As with every brew method, brewing with French Press offers unique characteristics: the coffee is generally oilier, richer, and thicker (due to prolonged contact with the grounds). French Press is a classic brewing method, which has stood the test of time; though steps to extract a better brew with French Press have evolved over that time. Compared to other brew methods, French Press is lower maintenance; but low maintenance does not mean low quality. If you’ve yet to have luck with your French Press, follow these six simple steps to a better brew with French Press.

1. Use Quality Coffee

There is no “correct” coffee choice with which to have a better brew with French Press. If you would like some aid in navigating coffees, we encourage you to reference our post Coffee 101 – Understanding Coffee Origins. In that post, we pair regions with their most common flavor experiences; if one of the flavor profiles strikes a chord with you, that might be a good place to start. No matter the roast or region of your coffee, the most defining characteristic that will affect your brew is the quality. In other words, you get out what you put in. Consider the 1/3 rule: The quality of coffee will be that of a cup which would cost 1/3 the price of the bag, at a café ($6 bag of coffee = $2 cup at a café. $15 bag = $5 cup.)

2. Keep It Fresh

Coffee beans are not collectors’ items; it is ideal to consume them within a 6-14 day window to ensure peak flavor and freshness. Cool temperatures will tamper with the flavor; be sure to keep your beans away from any overly-chilled areas (such as your freezer. Please do not put your beans in the freezer. We beg of you. Please). As beans age, the flavor notes settle and calm; there are some particularly boastful coffees for which you’d want calming, but those are the exception. Using coffees at peak freshness will greatly improve your chances of a better brew with French Press.

3. Measure Measure Measure

This third wave of coffee encourages attentiveness in brewing; this includes weighing the coffee and using a particular coffee-to-water ratio. Establishing a constant variable (such as the amount of coffee you brew) will allow you to experiment with water levels until you find your ideal brew ratio. If you are more “by-the-book” than “experimenter extraordinaire,” you can follow our recommendation to achieve a better brew with French Press: 1-to-12 parts coffee-to-water (e.g. 20 grams of coffee to 240 grams of water).

Note: With coffee, more is not always better. Rather, the proper proportion is always best.

4. Refine Your Grind

The ideal grounds for French Press are evenly coarse and freshly ground. If you’re serious about coffee, we recommend that you invest in a burr grinder; they allow you to adjust the grind setting and they grind coffee evenly. If the beans are freshly ground at the proper grind (coarsely ground for French Press), the flavors will be properly extracted from the beans, and your coffee will taste closest to what is intended by the roaster.

5. Use Clean Water

Your water supply will affect your coffee more than you think; rule of thumb is the cleaner, the better. If you’re living in a multi-million dollar 21st century home, your tap water might be sufficient. However, if your pipes are old or the city’s water quality is unverifiable, we recommend you filter not only the water with which you brew, but all of your consumed water. The reason for using clean water is that microscopic organisms or hints of flavor in your water can greatly affect, or even eclipse, the flavor of your coffee. If you want to get a better brew with French Press, start with better water.

6. Timing Is Everything

It is possible to over-extract the coffee (if your coffee has ever tasted ultra-bitter, most likely it brewed for too long). For this reason, timing the brew will help you exact that moment after extracting the appropriate flavor notes but before your coffee turns bitter. We recommend that you brew for 4 minutes. Once the time is up, do not slam down the filter and disrupt the grounds. If you push the filter to right above that layer of crusty sludge that has been formed with the grounds, fewer grounds should pour into your cup. If you don’t have particular taste preferences, there is no need to buy a timer, but keeping an eye on the clock and letting the coffee brew for around 4 minutes will have a undeniable affect on whether you get a better brew from French Press.

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Not sure how to clean a Chemex? Learn some tricks here

The post How To Get A Better Brew With French Press appeared first on The BeanGenius Blog.

Chemex is a beautiful brew method, but its unique shape can make it tricky to clean. Making sure all the previous batch’s grounds are removed is just the first step in complete sanitation. We’re here today to let you in on a few tips and tricks for how to clean a Chemex.

Soap + Water

If you want to avoid bacteria build-up (which you probably should), clean your Chemex after every use with soap and water. We recommend using a soft-bristled brush with a lengthy arm to scrub all the internal walls and corners. After scrubbing, be sure to rinse completely, for to avoid any soapy flavor notes in your next batch.

Hot Rinse

Looking for a less scrupulous method than that above? Merely boil some water, pour it into the Chemex, swirl it around, then dispose of it. The hot rinse won’t sanitize your Chemex, but it will flush out all the old coffee. At the end of the day, the goal is to avoid your next batch from being altered or tainted from the last; for that purpose, the hot rinse is perfectly adequate.

White Vinegar Flush

White vinegar is excellent for a plethora of cleaning ventures; its ability to dissolve minerals and oil build-up makes it particularly apt for cleaning after coffee. Pour about 2 ounces more than your average batch of coffee of white vinegar into your Chemex, let soak for 30 minutes to an hour, rinse thoroughly with water or soap + water, and leave to dry. We recommend air drying up-side-down overnight to allow the vinegar smell + taste to air out. (A tip for this and every other item you air dry: rest part of the lip on an object. If the lip is lying completely flat on your counter, there will be no air flow and this will cause condensation and possible molding. So be sure to prop up one edge to avoid such an issue!)

