PSA: My French press vs pour over side by side test was ridiculous

I brewed the same beans both ways last Sunday and the French press tasted like mud compared to the pour over's clean flavors. Has anyone else found the extra cleanup with the press worth it for that thicker body?

3 comments

3 Comments

elliotadams12d ago

Grind your beans finer for the press and cut the steep time by a minute. That mud you tasted is overextraction from letting it sit too long with coarse grounds. I actually get a cleaner cup from my press now than my pour over, but I also stir the bloom for ten seconds before adding the rest of the water. Pays off with a body that's thick but not gritty.

hayden_butler2712d ago

Hard disagree. Finer grind just clogs my press and makes it worse.

knight.mason12d ago

Right there with you. I tried the finer grind after seeing elliotadams post about it and my French press turned into a brick. Spent ten minutes trying to push the plunger down and ended up with coffee grounds floating everywhere. I stick with a medium-coarse grind and just let it steep for four minutes flat. Works way better for me.