Why Brewing Coffee with a French Press Tastes Better

Are you obsessed with brewing a good cup of coffee? If you want a superior cup of coffee without all the labor, brewing coffee with a French press coffee maker may be the answer. A French press is a convenient way to get a superlative cup of coffee, full of rich, strong bodied flavor. Plus, its easy to use whether youre at home or on the go. Yes, you can even use a small, portable French press to brew fresh coffee at work, but dont be surprised when no one drinks the office coffee anymore. Theyll be holding their cups out to you.

Why does a French press deliver a superior cup of coffee? When you prepare coffee with a French press, no filter is required. You simply add the coffee to the press followed by hot water. The coffee is allowed to brew for around four minutes. Then, the plunger is pushed down to separate the coffee grounds from the freshly brewed coffee. Because a paper filter isnt used, theres no opportunity for the aromatic essential oils to be soaked up by the paper which means more flavor ends up in your cup. Another reason why brewing coffee with a French press delivers more flavor is the fact that hot water completely surrounds the coffee beans, allowing the full flavor to be extracted from the beans.

Brewing coffee with a French press is especially handy when you only want a serving or two, not a whole pot. French presses come in all sizes. There are ones that brew only four ounces at a time as well as larger ones that brew up to sixteen ounces. The small, four ounce sizes are perfect if you happen to get a coffee craving on the run and dont want to pull into a Starbucks drive-thru. Besides, your coffee tastes better.

One word of warning. A medical study showed that brewing coffee with a French press may cause elevation of an amino acid known as homocysteine in the bloodsteam of coffee drinkers. High levels of this amino acid have been associated with an increased risk of heart disease. Coffee brewed with a French press also contains high levels of diterpenes which can raise cholesterol levels. For this reason, its best to limit the number of cups of French pressed coffee you drink. Even better, alternate cups of coffee with green tea. A French press coffee maker can also be used to make hot tea using loose leaf tea leaves. Its truly a multi-purpose machine.