TMiller Senior Member Joined: 28 Jul 2012 Posts: 24 Location: Queens, New York Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Mon Mar 4, 2013, 6:31pm Subject: Problem brewing with French Press, please help
I am brewing using a Bodum Chambord French Press and grinding with a Hario Skerton. It tasted great but for some reason, the coffee that was brewed was a dark chocolate color and looked nothing like brewed black coffee. Does this mean I am using too much water even though the full body and taste was present? I am using 7g of beans per 4oz water. Could it also be that I am grinding improperly? I'm unsure of the exact grind setting for a French Press using the Skerton but somehow no grinds got through the filter after pressing. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
17 g/g brew ratio (approximate ratio you are using, 17g of water per g of coffee) is a bit light. Unless you're talking actual weight oz, then it should be a bit better.. When properly extracted, the strength will be a bit low, but should still taste fine.
(4 US fluid oz is about 118g at room temperature. 4 avoirdupois oz (US measure of weight) is only 113g, so for one measure you're talking a brew ratio of 17 or so, the other more like 16).
If your brew coffee is a bit denser, that's one indication it's higher in moisture. You might consider bumping the coffee amount by a bit. It's unlikely if you're buying good coffee from a shop that knows what they're doing, or if you're roasting yourself, but some of the bargain sources can use water quenching, or roast in a way that retains more moisture.
But, if it tastes good, go with it. Taste is the best indicator of extraction, whereas strength is just an indicator of what to do with the brew ratio (some people think of this as dose). In a Press Pot, these variables are independent of each other.
Grind and Contact Time, with Temperature determines extraction. Get those right and you will extract 20% of your coffee every time.
Brew Ratio determines the strength for any given extraction. Simple as that.
Some things to keep track of in the pursuit of making a press pot:
-Temp of the water when you pour it into the press (must be less than 205°F). -Time of steep before pressing. -Time you left it undisturbed before pressing.
My best press pots come out at 195°F strike temperature, a Press Pot grind setting on the Bodum Bistro Burr Grinder, or 2.5 setting on my LIDO, or about 15 "declicks" when I occasionally use my modified Hario Mini Mill Slim. By all accounts, this is really close to a Ditting set to 9. Contact time is in total about 4ish minutes to pressing, it is left undisturbed after initial agitation and inserting the press (about 3 1/2 minutes of the 4 minutes). Pressing is slow and continuous - to allow the buildup of particles to help create a mini-filter as I press.
Good luck!
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emradguy Senior Member Joined: 31 Mar 2011 Posts: 1,805 Location: Houston Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Izzo Alex Duetto II Grinder: MacapM4T, Macap M4, OE Lido,... Drip: Espro press; Aeropress Roaster: internet
Posted Wed Mar 6, 2013, 12:07pm Subject: Re: Problem brewing with French Press, please help
Steve,
I'd been brewing 22g with 300mL water at 200F in my Espro press for a couple of months now. I'd had my Lido set at 1 3/4 and was doing a 3 minute brew time (20 sec bloom). Today, I tried going coarser on the Lido (2 1/4) and increased my extraction time to 4 minutes (based on your post), and I like the results even better. It surprised me, because I was already making better presspot coffee than I'd ever made over the past 25 years or so.
TMiller Senior Member Joined: 28 Jul 2012 Posts: 24 Location: Queens, New York Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Wed Mar 6, 2013, 6:06pm Subject: Re: Problem brewing with French Press, please help
The grind on the right is the size that I have previously been using. I have a feeling it is a bit too fine for a Press but I'm not too certain. There are no grinds in my coffee. Are either of these grinds adequate for a French Press? Or maybe something in between?
emradguy Senior Member Joined: 31 Mar 2011 Posts: 1,805 Location: Houston Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Izzo Alex Duetto II Grinder: MacapM4T, Macap M4, OE Lido,... Drip: Espro press; Aeropress Roaster: internet
Posted Wed Mar 6, 2013, 9:41pm Subject: Re: Problem brewing with French Press, please help
I wish I could see the particle sizes better in your photo. I go by resistance mainly. It should be around 15# pressure when plunging with a slow steady hand (ie, not trying to push it down as fast as you can). You want to feel like your interacting with the grounds...if that makes sense... but not fighting them. From there shoot for brew times in the 3-5 min range, depending on taste. Too sour means under extracted either from water not hot enough or contact too short ( or grounds too coarse), while too bitter means over extracted either from water too hot, contact too long ( or grounds too fine). Obviously, you can have more than one problem occurring at a time. Try the parameters Steve laid out...he knows what he's talking about. Try to get the plunger down in about 20-30 seconds, using the feel I described. Please post again with your results.
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