Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #101697 in BISS
- Size: 24 oz.
- Color: Silver
- Brand: Frieling
- Number of items: 1
Features
- Model #: 0103
- Material: 18/10 Stainless steel
- Mirror finish outside
- Brushed finish inside
- Capacity: 23 oz
Stainless Steel French Press Size: 24 oz.
Product Description
0103 Size: 24 oz. Features: -Double-wall insulated.-All steel mesh plunger mechanism.-Material: 18/10 stainless steel.-Capacity: 0.25-quarts or 1 - 2 cups.
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
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WORLD CLASS, BEST OF TYPE FRENCH PRESS IN A MEDIUM SIZE
By Carl May
"I chew coffee beans while gargling 200 F water for four minutes, filtering the coffee by pressing the tongue against the teeth; is this the French press you refer to?" -- M. PythonAN INTRODUCTION TO COFFEE AMBROSIA.It's a quest for flavor. It's all about flavor. You are here searching for the best quality French Press, one that delivers the most flavorful coffee possible. You might be new to French Press and are rightly skeptical about the vulnerability and safety of a glass model. Or, you might be experienced, a Bodum or BonJour refugee exasperated by having to replace your second, or third, or even seventh broken glass beaker. No cuts? Lucky you. Been there.A HEADS UP. I have been making French Press for many years and have owned my Frieling for five years, usually using it daily when not hacking my change-of-pace Technivorm filter-drip machine. My admiration for this product has grown over the years, prompting me to post this review on other Amazon Frieling review pages...so be forewarned, I am a fan, though I am aware that no product is perfect, including this Frieling. My experiences with this excellent product, and with making French press, has taught me much. Allow me to share some of that information with you.IMPORTANT SHOPPING INFORMATION ABOUT FRENCH PRESS IN GENERAL (Before going to the review below)Before I review the Freiling version of French Press you need to know about French Press itself. Call it French Press, Press Pot, Cafetiere, Plunger Pot, Pressed Coffee, Cafe a Piston, it is all the same. Invented by an Italian, popularized in France, it has emigrated to North America.The apparatus and the brewing method itself are strikingly simple: A glass, metal, plastic, or ceramic pot and lid, and a plunger. The pot is never placed on a stove, but rather coarsely ground coffee beans are poured into it followed by just off-the-boil water, allowed to steep about four minutes, then the plunger is pressed down to separate the grounds from the brewed liquid coffee prior to serving. A simple ritual indeed. Several brewing refinements have evolved to greatly enhance flavor, and will be discussed later.WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN ANY FRENCH PRESS DESIGN1) Simplicity, first of all..no unnecessary parts means less part to fail.2) Your pot and lid must be of sturdy, durable construction using rust-free metals such as food-grade stainless steel, high impact, BPA-free plastics, boron-silicate glass, or hard-glazed ceramics.3) Insulation: Today, coffee science research has established that, for the fullest best flavor, coffee should be brewed at between 195 and 205 degrees F during the ENTIRE brewing cycle, meaning four minutes for French Press...this requires an INSULATED French Press, not a single wall metal, glass or plastic one, but a double-walled vessel or a thick ceramic one.4) Your Press must be sanitary and easy to clean: no hidden corners or crevices, made of dishwasher-safe high-heat resistant materials, and no porous materials to retain stale flavors or bacteria.5) Your plunger's filter screen, the metal mesh, must filter, or separate, coffee grounds from the brewed coffee. The finer the screen the better it does so, BUT, and I mean the BIG BUT...no matter how good your grinder is or your filter, some very fine particles come through ending up at the bottom of your cup. It cannot be helped. Why? Because if the screen is too fine, then it can be impossible to push down the plunger, but if too porous, way too many "fines" come through. A good, quality burr grinder is key in reducing the "fines" coming into your cup. Even still, do not take the last sip...it's a French Press thing.6) You will need a comfortable, secure, insulated handle. Look for a handle with a horizontal grip for the thumb and clearance for the fingers.7) Your Press should be stable, not tippy: A Press may be tall IF it has weight to it. No press should too tall or have a base smaller than the upper section.8) Your Press much be safe to use when not fully awake in the morning: It is not wise to use a Press