The cafetiere, also known as the French press or press pot, is the way many of us have grown up with making speciality coffee at home.
It works by mixing water at just under boiling point with ground coffee – so far, the same as filter coffee. However, there is a crucial difference. The grind for cafetiere coffee is much coarser than for a filter coffee, or for an AeroPress, and the filter in a cafetiere is generally a coarse metal filter rather than ultra-fine paper.
Pushing the plunger down in a cafetiere means you are separating the grounds from the liquid, but not filtering the coffee through the filter. This means your end product is heavier and has a denser mouth-feel than other types of filtered coffee, as it contains more of the coffee oils and solids.
This doesn’t necessarily make for a less tasty coffee – it’s all about personal preference, and there are many fans of the cafetiere. There is also no denying that a beautiful glass cafetiere is one of the most stylish ways to make your coffee at home or enjoy in a fancy restaurant.
So, how exactly should you make your coffee in a cafetiere?
- Boil some water.
- Remove the lid and plunger from your cafetiere.
- Add a scoop of coarse-ground coffee to your cafetiere (1 scoop for every cup of coffee you want to make).
- Fill the cafetiere with your hot water.
- Stir a few times, and leave for a few minutes to brew.
- Put the lid of your cafetiere back on, and slowly push down the plunger.
- Pour your coffee into your cup and enjoy black, or with milk and / or sugar.
We recommend Central or South American coffee for use in a cafetiere – make sure you order the Cafetiere grind for the best result.
