Using a French press with finely ground coffee
I usually make two grinds for my coffee - a fine grind for my Moka and a coarse grind to take to work so I can put it in a French press.
Today I zoned out and ground everything finely, and I don't have beans left for another batch. I've tried using my Moka grind in a french press before, but it always tastes burnt or extremely bitter.
Is there a way to make coffee using a French press with finely ground beans, without it becoming bitter?
This question seems quite similar, though the answers deal more with the sediment than the taste of the coffee itself.
Best Answer
If you use immersion brewing (which is what a French press does) with more finely ground coffee, you will want to reduce the time as extraction is faster. I wish I could give you an exact time, but I have not experimented with this; I would start with approximately 2 minutes.
You are also likely to ge ta muddier, grittier cup as the mesh in the press will not catch all of the more finely ground coffee.
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Quick Answer about "Using a French press with finely ground coffee"
The French press is an immersion method of brewing, which means that the beans extract for longer than in other methods. Because of this, we usually use a coarser grind to slow extraction and avoid over-extraction. In a pour over, a finer grind can impede water flow.Can you use finely ground coffee as instant?
Can You use Ground Coffee as Instant? Grounded coffee can be used as an instant coffee substitute; it is nearly identical to the preparation method used with a french press. The only difference is that gravity, rather than a filter, moves the coffee grounds to the bottom.How do you use pre-ground coffee in a French Press?
PRE-GROUND FRENCH PRESS RECIPEPour enough water to fill your French Press a quarter of the way and wait 30 seconds. Let your grounds steep in the water for 3.5 minutes, instead of the usual four minutes. Make sure to put the plunger back on top and plunge slowly and evenly after 3.5 minutes of steeping.What kind of coffee grind do you use in a French Press?
French press coffee calls for a coarse, even grind. We recommend starting with a 1:12 coffee-to-water ratio. If you're using 350 grams of water, you'll want 30 grams of coffee. To start, gently pour twice the amount of water than you have coffee onto your grounds.How do you use fine coffee grounds?
Grind for a Stovetop Espresso Maker \u2013 Fine Grind A fine grind will be similar in size and feel to that of sugar. It should also be slightly coarser than a grind used for a regular espresso maker. Fine grind is required because of the short time the coffee grind comes in contact with water.How to make super clean French Press coffee with fine grinds
More answers regarding using a French press with finely ground coffee
Answer 2
You can play around with any of the factors below
- Extraction time (shorter = less bitter)
- Coffee:water ratio (less coffee / more water = less bitter)
- Temperature (colder = less bitter)
- Roast type (lighter = less bitter)
- Type of coffee (arabica = less bitter compared to robusta)
I'd try to reduce each one in that order. Typically, I change extraction time (and coffee:water ratio if needed). I don't usually change the temperature so that I have fewer factors to deal with. I rarely change roast and bean type since I usually just have one bag of beans.
My tip is to change one factor first and observe the effects instead of changing multiple factors at once. This will give you a better grasp how each affects the final cup.
* It's more complex and not 100% accurate in some cases. I just simplified it and these should apply in most cases.
** And cheers to having both a french press and a moka pot!
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