made of materials that might shatter, crack, or injure you, as well as needing replacement.MATCHING FRENCH PRESS SIZE TO DESIRED COFFEE SERVING SIZEBUY THE RIGHT SIZE FOR YOUR NEEDS: When brewing fill the press no higher than an inch or more from the brim, or to the bottom of the spout. This reduces capacity, but prevents coffee ejecting from the spout when pressing down. Room MUST be allowed for the half-inch to one-inch thick CO2 caused foamy "bloom" to rise, the water displacement of the plunger and spillage room. Do not forget the volume of the grounds either, and the 2-4 ounces of water retained by the grounds after pouring.Because of the facts mentioned above, any "to-the-brim" capacity claimed by the maker must be adjusted downward by at least 2-6 fl. oz., in proportion to the size of the press. This goes for ALL brands and models of French Press products. For example, Frieling's stated capacities are often confusing and not clearly defined, so you might need to contact Freiling to ask questions prior to purchase, or read the below. Do so when shopping Bodum, BonJour, Frieling, or any brand of French Press. To eliminate confusion, you need to know the, always lesser, actual YIELD of served coffee in fluid ounces, not the capacity to the brim of the French Press you are shopping. If in doubt, go to the next larger size.After the below review, grinders, coffee accessories, coffee selection, and coffee brewing techniques will be discussed. Finally, the review of the Freiling French Press...A REVIEW OF THE FRIELING FRENCH PRESSPROS:1) FRIELING OWNERS HERE ON AMAZON VOTE IT 4.7 STARS, 92% POSITIVE. That is a solid A--hot stuff. Only a select few products on Amazon are rated that highly. So, why all the raves? Here's why:2) FRIELING MAKES FIVE SIZES FOR YOUR DESIRED PORTION SIZE. Frieling's stated sizes are at full capacity, but it is prudent to reduce that maximum capacity by about 2-6 fluid ounces, depending upon the size chosen, to allow space for the plunger and the inevitable rising head of bloom-foam when hot water hits the ground coffee. Accordingly, Frieling sizes to suit your capacity needs: 8 fl/oz, 16 fl/oz, 23 fl/oz, 36 fl/oz, and 44 fl/oz.3) DOUBLE-WALL THERMAL INSULATION. Frieling makes only one model, the Ultimo, in polished or brushed finish. ALL its three main elements are double-wall insulated: the pot, the handle, AND the lid. So far, it is the only brand or model of French Press, with one exception, to possesses ALL three features--the insulated LID in particular. Because moving air cools, the open space between the walls cannot insulate very well, but your house's fiberglass insulation batting fills the space, preventing air circulation, that greatly reduces heat loss to the outside while keeping temperature far more constant inside.But Frieling has taken another approach: instead of using substance to fill the empty space, it uses ZERO material. By pumping the air from the wall space, creating a still, dead space called VACUUM INSULATION where air cannot circulate, leaving no matter in it, no molecules or atoms to agitate and cool, ensuring a very efficient insulation indeed. Such insulation is found in the Frieling's pot. This is the MAIN reason why Frieling makes the best French Press...it's what all the fuss is all about...the Frieling best keeps the correct brewing temperature to give you the best flavors.4) 18/10 STAINLESS, COMMERCIAL-GRADE DURABILITY. Unique to Frieling, this heavy duty French Press is made of Austenitic, type T304L stainless steel, 18/10 (18% chromium, 10% nickel: best quality) heavy gauge stainless steel. This quality, special alloy is food-safe and lead-free, meant for commercial use in hotel room-service and dining rooms, for fine-cuisine restaurants, for caterers, and is sold to specialty, high-end hotel/restaurant supply houses (still Frieling's primary business). It will never shatter or injure you. Survives dishwasher hell, and comes out looking like new. The Frieling was once under the radar. It is now available to the public at better coffee-ware or kitchen-ware stores, and is available here on Amazon, far from its industrial roots.5) ITS FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION. Discipline and restraint, with utility in mind, results in the Frieling's handsome, elegant, and understated lines. Appearance has been given a slight nod. It's all business. Even its high polish is not there to WOW at, but to make it easier to clean. There are no false touches present; only the authentic remains. The entire achievement makes it presentable for casual entertaining, even for more formal occasions. A matching sugar and creamer, with spoon, is available.6) THE INSULATED POT has a double-walled, insulated