# Should I get a French press???



## Diggy87 (Sep 20, 2017)

So I'm starting to give up with my aeropress I just can't get along with it. I only use it at work and I'm sick of trying different methods and getting rubbish brews.

I use a Hario dripper at home and I love that but it's not practical for the office so I'm weighing up my options.

Any recommendations? It doesn't have to be a French press


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

I'm hoping to be able to get the hang of my Aeropress for use at work (wherever that may be) but until it arrives I've been making espresso and taking it to work in a little vacuum flask. I top it up with hot water for Americano with or without milk depending on what the setup is in the place I'm at that day. It's just a thought - maybe make coffee you like, the way it suits you, and take it in. If you made a dripper, could you warm it up later?


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

hotmetal said:


> I'm hoping to be able to get the hang of my Aeropress for use at work (wherever that may be) but until it arrives I've been making espresso and taking it to work in a little vacuum flask. I top it up with hot water for Americano with or without milk depending on what the setup is in the place I'm at that day. It's just a thought - maybe make coffee you like, the way it suits you, and take it in. If you made a dripper, could you warm it up later?


I've been taking the americano in a flask to work for a little while now. Really enjoy it.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Bodum Colombia


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## Robbo (Feb 17, 2016)

I found the clever coffee dripper more forgiving of technique. Longer brew times improves things.


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## Diggy87 (Sep 20, 2017)

I've never really looked at the clever. Would you recommend it then?


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## Diggy87 (Sep 20, 2017)

MWJB said:


> Bodum Colombia


Really like the look of this!!


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Diggy87 said:


> Really like the look of this!!


You can start a brew & go back to it for a couple of hours with the bigger ones. I'd give brews the best part of an hour before disturbing it.


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## Diggy87 (Sep 20, 2017)

MWJB said:


> You can start a brew & go back to it for a couple of hours with the bigger ones. I'd give brews the best part of an hour before disturbing it.


Really? Will this not cause the brew to go bitter?


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Diggy87 said:


> Really? Will this not cause the brew to go bitter?


It will be bitter if you don't leave it long enough, or if you grind too coarse (under-extract), or kick up silt. Otherwise, no, it will be clean & sweet.

Grind as you would for a medium sized V60 brew. Brew with boiling water, straight in, no blooming. Don't let the plunger sink into the grounds whilst steeping. Remove any scum/floaters before decanting. Decant using James Hoffmann's method, discard the first 50ml (silty oil) or so & don't shake up the press when pouring.


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## the_partisan (Feb 29, 2016)

I would be curious to know what method you use for Aeropress? It's definitely possible to make tasty coffee within a few minutes using it. FP will take a lot longer. Let us know what grinder, grind setting and recipe you are using?


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## Diggy87 (Sep 20, 2017)

the_partisan said:


> I would be curious to know what method you use for Aeropress? It's definitely possible to make tasty coffee within a few minutes using it. FP will take a lot longer. Let us know what grinder, grind setting and recipe you are using?


Im using a krups gvx231 and I've tried various settings. I have also tried different aeropress methods - sterling, not steeping, stirring for 30 seconds, inverted etc. I just can't get a good brew from it.


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## ajohn (Sep 23, 2017)

My brother uses an Aeropress. I don't but he has made me a couple of mugs with it. I find them far too weak for my tastes. I'd put that down to not grinding fine enough. He uses a small blade grinder. I have used those and generally they are not much good for any method. I've used french press, percolators, drip and stick on a stove types - even an electric version of that where water boiling pressure forces the water through a little portatfilter. I have never used fresh roasted beans with them though, just supermarket, Starbucks and preground. I'd be inclined to say that drip produced the strongest coffee followed by french press. The drip I am talking about though is the electric type usually called filter. They take a while to produce coffee - not the same as pour over and wait.

An Aeropress to me looks much like a miniature french press. Put the water in, stir it around, wait and use the plunger. It takes much longer than 30 secs for a french press to get much out of the grinds and ideally they need preheating. Doing that in 30 secs is going to need a fine grind probably even compared with some espresso levels. If I had one I would be tempted to try some beans know to be mellow and strong such as monsooned malabar or maybe old brown java both in dark roast. Lacking a grinder I would order them ground for espresso. That assumes that the filter in an Aeropress is suitable, if not fine. Some suppliers are probably well aware of what an aeropress needs. This site suggests that dark roast monsooned isn't suitable for Aeropress

https://www.redber.co.uk/collections/asia-and-pacific-coffee-beans

I've had 2 lots from them for espresso. Both dark roast. One lot wasn't shiny the 2nd was. I had changed suppliers on the first none shiny lot and added a note that I hoped theirs was as nice as the other. Maybe that's why. The net effect on taste was to make it slightly sharper and stronger but I'm getting that out of the shiny now just by a change in grinder settings.

Probably the best bet really is to phone a supplier and ask which beans are likely to be the most easy to use in an Aeropress and what grind to order. I'd guess that dry processed are likely to be easier than others. Less is taken out of the bean.








I've not tried old brown java yet but reviews suggest it maybe a suitable bean for me so have 250g to play with.

John

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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Aeropress with a blade grinder will be a car crash full stop.

If you like a dark roasted , earthy coffee then Old brown java is the one for you . It's a very old school type coffee.

My local roasts it , its the Saturday morning regulars coffee of choice .

Once a week visit , pre ground for FP . At this is the type of coffee and roast that is probably best at 4 minutes short steep FP. If you like those kind of notes.

If Atkinson's ever took it off the menu there would be a riot . A very polite and quiet one .

https://www.thecoffeehopper.com/product/1/mahogany-leather-old-brown-java.htm

Be warned they roast nothing else to this level , so anyone who tries , thats it for those type of roasts at Atkinsons . I can guarantee you won't like much else they do .


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## the_partisan (Feb 29, 2016)

Diggy87 said:


> Im using a krups gvx231 and I've tried various settings. I have also tried different aeropress methods - sterling, not steeping, stirring for 30 seconds, inverted etc. I just can't get a good brew from it.


Try this method? Inverted, put 12g of medium ground coffee. Put 200g water all at once, stir to make sure everything is mixed, cover and then let it sit for 4 minutes. After 4 minutes, take off the cover and give the top a couple of stirs so that there is no bits floating. Let it sit covered for another 6 to 8 minutes. Uncover, take a spoon and take off the foam, and then reverse and press until you hear the hiss.


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## Diggy87 (Sep 20, 2017)

Well I've just made a delightful cup of coffee using this £4 press I just picked up in Asda. Maybe I will be going down the French press route then


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## Phobic (Aug 17, 2016)

CCD is pretty fool proof, you'll get some great results from it.

I considered french presses for about 4 months before ending up buying a Sowden which I'm loving - softbrew is a great term for it.

if you're making single cups I'd personally go for a CCD, mutiple cups then Sowden.

you should be able to get something very good out of the Aeropress though, worth looking at your technique.


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## CoffeeAddict1987 (Oct 26, 2017)

Diggy87 said:


> I've never really looked at the clever. Would you recommend it then?


I have one and do recommend it


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## Diggy87 (Sep 20, 2017)

Phobic said:


> CCD is pretty fool proof, you'll get some great results from it.
> 
> I considered french presses for about 4 months before ending up buying a Sowden which I'm loving - softbrew is a great term for it.
> 
> ...


Sorry what is a CCD?


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Clever Coffee *Dripper*


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## mmmatron (Jun 28, 2014)

CCD is great. I use a French press if I want a big volume of coffee, great for work and you can leave it brew for half an hour and it stays warm.


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