A plunger is an easy and practical way to make freshly brewed coffee whether at home, work or travelling.
You may have also heard it referred to as a French Press, Coffee Press, Press Pot or Cafetiére.
Although it has seen a slight dip in popularity as other portable brewing methods and domestic espresso machines become available, its convenience and speed guarantee that it will not be disappearing from our kitchens anytime soon.
YOU’LL NEED
– Plunger
– Kettle
– Freshly ground coffee (coarse grind & 8g per 100ml water)
– Water
– Scales
– Timer (you can use your phone’s timer)
– 2 Spoons
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
Step 1: Boil fresh water in the kettle. If you have a temperature controlled kettle set temp at 96°C. Pour some of the hot water into the plunger, swirl around to preheat, and then discard. This will help keep the coffee at the optimal temperature.
Step 2: Place the plunger on the scales and add freshly ground coffee. We recommend 8g of coffee per 100ml of water – the equivalent of a heaped dessert spoon of coffee per cup.
Step 3: Tare the scales.
Step 4: Start the timer and pour hot water into the plunger, looking to leave approximately a 2cm gap from the top, for the plunger filter to sit on top. Stir the coffee mix approximately 5 times.
Step 5: At the 4 minute mark, break the crust on the surface by gently pressing one of the spoons down. This will allow the coffee to move down towards the bottom of the plunger. Then, clean up the top by using the two spoons to scoop up and discard the foam.
Step 6: Place the plunger filter on top and start to apply slow steady downward pressure to push the grounds to the bottom of the plunger. Make sure you do not press too hard on the coffee bed once the filter is near the bottom of the plunger.
Step 7: Pour into your favourite cup, and enjoy!
Extra Tips –
If you have coffee left over in the plunger, decant into another vessel so that it doesn’t continue to brew.
If it is too hard to plunge, it means the grind is too fine – stop plunging if it is too hard as some glass vessels can crack/break with too much pressure.
If it is too easy to plunge, it means the grind is too coarse.
If you like it stronger try adding more coffee or brewing a little longer. If you like your coffee lighter in flavour, brew for a shorter time. Adjust and repeat until you nail your perfect brew!
We recommend our Plunger Blends and Single Origin Coffee for this brew method.