French Coffee Maker

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Brewing that precious cup of coffee or tea most folks enjoy early in the morning have transformed into many forms by modern distilling technologies. Vacuum brewers first arrived on the coffee development scene in the mid-19th century. These vacuum brews were the ancestral great grandparents eventually transforming into the modern coffee percolators found in most kitchens today. Coffee drip systems were developed a little after the modern coffee percolator. Press plungers still had many problems to conquer before becoming an everyday item.

Various forms of plunger presses were invented around the same time as vacuum brews in the 1860’s, yet were not as popular. Inventors found it a challenging process to develop a tight fitting filter for accurate extraction. The coffee pot proved to be more popular and profitable as a result. One of the first press plunger pots called a “Cafeolette” appeared in restaurants and stores in the early 20th century where a fine cotton cloth provided accurate filtration. A stainless steel plunger press with a fine metal mesh filter was originated by Melior in the 1930s. Melior still retains its title as one of the most popular and well-known manufacturers of French press coffee makers in present times.

Utilizing a French press is relatively a simple procedure. Use a ground coffee that has a larger or coarser grind than a finer grind such as drip coffees. Finer coffee grinds will seep through the press filter filling one’s drink with unwanted floating guests. Measure out the correct ground coffee amount for the desired drink strength. Mix the coffee grounds with water in the filter trap area of the plunger. Stir them together and let them steep or brew for a couple of minutes. Depress the plunger downwards to capture the coffee grounds in the filter as water is extracted.

Coffee created with the French coffee press is more flavorful than coffee created in percolators or drip systems. Coffee grounds are directly in contact with the water infusing it with more of the coffee bean’s oils and caffeine creating a richer drink to enjoy. These same oils become trapped in cloth or paper filters resulting in a more watered-down coffee drink from percolators or drip makers. Enjoy!