan in it to keep the grinding cup cool so it doesn't heat the beans up while you destroy them.

Since I only brew coffee on weekends or when having guests over, I can stretch a pound for a couple of months. So I get my coffee from these guys:

http://konacoffee.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=21

I get vacuum packed whole beans already roasted and grind them myself when I'm brewing coffee. Yeah, $30 for a pound of coffee is expensive but it's all Kona coffee beans, not a blend for $60 or more. Comes straight from the plantations too. I have yet to have any other coffee come close to the quality that I get from that site. Totally worth it.

Face

John, that's the wrong type of grinder for a French Press, you need one that'll allow the grinds to drop down after being cut: http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=14902422&RN=688&

FYI, I only use a French Press in my house.

steveinaz

nancy-boys. I pour my grounds right into a boiling pot of water; crunchy style.

Willow

steveinaz wrote: »

nancy-boys. I pour my grounds right into a boling pot of water; crunchy style.

Why not just spoon in your mouth

billbillw

I do like the taste of coffee from a French Press, but I don't like the grounds/mud in the bottom of my cup.

For convenience, I've been using a Cappresso MT500 for more than 6 years now. It was well worth the price. Best auto drip maker I've ever used.

billbillw

Face wrote: »

John, that's the wrong type of grinder for a French Press, you need one that'll allow the grinds to drop down after being cut: http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=14902422&RN=688&

FYI, I only use a French Press in my house.

Yeah, yeah, most of us know that a burr grinder does a better job and makes more uniform grounds. Problem is, they cost 4 times as much and are a pain to keep clean. Many of them don't last long either. I get by with a blade type just like John. Been working for 7 years straight and I never have to spend any time cleaning it out.

Jstas

Face wrote: »

John, that's the wrong type of grinder for a French Press, you need one that'll allow the grinds to drop down after being cut: http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=14902422&RN=688&

FYI, I only use a French Press in my house.

Works fine for me. Can't really tell a difference in the coffee between what that $90 grinder does and what the $20 grinder does. For an espresso grind, yeah, the blade grinders don't cut it. But that blade grinder I listed, I can get a pretty even grind out of it for a french press. A burr grinder can make for more...hmmm, thickness? The coffee seems heavier but that's probably because the burr grinder shatters the bean instead of chopping it. That makes coffee dust that gets through filters and thickens the coffee. If that's what you're talking about then yeah, a burr grinder does that and so does a hand crank grinder. Flavor-wise though, I've had coffee from a french press from both types of grinders and the flavor is the same.

codyc1ark

Your all sissys, I grind mine up and snort it. :eek:

LessisNevermore

codyc1ark wrote: »

Your all sissys, I grind mine up and snort it. :eek:

What a nancy.......I gots coffee track marks.


edit:1500 Wooot!

byfthalone

French? I would have thought anything French would be weak, but would have to think that a French version of anything would run a lot faster...

zingo

French press does taste the best, but auto-drip is so easy. My friend has an auto drip (that I will be looking to purchase as well), that has a whole bead hopper on the top. It grinds the beans for each brewed pot which is a nice option.

If you ever get the chance, order a Clover coffee from Starbucks. It's their french press machine that makes a fantastically thick cup of coffee.

Jstas

I've heard nothing but bad things about the integrated grinders. Breakage, poor grinding, noisy and even failure to actually grind and dumping whole beans in the basket. Research it before you buy it.

Shizelbs

Keurig

audiobilly

Cuban Coffee, is the way grasshopper! :biggrin:

dorokusai

Nice Billy

I travel with this since I'm terrifed of dry urine filled, room provided coffee makers. It's 100x better than using them anyways.

http://www.homeportfolio.com/catalog/Product.jhtml?prodId=31822

heiney9

I have been using a French Press and fresh whole coffee beans for 10 years, nothing like it. If I have company over I get out the drip coffee maker.

For me no other method seems to come close to the flavor and appeal of a French Press, I don;t even notice the slight inconvenience of having to heat water, grind beans (which I do anyway for auto-drip) and pour the contents into a thermal carafe.

H9

rooftop59

I roast and grind my own beans with a burr grinder (over a year and a half old and no real problems with cleaning so I don't know what you guys are talking about), and use french press once in a while, but do auto-drip for convenience. I do use one of those reusable gold filters, and I find that it makes for a nice compromise between french press and drip since it allows more of the natural oils into the coffee as well as some of the "dust" that the burrr grinder creates. Not quite as good as a peculator or french press, but it makes an excellent cup of coffee. It really comes down to fresh roasted beans and a proper grind.
Peace,
Paul

jflail2

French press is the way to go for me. I'm single right now, so I'm never in need of more than a couple of cups. I have a cheapo grinder that does the trick, and then it's right into the press.

I'm too lazy to get intricate with it (and considering I'm not a morning person it's a miracle I'm even able to make coffee most mornings, haha.)

jbooker82

steveinaz wrote: »

nancy-boys. I pour my grounds right into a boiling pot of water; crunchy style.

Mix the grounds with an egg or two and it will sink to the bottom of the pot. Then just pour off the top.

heiney9

I admit in the Summer, I tend to make my own fresh Iced Mocha's instead of hot coffee from the french press.

I make a 4 cup shot of espresso and mix it with 1% milk and about 4T of Hershey choc. syrup in a 20 oz plastic bottle (reused from Gatorade or Vitamin Water, etc) shake it up, pour over ice.

The best Summer cold coffee drink going.

H9

steveinaz

Come to think of it, when we camp we use a campfire perculator--it does make some awesome coffee....or maybe it just taste better in the great outdoors?

steveinaz

That ice coffee crap has me running to the thunder-mug like a crippled antelope.

george daniel

French press for years--before that,,perc'd the old fashoined way.

tonyb

steveinaz wrote: »

nancy-boys. I pour my grounds right into a boiling pot of water; crunchy style.

Ya know, my mother in-law did that for years, claimed it tasted better.

Just showed me how much your taste buds go down hill after a certain age.

steveinaz

Shoot yeah, that's cowboy coffee bubba.

stuwee

I don't drink coffee, it ruins the taste of a nice bourbon :eek:

Rivrrat

French press for me.

gdb

byfthalone wrote: »

French? I would have thought anything French would be weak, but would have to think that a French version of anything would run a lot faster...

Read about the French a little more than you obviously have. Maybe start with the French resistance during WWII.:rolleyes:

gdb

audiobilly wrote: »

Cuban Coffee, is the way grasshopper! :biggrin:

That device pictured is of Italian origin.