Today, in addition to showing us how to make coffee French Press Style, the artisanal roasting company, JBrooks Coffee Roasters, is giving away three of their 3-bag Combo Packs.  The combo has 3 different coffees – one light, one medium, & one dark roast, in either ground or whole bean form, winner’s choice.

To enter to win, simply comment on this post and describe your favorite way to enjoy a cup of brew.  Curled up with a new seed catalog?  Watching the sunrise?  Winners will be selected by random number generator on midnight SUNDAY, Oct. 16, 2011.  Best of luck!

Method #2: French Press

There are a gazillion different presses out there.  We like to use the one shown above (Thermos Nissan, 1 quart capacity) for 2 reasons: 1, it’s insulated so the coffee doesn’t cool before you get your second or third or fourth cup, and 2, this is the bomb on a camping trip!
For French Press coffee, remember to use a coarse grind – you’ll have far less grit in your cup.

Since you can easily read the instructions that come with the press, please note that we’re recommending a slightly different method for press brewing here.

1. While your water is boiling, grind your coffee on a coarse setting.  Also get a timer, 2 spoons, and a mug for wet grounds.

2. Use a level 1-cup dose of coffee per quart of water.

3. Once your water boils, let it cool about 1 minute.  Optimum water temperature for brewing coffee is 195F – 205F.  Boiling water will scorch the grounds and adversely affect the flavor, so that minute of cooling is really necessary.

4. Begin timer to count 4 minutes when you begin pouring water.

5. Pour hot water slowly around the bed of grounds at first to fully saturate.  Once all grounds are saturated you can pour normally.

6. Fill the press until the grounds reach the edge of the pouring spout.

7. The coffee needs to steep for 4 minutes from the time the bed of grounds was saturated.  If you steep for a bit longer it’s not a problem.

8. After 4 minutes, gently break the crust on top with the back of a spoon and then slowly push the rest of the crust into the water.  Avoid vigorous stirring.

9. At this point use two spoons and skim as much of the remaining grounds from the top of the water as possible.  Have something handy to deposit grounds in, or do this near the sink, so that you can make 2 or 3 skimming runs.

10. Now place the screen in the press and push it down slowly to the bottom.  Take about 15 seconds to depress it fully.  Do not press hard when you hit bottom – that will increase the sludge factor coming up through the screen.  Just make contact with the grounds on the bottom and stop pushing.

11. Pour and enjoy!

Alternate Press Method:

If you’re still not happy with the amount of grit making its way into your cup of bliss, you can try a reverse press method:

1. Before you put the ground coffee into the press, insert the press screen into the press.

2. Deposit coarse ground coffee into the press so that it is sitting on top of the screen.

3. Pour in hot water and steep for 4 minutes.

4. When the time is up, gently stir the crust of grounds into the water.  Position yourself near the sink or a container for the wet grounds.

5. Slowly pull the screen up out of the press, taking 10 -15 seconds, and dump the wet grounds.

6. If  you’re not pouring the entire amount of coffee right away, rinse off the screen before putting it back into the press.  You’ll want the lid on the press to keep the coffee hot for your next cup.