Newbie Needs Help

[aaron15]

Hello all,
I decided to purchase a bodum french press(new semester of college is upon me). I have the 8 cup model, which I'm assuming is really only 4 American cups. I also have a roaster near my house which I've heard good things about. My grinder has a coarse setting which I've read is best for a french press. My question is, how do I know how many coffee beans to grind(how do I find a good coffee bean to water ratio??). I don't want to grind too many coffee beans and waste them. I do not own a scale either :neutral:. Thank you guys for your time.

 

[PinkRose]

Hello aaron15,

Welcome to the Coffee Forums!

Do you have measuring cups and spoons (like what people use for baking, etc.) at your house? Since you don't have a scale, those items are the next best thing.

You're going to need to experiment to get the bean and water ratio the way you like it. And each time you try a different type of roasted beans, you'll probably need to make an adjustment.

Take notes on how many scoops of beans you grind, measure the resulting ground coffee, take notes on how much ground coffee you put into the French Press, and how much water you add. From there, you can taste your coffee and make any adjustments.

It's all a matter of taste. Once you get it the way you like it, it will be easy to repeat and enjoy!

Rose

 

[topher]

Try 1 tbsp of grounds per 4 to 6 oz of water. Don't boil your water or it will taste sour. Let us know how it works out for you. Where are you located and who is the local roaster?

 

[cestrin]

Topher,

I'm wondering what you mean by "Don't boil your water or it will taste sour." How else do you make hot coffee??

aaron,

I usually use 2 heaping tablespoons of beans per 8 ounces of coffee. Change the ratio depending on how strong you want your coffee.

 

[topher]

Sorry let me reword that...Don't use boiling water. I boil my water then let it sit until it is no longer boiling. If you use boiling water it will sour the coffee.

 

[aaron15]

Rose,
I do have measuring cups and spoons so I'll try and go that route.

Topher,
I'm located in long beach CA and the local roaster I believe is called Rose Parks. The cool thing about them is they roast on tuesday and deliver by bicycle to your house by wednesday!

Thank you all for your responses and tips!

 

[PinkRose]

I was so busy recommending that you measure your coffee and water that I forgot to recommend a starting point.

Luckily, Topher and cestrin took care of it in their messages.

It's best to let your boiling water rest a half minute or so before pouring it into the ground coffee. Usually by the time you turn off the flame, pick up a potholder, pick up the kettle, and walk over to the French Press before pouring the water in, is about all the time you'll need. If you use bubbling boiling water, it will scorch the ground coffee and the result will be a sour tasting brew.

 

[CoffeeJunky]

Sorry let me reword that...Don't use boiling water. I boil my water then let it sit until it is no longer boiling. If you use boiling water it will sour the coffee.

The correct temperature for the coffee brewing is around 200 F but if you don't have thermometer handy, boiler the water hotter the better and leave in sitting for about 2 mins and pour over your french press. But it won't kill the beans if you only left out 30 seconds. The most important thing is to cool the water down a little so it won't scorch your coffee beans.

 

[Flori]

i think they've got it all covered

flori,
blogger, coffeeloversofworld.com