body, lid, and handle for ONE reason only: to maintain the Specialty Coffee Association of America's recommended steeping temperature of 195-205 degrees F throughout the ENTIRE brewing or "steeping," period. This is critically important because only at that temperature range will the ground coffee particles fully release their complete flavor potential. The cylindrical shape makes a very small footprint on the table or counter-top.Shopper's note: Confusing an insulated Press with an insulated carafe is a very common blunder. ANY brand of thermal insulated French Press is specifically designed as a brewer, NOT as a thermal carafe or thermos, so brewed coffee MUST be poured into cups IMMEDIATELY after the four minute brewing period or the continued steeping will produce, even if over a minute, an over-extracted, bitter, and insipid cup! For leftover coffee, use a pre-heated thermal carafe or thermos, with a screw-on sealed lid, specifically designed to store hot coffee, and to keep it hot, after it is brewed. Actually, it is best not to store coffee. Consume coffee within 10-15 minutes for the best flavor. For more coffee simply brew more coffee for the best flavor.7) THE POT'S SPOUT is drip-less due to its lipped design. The spout is small enough to lose minimal heat, but large enough for a quick, steep-stopping pour. Not a stray drop on the tablecloth yet after four years of daily use.8) THE INSULATED LID is entirely unique. It is, with one exception, the only INSULATED lid for a French Press to be found by any manufacturer. Heat rises, and as far as heat is concerned, the pot functions as a chimney, focusing heat above, and its opening is where most heat is lost. This lid caps the heat with its tight fit and insulation. The lid's underside dome shape helps assist in that, like a domed teakettle. The overall lid design is critical if you care to brew at the proper 195-205 degree F temperature. THIS WAS THE FINAL KICKER IN MY DECISION TO CHOOSE THE FRIELING, along with the other goodies.9) THE INSULATED HANDLE is crafted of hollow, extruded stainless, all of a piece, to keep it cool, as well as to keep it lightweight so as not to unsteady the pot. The handle's vertical upright is ovoid in cross-section to provide comfort for the gripping fingers. A secure niche for the thumb is provided with its horizontal thumb rest and thumb-block. An often overlooked feature in cup or French Press design, because if the thumb rests on on a horizontal support, especially if that support is provided with a means of blocking the thumb from slipping off, one's grip is then very secure indeed. Take a look at the photo of the handle on this site, you'll see it. The long, vertical provides plenty of clearance for the fingers, and is angled inward toward the bottom to secure the fingers, also to provide good leverage when pouring.10) THE PLUNGER, when pushed down, results in a dynamic turbulence that agitates the water and grounds to intensify flavors...this is the heart of the Press, and what makes French Press what it is. It also separates the grounds from the coffee, so it is fitted to precise specifications to minimize stray grounds coming through the filter or from between the pot's inner walls and the periphery of the plunger, and thence into the cup. The unit is entirely crafted from 18/10 stainless steel (the best grade)...no plastic parts to retain stale tastes whatsoever. Easy to dissemble for cleaning and spare parts are always available. Remember, with ANY French Press you will have stray grounds, especially if you buy canned coffee because it is always ground too fine for French Press, or if you use anything but a burr grinder. Even so, tiny grounds sneak in...French Pressists never sip that last sip: don't blame the Frieling Press, or a Bodum, or a BonJour.11) REPLACEMENT PARTS AND EXCHANGES FOR VALID PROBLEMS ARE ALWAYS AVAILABLE. My online and telephone experience with Frieling USA has been excellent. They will replace any product or part you feel is defective. Also, down the line, parts such as the filter screen. cross plate, spiral plate of the plunger assembly, or the plunger rod, are available at very reasonable prices.12) FRIELING KEEPS GOOD COMPANY. Beside Amazon, the finest, most prestigious online coffee gear retailers carry it: cateringplanet, wholelattelove, seattlecoffeegear, clivecoffee, terroircoffee, williams-sonoma, espressozone, shop.illy, chriscoffee, liquidplanet, roaste, crateandbarrel, coffee.become, coffeebydesign, coffeeart, veniacoffee, greentreecoffee, blacksmithcoffee, wayfair, etc.13) USEFUL FOR MAKING "OPEN POT" COFFEE. You can also use this for "OPEN POT" brewing, the simple, "connoisseur's method," also called "Cowboy