French Press - Weak Coffee Issue
 

Ok, I am experimenting with good coffee beans and I am attempting
to make flavorful coffee in a French Press. I use 2 tablespoons of
beans, ground for the press, for each 6 oz. and let it brew for
about 6-8 min. However, the coffee tastes more like coffee flavored
water than coffee! I tried more coffee, time, etc. but no luck.

What I don't understand is that Star$$$ uses a large drip unit for
their coffee and it tastes much better!

Thanks

French Press - Weak Coffee Issue
 

Hi David:

I had a similar problem, I more or less fixed it by raising the temp
of the water from 180 to 200 degrees. And using a little more time
for steeping 7 minutes in stead of 5. Don't let the water boil that
will start releasing the acid in the beans.

Hope this helps.
Kenn :-}

David > wrote in message >. ..
> Ok, I am experimenting with good coffee beans and I am attempting
> to make flavorful coffee in a French Press. I use 2 tablespoons of
> beans, ground for the press, for each 6 oz. and let it brew for
> about 6-8 min. However, the coffee tastes more like coffee flavored
> water than coffee! I tried more coffee, time, etc. but no luck.
>
> What I don't understand is that Star$$$ uses a large drip unit for
> their coffee and it tastes much better!
>
> Thanks

French Press - Weak Coffee Issue
 

I had a similar problem when I first started using a French Press. The
coffee tasted thin and bitter. I attributed the problem to
overextraction. The following steps seemed to correct the problem:
finer grind (just a little finer than normal auto-drip), shorter brew
time (about 2 minutes from the time the water hits the coffee to
pouring the cup), 180-200 F water (just starting to boil), adjust
amount of coffee to get the desired strength.

Using a finer grind, hotter water, and extra coffee allows you to go
with a shorter brew time and avoid overextraction. It does take a bit
more effort to push the plunger down - just go slowly and steadily. I
haven't noticed any difference in the amount of sediment in the cup
with the finer grind.

Dave

(Kennon Ward) wrote in message . com>...
> Hi David:
>
> I had a similar problem, I more or less fixed it by raising the temp
> of the water from 180 to 200 degrees. And using a little more time
> for steeping 7 minutes in stead of 5. Don't let the water boil that
> will start releasing the acid in the beans.
>
> Hope this helps.
> Kenn :-}
>
> David > wrote in message >. ..
> > Ok, I am experimenting with good coffee beans and I am attempting
> > to make flavorful coffee in a French Press. I use 2 tablespoons of
> > beans, ground for the press, for each 6 oz. and let it brew for
> > about 6-8 min. However, the coffee tastes more like coffee flavored
> > water than coffee! I tried more coffee, time, etc. but no luck.
> >
> > What I don't understand is that Star$$$ uses a large drip unit for
> > their coffee and it tastes much better!
> >
> > Thanks

French Press - Weak Coffee Issue
 

I had a similar problem when I first started using a French Press. The
coffee tasted thin and bitter. I attributed the problem to
overextraction. The following steps seemed to correct the problem:
finer grind (just a little finer than normal auto-drip), shorter brew
time (about 2 minutes from the time the water hits the coffee to
pouring the cup), 180-200 F water (just starting to boil), adjust
amount of coffee to get the desired strength.

Using a finer grind, hotter water, and extra coffee allows you to go
with a shorter brew time and avoid overextraction. It does take a bit
more effort to push the plunger down - just go slowly and steadily. I
haven't noticed any difference in the amount of sediment in the cup
with the finer grind.

Dave

(Kennon Ward) wrote in message . com>...
> Hi David:
>
> I had a similar problem, I more or less fixed it by raising the temp
> of the water from 180 to 200 degrees. And using a little more time
> for steeping 7 minutes in stead of 5. Don't let the water boil that
> will start releasing the acid in the beans.
>
> Hope this helps.
> Kenn :-}
>
> David > wrote in message >. ..
> > Ok, I am experimenting with good coffee beans and I am attempting
> > to make flavorful coffee in a French Press. I use 2 tablespoons of
> > beans, ground for the press, for each 6 oz. and let it brew for
> > about 6-8 min. However, the coffee tastes more like coffee flavored
> > water than coffee! I tried more coffee, time, etc. but no luck.
> >
> > What I don't understand is that Star$$$ uses a large drip unit for
> > their coffee and it tastes much better!
> >
> > Thanks

French Press - Weak Coffee Issue
 

I found using 2 Tbs per 6 oz. ok. I grind it fine (a little courser
than drip). I boil only enough water for the press. Once it boils I
take it off the heat. I don't wait or test the temperature. Water
cools fairly quickly. I brew it for 5 minutes. Deliscious and never
bitter for me.

