Just realized most people at my local cafe are brewing their French press wrong

I kept seeing folks pour boiling water straight from the kettle and then press it down right away, which makes the coffee taste super bitter. After trying a 4-minute steep with water just off the boil, my morning cup got way smoother. Does anyone else time their steep or use a different trick?

3 comments

3 Comments

hill.troy1mo ago

My old roommate used to brew it for like 30 seconds and complain it tasted like dirt. I did the same thing until I saw a barista wait a full four minutes. Total game changer, @logan632. The coffee actually tastes like coffee now, not bitter tar. I use water that's stopped bubbling and set a timer on my phone. It's a small wait for a huge difference.

logan6321mo ago

Wait, people press it down right AWAY?

lunam911mo ago

Oh my god yes, my friend does this every single time. She gets her coffee, puts the lid on, and immediately pushes that little tab down like it's a race. I asked her once and she said if she waits she always forgets and then it spills in her car. Makes sense but it still looks so funny to watch.