Coffee." With this method, you simply dose a pot with coffee, pour in off-boil water, and steep with the lid on just as in French Press, stir three times during the steep, after the THREE minute steep, then pour through a fine filter into your cup.Well, a French press can be used as the pot to make Open Pot coffee, and you can use its filter as well: after steeping, DO NOT DEPRESS THE PLUNGER TO THE BOTTOM, depress the plunger no lower than a level just below the interior V of the spout, about an inch below the brim, then pour: this "non-plunged" extraction delivers a different, clearer, cleaner cup, allowing more bright and complex notes and aromas to emerge, yet not quite so rich and deep as French press...try it. Also, try your Frieling for press-making tea...really excellent results.14) USEFUL AS AN INSULATED SERVING PITCHER FOR HOT OR COLD DRINKS. Use the Freiling for serving cold juices, milk, or ice water; use it for serving hot syrup, hot chocolate, hot milk, etc.CONS:1) THE LID CAN SLIP FORWARD A BIT WHEN POURING: The lid is snug for pressing, but while pouring, the lid can slip forward an inch or so. Solution--the "teapot pour", the way waitstaff use it: with the finger(s) of one hand, lightly press down on the lid or plunger knob, the other hand grips the handle to pour. Or, use the "one-hand pour": grip the handle with your fingers, press down lightly with side of your thumb upon the flat of the lid's back edge, nearest handle, then pour...easy and secure.2) A FEW SMALL PARTICLES OF GRIND CAN CATCH IN THE PLUNGER, in the tiny screen seam. Solution--If that happens, then after brewing and rinsing out your Frieling, fill with hot water, replace lid and plunger. Then, pumping vigorously up and down a few times, the turbulence removes the particles. I seldom have to do that twice or use a small brush. Then place the pot and plunger in the dishwasher.SUMMING IT UPA commercial, industrial design with commercial-grade stainless, insulated everywhere, including the lid, easier to clean than with plastic parts that also retain flavors. Holds the brew temperature at the correct SCAA recommended 195-205 degrees, the most important brewing feature of all. Dishwasher hardy and clean-up is easy. Handsome and presentable for entertaining. Durable to the maximum. Excellent, all stainless plunger, few stray particles, minimal silt.FRIELING'S DOUBLE-WALL STAINLESS STEEL INSULATED COMPETITION............................................................FRIELING ULTIMO FRENCH PRESS 8c (Vacuum-Insulated, 18/10 SS), $74, 4.7 stars: ALL-STAINLESS plunger, INSULATED ALL-stainless lid, DRIP-LESS spout, THUMB-SECURE handle, stable.BODUM ARABICA 8c, $68, 3.5 stars: plastic plunger &lid parts, uninsulated lid, spout dribbles, stable shape.BODUM COLUMBIA 4c, $60, 4.7 stars: plastic plunger & lid parts, thin uninsulated lid, VERY stable, good handle.BODUM COLUMBIA 8c, $71, 4.4 stars: plastic plunger & lid parts, uninsulated lid, UNSTABLE bowling-pin shape.BODUM PRESSO 8c, $58, 4.4 STARS: plastic plunger & lid parts, uninsulated lid, HIGHLY STABLE with flared base.BONJOUR FIORE 8c, $30, 3.5 stars: NO plastic parts, uninsulated lid, spout dribbles, MIXED REVIEWS, stable.BONJOUR TRIOMPHE 8c, $68, 4.2 stars: plastic in lid assembly, uninsulated lid, ADJUSTABLE FILTER, stable.CUISINOX PRESS 8c, $55, 3.4 stars: NO plastic parts, uninsulated lid, Frieling COPY, MIXED REVIEWS, stable.ESPRO PRESS, 30oz, $99, NEW, plastic filter, "clean-cup" DOUBLE FILTER, uninsulated lid, stable, good handle.LA CAFETIERE THERMIQUE 8c, $35, 4.2 stars: NO plastics, INSULATED LID, drips, MIXED REVIEWS, stable.P.S.Most of the above brands and models, Bodum and BonJour in particular, I respect for their overall quality, if not for the plastic parts. They, and Frieling, all make similar coffee, but with varying degrees of insulation efficiency and thus very noticeable flavor-intensity outcomes. Being consumer-grade products, they are not expected to be as durable as commercial-grade equivalents, such as Frieling, due to their intended work environment. Consequently, their comparison with the Frieling is a bit unfair...like comparing apples to oranges. Always buy commercial products whenever possible...the tough guys.By the way, if you remain loyal to glass-beakered Presses, the double-glass wall, insulated version of the iconic Bodum Chambord 8c ($80) is available (being that glass holds in heat better than metal, I can recommend it), but a replacement beaker is $50, $130 total Amazon. If insulation is not important to you, the glass beakered, single walled, Bodum Eileen ($67 Amazon for the 8c), with its "full metal perforated jacket" of stainless, is widely used in French restaurants and bistros as a