You see, not all coffee plants are created equal. Nor are the processes by which to brew the good stuff. You could take a pound of private estate-grown Kona that was cultivated in meticulously pH tested volcanic soil and costs you $30 per bag, then annihilate it by brewing it improperly. There are so many options out there ranging from the standard Mr. Coffee drip machine to the new-age joints that not only grind the beans and brew it, but they purify the darn water and are synched to the World Atomic Clock to brew within +/- 2 seconds of accuracy for your entire natural existence.
However, there is one smart and savvy method for brewing coffee that has been around for ages which many people overlook. It takes the basic ingredients (grounds, hot water, patience) and amalgamates them to create by far the most pure and outstanding product. That is the glorious utensil called the French press!
Surprisingly simple, this device can yield coffee so good you'll want to write about it in your journal, praise it during your buddy's wedding ceremony, etc. But before going any further, I think it's important to add a disclaimer... I LOVE strong coffee. The bolder and blacker, the better; like the Malcom X of java. Using a French press is not for the weak of palate or the weak of heart. Literally, if you have some kind of heart condition you may not want to use this. The caffeine could take you down.
So why French press? The magic is that it captures the most "essence" of the ground coffee and keeps it right in your cup. Machines that use a metal cone or paper filter trap much of the essential oil that gives coffee its aroma and flavor characteristics. They also "rain" hot water over the grounds, which can miss a large amount of the coffee's brewing potential. A French press ensures every little granule of coffee is surrounded by hot water, brewing it to perfection. It also allows the most coffee bean oil to be retained, while keeping the larger grounds out of your brew.
Using the French press is a step-process:
1) Obtain good coffee that is ground for a press. This is crucial. If the grounds are too fine, you'll have an impossible time pressing and a lot of sediment will end up in your brew. If the grounds are too coarse, you're missing surface area that the water can touch.
2) Measure the grounds into glass vessel. Most "institutions" recommend 2Tbsp for every 6fl. oz. If you like your brew stronger, go nuts, pile it in. I like to use about 3x-4x more than suggested to make something with high-octane power.
3) Boil your cold, clean water. Use filtered water if you can for best results. I also advocate using an electric water boiler. My lovely girlfriend bought me a Toastmaster electric kettle for Christmas and it takes care of business. Uses less energy than heating on the stove top and is much faster.
4) Add the boiling water to the grounds. STIR! You have to stir or you won't have a good solution of water/grounds. After stirring, put the lid on and wait 4-5 minutes. If you don't wait long enough you get a weak brew that lacks depth of flavor. If you wait too long, your brew can become bitter and also lose heat.
5) Pour that sucker and enjoy!!!!!!!1!111!!!!
Yes, this is a pain in the rear the first few times you do it. You'll be frustrated... you'll make a weak brew or too strong of a brew. You'll be confused of how to use the darn thing or get sick of waiting. You'll want to swear off the French press and go running back to your automatic drip machine. Just like you ran back to your high school sweetheart when he/she broke up with you after prom thanks to too many Mikes Hard Lemonades and bad decision making. Just hang in there.
Once you hit your stride and find your personal brew-zone, you will never EVER want to go back to traditional methods. Your senses will be wide-open to receive the full potential of any coffee variety you desire. Flowers will bloom brighter, birds will sing sweeter, and many rainbows will descend from a sunny, cloudless sky. It will be that good. You'll definitely have a hard time drinking the brown water most people would like to pass off as coffee. In fact, you'll probably find it downright repulsive. To keep this impostor from bumming your caffeinated high, here's a short list of places I've found bad coffee. Use it as a guide and feel free to add your own so the general public can be more informed:
- Bank lobbies
- Automotive service stations (i.e Jiffy Lube, Grease Monkey)
- Most hotel entries and in-room makers (excluding Hampton Inn, they have surprisingly decent brew)
- Gas stations (their stuff may not even categorically be called coffee)
- Corporate office kitchens (exception for those with espresso makers)
- Apartment leasing offices
- Denny's
