How to Use a French Press with DaySol Coffee

February 28 2024, by Amber Chase

DaySol Coffee began in 2019 as a roastery. Founder, Bert Davis, lived in Colorado for eleven years and was heavily influenced by the coffee culture of the region. After moving to Alabama in 2019, he sought to create and roast high-level coffee beans to cater to the at-home brewer in a way that coffee shops and large coffee companies often miss. 

Davis seeks to combat the intimidation associated with coffee. What’s a macchiato? What roast should I choose? Why do high quality coffee beans matter? Most coffee shops are too fast-paced to offer comfort and guidance for the curious coffee drinker, but DaySol makes coffee education easy, approachable, and memorable. “I never want to tell people what they should like but I absolutely love helping them understand why they like what they do,” says Davis. The Local Palate Marketplace sat down with Davis to walk through a few coffee brewing techniques, how they affect the flavor of coffee, and how they can be approached in your very own kitchen.

How to Brew Coffee with a French Press

• What equipment is involved?

A French press uses a cylindrical carafe, most made of glass, with a filter attached to a plunger which pushes the coffee grounds to the bottom of the carafe and separates them from the brewed coffee liquid. This is an excellent method for folks looking to move away from k cups as well as coffee connoisseurs who appreciate a brewing method that’s been around since the mid 1800’s. It is a simple method of brewing coffee with no other supplies needed other than coffee and hot water.

• How finely should you grind the coffee beans?

Coarse ground coffee is what’s used for the French press. Grind too fine and your coffee will come out muddy and silty. Grind too coarse and it will be weak. The biggest factor in grinding coffee, regardless of the brew method, is consistency of the grind. If you grind your coffee and have some grinds that are large, some medium, and some fine, the result will be an inconsistent flavor.

• What happens during the brewing process?

French press is an immersion style of brewing coffee, meaning water is poured onto the coffee grounds (immersed) rather than passing through the grounds. The most important factors in this full immersion method are grind size and the time that the coffee and water are in contact with each other.

Coarse ground coffee is poured into the empty carafe at a ratio of around 3-4 tablespoons per 10 ounces of water. Hot water at a temp of 195-200 degrees is poured over the grounds. If you don’t have a kettle with a temperature reading, a good rule of thumb is to bring it to a boil and wait 30 seconds to hit the desired temperature. I use that technique quite often when I am out camping somewhere or in a remote area where electricity is not available. That’s the beauty of all 3 of these brew methods. They can be completely off grid!

The next step is the easy step, just wait. The wait time I use is 4-5 minutes. Although, I will admit that patience is not my virtue and I rarely make it past 4 minutes.

Once your extraction time is up, push the plunger down to the bottom of the carafe. This will separate the grounds from the brewed coffee, and you’ll be ready to pour directly from the carafe into your cup.

• How will this brewing technique emphasize flavor in the beans?

French press coffee has a rich and full-bodied flavor that works best for medium to dark coffees. I always tell people that a good French press will give you what I like to call a “dirty cup.” It will have a more singular note in flavor. Which is not a bad thing!

French press just doesn’t accent a lot of flavor notes that you’ll find in some other brew methods. As far as origins are concerned, I personally prefer coffees that are deeper and richer in the flavor notes for my French press. Something like a Sumatra or a Guatemala.

1. Pour coarse ground coffee into the carafe.
2. Pour hot water over grounds.
3. Wait 4-5 minutes.
4. Plunge the filter all the way down.
5. Pour and enjoy.