commercial Press; it is fairly durable for a single wall Press due to the metal sheath, but its single wall will NOT keep the brew at the right temperature.A REBUTTAL OF THE MOST COMMON CRITICAL REVIEWS, AND SOME OVER THE TOP ONES..........................................................................THE COMMON ONES1) "Some grounds and silt bypass the filter and are in my cup." Answer: some will always pass through, it is a French Press thing, common to all brands and models...French Pressists never take that last sip. But there are three ways to dramatically reduce that, 1) the fault, almost invariably, USING A WHIRLY-BLADE GRINDER, or the LACK OF A CONICAL BURR GRINDER that allows you to grind EVENLY and COARSELY, no more dust-and-boulders; or b) not grinding COARSELY enough with any grinder; or c) buying CANNED OR PACKAGED PRE-GROUND coffee ground FINE for drip coffee so that fine grounds can bypass the French Press's filter. Grind medium-course for French Press, not" fine. If you have no good grinder then have your coffee source grind it coarsely for you.2) "My coffee does not stay hot very long after I pour it." Answer: ANY brand of French Press is designed to BREW coffee, and NOT TO STORE IT. Period. Stainless Steel, or glass, double-walled Presses are designed to keep the brewing coffee at the correct temperature (195-205 degrees) DURING THE BREW CYCLE and are NOT MEANT TO STORE COFFEE AFTER THE BREW CYCLE IS COMPLETED. If the steep goes much past 4 minutes you get nasty coffee--over-extracted and bitter. I am convinced that the confusion comes from mistaking what it looks like: an insulated pot "looks" like a thermos, or insulated carafe. Well, it's not. It's a brewer.Timing is critical when making any coffee. Espresso Baristas use a timer to cut short their pull at 25-30 seconds per shot, with French Press (and drip) set your timer to 3.5 to 4.5 minutes per extraction (4 minutes is the sweet spot).3)"I get this metallic taste (or bitter taste, or stale taste, take your pick)." Stainless steel, especially food-grade 18/10 stainless used in the Frieling, is famed for imparting ZERO taste to food or beverages. It's what it's known for. The off-tastes come from other sources such as, a) coffeol oil and collagen residues adhering to the Press wall, or in your grinder, or both...keep them clean, or 2) certain coffees give off unusual flavor notes also, or c) your water might be less than ideal, or d) your dish-wash detergent is not thoroughly rinsed off. It's NOT the metal itself.THE OVER-THE-TOP ONES"The handle breaks off," or "has a sloppy weld." Or, "Cannot clean the thing at all." Or, "I get gray powder on my paper towel when I wipe it out." Answer: These are over the top, spoiler, deal-killing statements and are intended to be so, for various malicious reasons, I remain convinced, and so utterly lacking in truth that they are laughable. The laser-weld on the handle is so secure that the restaurant supply managers I personally know say they have never experienced any handle failures or sloppy welds, none, ever. Dirty Stainless is not 18/10 stainless's fault, so if really neglected use food-service's favorite: Barkeeper's Friend, use it gently, rinse. Lastly..."It shows fingerprints all the time, and spots"...uh, well, wipe them off, how hard is that? Or sell it on e-bay and buy the new matte brushed-finish Frieling. Gray powder on the inside? Not possible with 18/10 Stainless...has to be bad water or bad dish-washing detergent, come on, think of a better pot shot.Frieling's positive 4 & 5 star reviews are 94% of the total here. That is highly unusual on Amazon. So don't worry, the $75 is only about $10 more than the lesser Bodums you might be shopping. It is money well spent, lasting for many, many years. I cherish my Frieling, and so will you.WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE HIGH QUALITY FRENCH PRESS COFFEEBUY ONLY QUALITY, SINGLE-ORIGIN COFFEE BEANS WHEN POSSIBLE. This assumes that you will be buying quality BEANS and not the grounds, preground. If insist on buying only pre-ground canned or brick coffee (called "commercial coffee" in the coffee trade) then your coffee will always be swill, so you should skip this review. Still here? If so, you will be looking for "Specialty Coffee." This means freshly roasted beans found in some better supermarkets, but usually found in better quality, and in greater variety, at coffee houses or online. Or even better, buy green coffee beans roasted at home for far better flavor, and at a much better price. If you can make spaghetti, you can roast coffee, it is that easy. Some green-bean online sources: Sweet Maria's Coffee, Terroir Coffee, Intelligentsia Coffee, Green Mountain.Look for