Pro tip: I was grinding my beans way too fine for my French press for years

A barista at that little shop on 5th Street in my town finally asked me about my method after I complained about bitter coffee. She watched me make a cup and pointed out the silt at the bottom, saying I should aim for a coarse grind, like breadcrumbs. I switched to a coarse setting on my grinder and the next pot was smoother with way less grit. Anyone else make this mistake with their press?

2 comments

2 Comments

gonzalez.phoenix2d ago

Actually I get way more flavor with a fine grind, you just have to press it slower.

nina_harris2d ago

Press it slower" is a wild thing to say, @gonzalez.phoenix. I tried that once with a fine grind and just got a cup of bitter mud. The water sits there too long and pulls out all the bad stuff. It's like over-steeping tea until it's gross. My last attempt tasted like I was chewing on the coffee filter. A slower press just seems to make the problem worse, not better.