French Press - Weak Coffee Issue
 

I found using 2 Tbs per 6 oz. ok. I grind it fine (a little courser
than drip). I boil only enough water for the press. Once it boils I
take it off the heat. I don't wait or test the temperature. Water
cools fairly quickly. I brew it for 5 minutes. Deliscious and never
bitter for me.

Couple of things. You say 2 tablespoons of beans. Are you measuring beans
and then grinding? Measure out 2 Tb of ground coffee per 6 oz. of water.
Bring the water to just below the boil, 195 - 205 degrees. Pour half the
water into the press. Give the it a stir. Add the rest of the water. Set
your timer for exactly 4 minutes, no more no less. At 4 minutes press down
the plunger.

But more important than all this, what are you using to brew? By that I mean
how fresh are the beans you grind? When you first add water to the coffee
does it foam up at all? If it doesn't, your beans are stale. Assuming the
beans were fresh when you bought them, they have a shelf life of no more
than 2 weeks once opened.

Richard


"David" > wrote in message
...
> Ok, I am experimenting with good coffee beans and I am attempting
> to make flavorful coffee in a French Press. I use 2 tablespoons of
> beans, ground for the press, for each 6 oz. and let it brew for
> about 6-8 min. However, the coffee tastes more like coffee flavored
> water than coffee! I tried more coffee, time, etc. but no luck.
>
> What I don't understand is that Star$$$ uses a large drip unit for
> their coffee and it tastes much better!
>
> Thanks
>
>

Couple of things. You say 2 tablespoons of beans. Are you measuring beans
and then grinding? Measure out 2 Tb of ground coffee per 6 oz. of water.
Bring the water to just below the boil, 195 - 205 degrees. Pour half the
water into the press. Give the it a stir. Add the rest of the water. Set
your timer for exactly 4 minutes, no more no less. At 4 minutes press down
the plunger.

But more important than all this, what are you using to brew? By that I mean
how fresh are the beans you grind? When you first add water to the coffee
does it foam up at all? If it doesn't, your beans are stale. Assuming the
beans were fresh when you bought them, they have a shelf life of no more
than 2 weeks once opened.

Richard


"David" > wrote in message
...
> Ok, I am experimenting with good coffee beans and I am attempting
> to make flavorful coffee in a French Press. I use 2 tablespoons of
> beans, ground for the press, for each 6 oz. and let it brew for
> about 6-8 min. However, the coffee tastes more like coffee flavored
> water than coffee! I tried more coffee, time, etc. but no luck.
>
> What I don't understand is that Star$$$ uses a large drip unit for
> their coffee and it tastes much better!
>
> Thanks
>
>

Couple of things. You say 2 tablespoons of beans. Are you measuring beans
and then grinding? Measure out 2 Tb of ground coffee per 6 oz. of water.
Bring the water to just below the boil, 195 - 205 degrees. Pour half the
water into the press. Give the it a stir. Add the rest of the water. Set
your timer for exactly 4 minutes, no more no less. At 4 minutes press down
the plunger.

But more important than all this, what are you using to brew? By that I mean
how fresh are the beans you grind? When you first add water to the coffee
does it foam up at all? If it doesn't, your beans are stale. Assuming the
beans were fresh when you bought them, they have a shelf life of no more
than 2 weeks once opened.

Richard


"David" > wrote in message
...
> Ok, I am experimenting with good coffee beans and I am attempting
> to make flavorful coffee in a French Press. I use 2 tablespoons of
> beans, ground for the press, for each 6 oz. and let it brew for
> about 6-8 min. However, the coffee tastes more like coffee flavored
> water than coffee! I tried more coffee, time, etc. but no luck.
>
> What I don't understand is that Star$$$ uses a large drip unit for
> their coffee and it tastes much better!
>
> Thanks
>
>