wmoses wrote:
oughtsix wrote:
I second the French Press idea for coffee! Here is the one we use:
http://www.rei.com/product/820451/rei-table-top-french-coffee-press-48-fl-oz
This looks like a nice pot but I have one question about french presses in general.
Once the coffee is steeped, then any remaining coffee continues to get stronger as it sits in the pressed coffee grounds, correct?
We typically drink a couple of cups each in the morning and we would like the second cups to be the same as the first. From that point of view a percolator may be better since the grounds are out of the coffee when the operation is done. Making a second brewing for the second cups would make me rethink the second cups.
It would seem like the coffee would just sit there in the press and get stronger and stronger doesn't it? But in actuality is doesn't. Once you push down the plunger the coffee grounds are pretty tightly packed in the bottom of the press and water doesn't circulate through the grounds so the brewing process is completely stopped. The insulated casing on the above listed french press keeps the coffee hot almost as long as a vacuum bottle (Which is a very long time!) I usually like my second cup after cleaning up all the dishes and breakfast mess and the second cup is always as good as the first. I will occasionally even finish off the morning pot at lunch (usually a pot will be empty long before lunch) and the coffee is still excellent and hot.
I have a couple of the glass French presses that I use to brew loose leaf tea daily. For Oolong and green tea I will brew the leaves 2 or 3 times (second brewing is actually better tasting than the first) and it the same... Press the plunger down and the brewing completely stops.
IMHO... a French Press does make the best coffee I have ever had. We used to use a percolator but found that it makes much more acidic coffee. I think the percolator must boil the heck out of the grinds or something. The french press makes a much smoother cup. Sometimes we will use a french press at our house when we have time because of the better taste but most mornings we are just lazy and use the Mr Coffee when we are at home.