Dishwasher

Most Chemex are dishwasher safe; if that includes yours, give it a try at your own risk! A dishwash can leave your Chemex squeaky clean, but it’s important to be mindful of the delicate body of the Chemex. If you do choose to wash your Chemex in the dishwasher, we recommend removing the collar and tie before loading it.

Life Is Better With A Clean Chemex

Using a clean Chemex is a sure-fire way to improve the quality and taste of your coffee. Next time you’ve brewed a batch, be sure to clean out the grounds with a hot rinse. Have 5-10 minutes free this weekend? Treat your Chemex to a nice vinegar bath. Trust us, your Chemex and your taste buds will thank you.

If you liked this article you will love our article Quick & Tasty Coffee BBQ Sauce!

The post How To Clean A Chemex appeared first on The BeanGenius Blog.

Finding the best ways to make coffee at home for your life can be quite the journey. From set-it-and-forget-it to weighing out your water, your ideal brew process is out there. And we’re going to help you find it. Here are some of our favorite brewing devices for crafting coffee at home.

French Press

The go-to for many and best training wheels for someone looking to move upward and onward from their automatic brewer. You can brew multiple cups with just one brew process, great for hosting guests or if you’re a multi-cup-a-day drinker. For the latter, be sure to empty the coffee from the french press upon brew completion; you’ll risk over extracting the coffee if you leave it brewing for hours. The french press is known for incredible strong and oily coffee, so be prepared.

Mr Coffee

Automatic coffee brewers are ideal for the low-maintenance coffee drinker. Merely add some grounds, pour some water, and not only will your coffee be ready quickly and with little effort, but the warmer will keep it toasty until your next cup. Like the french press, automatic brewers are good for making larger batches, but do be aware that it can be difficult to control the quality.

Kalita Wave

The Kalita Wave doesn’t only make beautiful coffee, but it looks good while doing it. The brew process is like that of a pour over, but the flat-bottom filter (as used in an automatic brewer) allows for even extraction. The metal-bodied carafe maintains heat more readily than in ceramic carafes, keeping your coffee nice and toasty until you’re ready to enjoy.

V60

The V60 is a single-cup brewing method that leaves ample opportunity for user control. Easily achieve full immersion with the V60, as the vessel gives good control to water distribution. Designed in a way that it can rest right on your mug as it brews, the V60 also has a larger opening for a faster brew. Customize the result of your brew by altering the speed at which you pour water over the grounds. Its intricate capabilities enthrall professionals, but we encourage everyone to try the V60!

Chemex

The Chemex brewer is similar to the V60 in process, only the carafe and filter are much larger with less vortex-like brewing capabilities. Its high capacity allows for more coffee to be brewed at once and the wide opening supports continual pour and ground saturation.

Siphon

Recommended for the dedicated and intentional coffee enthusiast. The attention to detail required to craft a tasteful siphon coffee is nothing to write-off. The base heats the water which is then forced to the top of the beaker. It is here where you pour the ground coffee and stir for saturation. There’s no doubt that the effort needed for this brew method isn’t noticeable in the final product, if done well. Don’t underestimate the potentially problematic setup and dismount, but the result is well worth it.

Clever Dripper

The dripper is similar in outcome, but requires much less care and attention than other single-cup brew methods. Many “by the cup” cafes use this method, as it allows the user to leave the setup unattended as it brews. After the water filters through, you can return to a delectable cup of coffee.

Espresso Machine

Attempting to duplicate the shot that comes from your local shop can be a large undertaking. See, there a large production that goes into pulling a great shot of espresso; an ideal grind and properly-treated water are just the beginning. We wholly encourage you to invest in an at-home machine, if you’re so interested. It is very possible to make great espresso with the proper care and focus!

Aeropress

The aeropress brewing device is a hot topic in home brewing due to its expansive methods for use and recipe possibilities. Throwdowns, competitions, and championships have all been established in the name of this plunger-resembling device. An aeropress is the key to making the most compact and involved cup of coffee you can make as a home brewer.  If you’re keen on agitation, bloom, and various other intricate steps to home-brewing, this might be your new favorite toy.

If you liked this article, check out our other guides on where to find the best coffee in Austin, Atlanta, and Philadelphia.

The post Best Ways to Make Coffee at Home appeared first on The BeanGenius Blog.

1. Use clean water. Do not use tap water. I repeat, do not use tap water. Clean water means a clean coffee taste. Make sure that you have a quality water filter and then make sure to change the filters when required. This will eliminate a lot of the impurities that can have an affect of the taste of your coffee.

 2. Grind your beans fresh everyday. Freshly ground coffee not  only smells amazing, it is essential to a perfect cup of coffee. The  oils in coffee are extremely delicate and once coffee is ground, it  is susceptible to contamination of other odors. Ground coffee,  once exposed to oxygen, looses its aroma very quickly. In as little  as 15 minutes, coffee loses about 60% of its aroma, making for a  very flat cup of coffee.

3. Make sure your coffee maker is clean! This one is obvious, but minerals can build up in your coffee maker and change the taste of the coffee. If you’re looking for the purest (and best) taste of your coffee, clean your coffee maker! The easiest way to breakdown mineral buildup is use equal parts white vinegar and hot water to let any carafes soak. If you have an automatic brewer, you’ll put the white vinegar solution in the water tank and turn it on like you’re brewing coffee. The vinegar breaks down any mineral build up and cleans all the inside piping as well.

Continue to get the best flavor from your BeanGenius coffee with these recipes from Klatch, one of our featured roasters.

The post How to Brew the Best Coffee appeared first on The BeanGenius Blog.