SINGLE-ORIGIN coffee, sold by country of origin, but better if also bought by REGION or Grade of the country: Sumatran Mandheling, Yemen Mocha, Colombian Supremo, Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, Kenya A or AA, Guatemalan Antigua, Tanzanian Mt.Kilimanjaro, or perhaps even by estate or plantation, e.g., Costa Rican Terrazu, La Minita Farm. After that, learn the different roasts and how that affects flavors, e.g., City roast, Full City, Vienna, Italian, French, etc. Maxwell House, for instance sells, cans of "Coffee"...but what kind is it? Be assured that it will be the cheapest, or merely "French Roast"...French Roast what? From where? what grade? What origin-blend percentages does it contain? You get the idea. Home roasting is an easy mini-hobby option, and many coffee enthusiasts do it. Buy this book!--Coffee: How to Buy It, Brew It, and Enjoy It, by Kenneth Davids ($4.00 used on Amazon).2) BUY A QUALITY BURR GRINDER: it's all about brewing at the correct heat range, BUT with grounds all the SAME SIZE and of the RIGHT size! French Press' dirty little secret that nobody tells you: your grinder is just as important, and in some ways, more important than the brewer you choose. To make THE most flavorful, luscious, French Press coffee, without too many stray grounds coming through the filter, you must FIRST match it to a QUALITY burr grinder. Such a grinder produces grounds of exactly the same size, so all coffee particles "cook" at exactly the same time! A burr grinder's only reason for existence is to ensure that superior flavor. A cheap, whirly-blade grinder cannot. It can only produce dust-and-boulders, just the opposite of what you need.The bad news is: a QUALITY conical-burr grinder for French Press costs about TWICE as much as a top QUALITY French Press ($100 minimum, preferably $150, or better), and far more than that abomination of a $25 whirly-blade toy-like grinder. If you always go to Charbucks, the money saved within 2-3 months would pay for a fine French Press and grinder to make your own, INCLUDING quality fresh coffee beans that produce the flavor elation you seek. So, in return you get ambrosia--a luxurious, deep, rich and satisfying French Press cup that makes you, and others, smile wide every time you make it.Recommended grinders IMHO: the best adequate grinder: Gaggia MM ($100); the best "very good" entry-level grinder, the Baratza Encore ($130); the "excellent" and iconic Press grinder, the Baratza Virtuoso ($230); or the ultimate Press and espresso-appropriate Preciso ($300)--check refurb/open box pricing. That's the price of admission, and well worth it. Best Reviews? Staff and consumer reviews of coffee grinders online at coffeegeek.3) BUY A QUALITY FRENCH PRESS. The most important flavor-enhancing feature in making French Press coffee is the ability of the Press itself to PRESERVE the correct temperature zone of the steeping brew at 195-205 degrees F DURING THE ENTIRE STEEPING CYCLE! A tall task indeed. More on "who says so?", later on. Everything else is secondary to that, appearance, comfy handle, and other details. Within that temperature zone, the grounds then fully open up, releasing their flavors to maximum potential, like popcorn pops when it reaches the correct heat--turn the heat down and the popping stops. That fact leads French Press lovers to find means to preserve the Press' precious heat.Bottom line...the correct temperature can only be preserved by using the BEST THERMAL INSULATION; other means do help but are secondary in importance. That is THE Truth._________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________BREWING IT RIGHT1) ALWAYS FILL YOUR BREWING DEVICE WITH FRESH, COLD, FILTERED WATER. Empty your kettle, and brewing device, of used water. Also, never add boiled water back into the kettle. Naturally occurring water contains quite a few substances dissolved in it. For example, it contains gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide, sulphates and carbonates of calcium and magnesium, and other elements such as iron depending on the nature of the soil. These constitutes impart not only taste but also hardness to the water. Due to boiling, the dissolved gases are released and hardness is removed. Insoluble carbonates and hydroxides are formed which get deposited on the surfaces and the bottom of the vessel as scales. Their separation from water deprives it of its tastes.It is also important to use cold water when brewing because cold water IS fresh water as it comes directly from the main line. Moreover, unlike hot water, cold water does not sit for days in the water heater absorbing scale and concentrated mineral tastes.By the way, you might consider the coffeehouse method (highly recommended) of also weighing your water to the gram for repeatable brewing results (see blackbearcoffee online for the proper water to coffee gram ratios).2) NEVER STORE COFFEE IN A FRENCH PRESS. A coffee press is a coffee brewer, not a carafe. It is a dedicated pot for performing the extraction of coffee. Why? Because if one lets the steeping brew sit in the coffee press longer than 3-4, perhaps 5 minutes, the coffee will continue to steep, resulting in over-extracted, bitter cup.A French press is insulated to ensure that the coffee/water infusion remains at between 195-205 degrees F during the ENTIRE brewing cycle in order to achieve superior flavor. The Specialty Coffee Association of America has scientifically proven this concept over and over again, so has the retail coffee industry (coffeehouse trade). The fact that the Frieling press is insulated leads to the mistaken notion that it is also meant to be a beverage storage carafe, or travel carafe, well, it's not.Not only that, if you leave coffee in the press, and pour some out to serve it, of course the remainder of coffee in that vacant space, partially, will cool off as air, aka oxygen, and the carbon dioxide rising from the bloom-foam, referred to above as "gas", circulates (convection) and slowly escapes through the spout, and more cooling takes place via radiation from the vessel's outer walls and lid. If the vessel is full of coffee, temperature decline slows way down due to the fact that liquid cools at a far lower rate than does airspace.3) ALWAYS DOSE COFFEE AND WATER ON SCALES TO THE RIGHT RATIO. The Specialty Coffee Association of America, after exhaustive testing, recommends 55 grams coffee per liter coffee of water, for average Americans, or the preferred coffeehouse dose of 65 grams coffee to one liter of water for the sought after European flavor. Messing with that dosing by adding water to "1/3 filled mugs" throws that ratio off unless you have weighed all the varables...it is a sloppy way to make press coffee.4) CARAFE COFFEE STORAGE REDUCES FLAVOR QUALITY. After brewing, if you intend to store extra coffee, pour your brewed coffee into a hot-water pre-heated, airtight, insulated carafe. Storing coffee actually is not recommended because it continues to brew not the now removed grounds, but the soluble solids in coffee, slightly, and at a slow rate, as it sits in the carafe...fresh coffee is best, and best consumed within ten minutes of brewing. So brew smaller amounts, and if you want more coffee, just make more fresh (see Sweet Maria's coffee brewing tips, online).The Frieling is double wall insulated to keep the brewing temperature at the correct 195-205 degrees F during the entire brewing cycle...do not mistake it for a coffee storage vessel, or carafe, it's not!Here is a good overview on making French Press: gizmodo.com/5345785/giz, or if Amazon censors that out, just search on... Giz Explains: how to make coffee (all brew methods are covered, including French Press).5) HOW TO BREW FRENCH PRESS THE WAY THE WORLD CHAMPION BARISTA TIM WENDELBOE MAKES IT (from the Freakonomics website):1. The brewing ratio is critical. So using a scale to weigh the grounds and the water will make a remarkable difference to the consistency of your coffee. I like 70g of grounds per liter of water. My press pot will hold about 700g if water, so usage 49/50g of grounds to the hot water.2. Grind size matters. For French press, the coffee should be ground coarse and have a uniform particle distribution (actually the distribution is trimodal, but that's a tangent). Only burr grinders can achieve this. If you don't have a decent burr grinder, have your beans ground for French Press by a reputable coffee shop. (BTW, I recently looked at good burr grinders for home use and can highly recommend the Baratza Virtuoso Preciso (see Mark Prince's review on the Preciso, and his thorough and scientific white paper as well). A bit pricey, but really the only decent one IMO at an almost affordable price point.)3. Keep the brewing time consistent. I use 4 minutes for the grind size I use and will adjust the brewing ratio to find the ideal strength for my cup of coffee. Grind size, brewing ratio, and brewing time all interact, so adjusting only the brewing ratio helps me from getting confused when I'm dialing things in for a new batch of beans.4. I will usually not cover the press during the steeping. I like to allow the grounds to "bloom" as much as possible. Anything that prevents this tends to yield an uneven extraction from the cake of coffee.5. Skimming makes an amazing difference. I was shocked just how big this difference was when I first tried it,
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