Been trying my hand with a French Press

Saturday February 20, 2021 | By Hieronymus Hawkes | Coffee Stuff

Ever since I saw Chuck Wendig’s post on his blog about using a French Press to make coffee back in 2013 I’ve been interested in trying it. My life accomplice, that’s what we call each other now, as girlfriend or boyfriend just doesn’t do it, and life partner sounds so cliché, actually owns a French Press. She doesn’t even like coffee. Says it tastes like dirt. So anyway, we pulled it out and decided to figure out how to use it, as she doesn’t own any other type of coffee maker.

I actually like coffee. I didn’t start really drinking it until I was about 30. I’m 56 now, so I’ve had a few years to figure out what I like, and my tastes are fairly pedestrian I would say. I like a little French Vanilla in it with the cream, enough to take away any bitterness, and enough sweetener to make it taste like a candy bar.

My first efforts with the press were meh. It tasted too weak. I had googled how to do it for fuck’s sake. I added more coffee and I think I found the sweet spot for timing, but I was using normal coffee. Finely ground. It left a residue on the bottom that was really bitter. I toyed with the amount of cream and sugar, but I finally decided to get some proper coffee. I dove back into the interwebs and after using my finely honed GoogleFu, I found a list of the best coffees to use in a French Press. I will be trying out Koffee Kult on my next attempt. Fingers crossed.

I haven’t given up yet, but I’m not completely sold on the whole idea that this is really better way to prepare coffee. You actually need to spend a lot of money on specialty coffees and creams and sugars, because after all this is coffee snobbery at its best. LOL

I will report back with my results…at some point…don’t hold your breath, it will be a few days before I get over to her house to try it.