So you have a French Press and you want to make espresso with it? Great! Brewing espresso coffee with a French Press is something that not many people know how to do, but it’s actually quite simple.
Today, we’ll show you how to make espresso with a French Press, so that you can enjoy a delicious cup of coffee at home at any time of the day.
Can You Use Espresso Beans With Your French Press?
First of all, the most common question I get when it comes to making espresso with a French press is whether or not you can use espresso beans.
The answer is yes! You can use espresso beans with your French press, but you will need to grind them right first.
Grinding your coffee beans, especially when it comes to espresso, is very important. If you don’t grind them right, your coffee will be either too weak or too bitter.
There are many types of coffee grinders, but the best way to grind your coffee beans for espresso is with a burr grinder. A burr grinder will give you a consistent grind, which is important for making espresso.
If you don’t have a burr grinder, you can use a regular coffee grinder, but it’s not going to be as consistent.
So, once you’ve ground your coffee beans, it’s time to brew!
Related Read: How to Use A Coffee Grinder
What Are The Best Coffee Beans to Use?
Now the coffee beans are the magic ingredient when it comes to espresso. You want to use a coffee bean that is dark roasted and has a strong flavor.
Some of my favorite coffee beans to use for espresso are from Illy or Lavazza. These are both great brands that have a lot of different varieties of dark-roasted coffee beans.
If you want to try something different, you can also use Kona coffee beans. Kona coffee beans are from Hawaii and they have a very unique flavor.
Ultimately, the brand doesn’t really matter, as long as the coffee beans are organic and dark roasted.
TIP: If you are in a rush and don’t have freshly ground coffee beans you can always use instant coffee for your espresso. While it’s not the same, it will still taste pretty good!
How to Make Espresso With A French Press: Step By Step
Now that we’ve gone over some of the basics, let’s get into how to make espresso with your French Press. The ingredients you’ll need are:
- 2 tablespoons of coffee grounds.
- 1 cup of water.
- Your trusty French Press coffee maker.
- An espresso cup.
Step 1: Grind Your Coffee Beans to A Fine Grind Size.
As we mentioned earlier, grinding your coffee beans is very important. You want to grind them to a fine ground size, similar to what you would use for a regular cup of espresso.
If you have a burr grinder, great! If not, that’s ok too. Just make sure to grind the beans until they are very fine. This is important because we need a lot of surface area for the water to extract all of the coffee flavors from the beans.
Step 2: Boil Water and Preheat Your French Press.
Now it’s time to boil your water. You want to use filtered water for the best results. Coffee is 98.5% water so you want to use the best water possible.
Once your water is boiling (195 Degrees Fahrenheit), preheat your French Press coffee maker by pouring some of the hot water into the French Press. Preheating allows all the parts of the French Press to reach the same temperature so that your coffee is brewed evenly.
It will also help with the blooming process (which we’ll get into the next step). Make sure to discard the water once you’re done preheating.
Step 3: Bloom Your Coffee Grounds.
Now it’s time to bloom your coffee grounds. This is an important step because blooming allows the coffee grounds to release CO2 gas.
The CO2 gas is important because it helps to extract all the coffee flavors from the beans. To bloom your coffee, simply add the cup you’ll be using for your espresso and add the coffee grounds.
Pour in just enough hot water to wet all the coffee grounds and give them a stir. Allow the coffee to bloom for 30 seconds before moving on to the next step.
Step 4: Add The Remaining Water and Press The Plunger.
Now it’s time to add the rest of the hot water to your French Press and put the plunger on top. Slowly press the plunger down, making sure not to press too hard or too fast.
You want to press the plunger down slowly so that all the coffee grounds are evenly extracted. Once you’ve pressed the plunger all the way down, your espresso is ready to enjoy!
TIP: Don’t forget to clean your French Press after you’re done making your espresso. Coffee grounds can get stuck in the plunger or in the mesh filter, so it’s important to clean it after each use.
Get this free cheat sheet to step up your coffee game and learn about the different grind sizes!
Other Ways to Make Espresso Without An Espresso Machine.
While the French Press is one of the most popular ways to make espresso, it’s not the only way. If you don’t have a French Press or an espresso machine, there are still some other ways you can make a delicious cup of espresso.
One popular method is using a Moka pot. A Moka pot is a coffee maker that uses steam pressure to brew coffee. It’s similar to an espresso machine in that it uses pressure to extract the coffee flavors from the beans.
Read Also: Moka Pot vs Espresso Machine
Another popular method is using the AeroPress, especially the AeroPress inverted method. The AeroPress is a coffee brewing device that uses a plunger to brew coffee. It’s similar to a French Press in that it uses pressure to brew the coffee, but it’s a bit different in that it’s more concentrated and can make better crema.
Why You Need to Be Careful With Manual Brewers.
While manual brewing methods like the French Press and Moka pot are great ways to make espresso, you need to be careful with them. This is because they can easily over-extract the coffee and make it taste bitter.
To avoid this, make sure you keep an eye on the time and stop brewing as soon as you reached the recommended time. Also, when using the French Press let the coffee steep for the recommended time (around 4 minutes) before pressing down on the plunger.
Download The Recipe Here
Espresso with French Press
Equipment
- 1 French Press Coffee Maker
- 1 Espresso Cup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp espresso coffee grounds
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Grind Your Coffee Beans to A Fine Grind Size.
- Boil Water and Preheat Your French Press.
- Bloom Your Coffee Grounds.
- Add The Remaining Water and Press The Plunger.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Make Espresso Martini With French Press?
Yes, you can make an espresso martini with a french press. The French press is an ideal tool for making espresso because it allows you to control the extraction time and temperature.
This results in a richer, more full-flavored espresso. To make an espresso martini with a french press, simply combine an espresso shot, vodka, and coffee liqueur in your french press.
Press the plunger up and down several times to mix everything together and create a foamy mixture. Pour into a martini glass and enjoy!
Will Espresso Beans In A French Press Taste The Same As Regular Espresso?
The one thing that separates an espresso machine from all the other manual brewing methods is the pressure. An espresso machine uses 9 bars of pressure (can go higher) to extract the coffee, while a French press only uses atmospheric pressure.
This means that espresso from a French press won’t have the same layer of foam known as crema. Crema is what gives espresso its distinct flavor and aroma. However, you will still get a rich, full-flavored espresso from your French press.
Is French Press Coffee Stronger Than Espresso?
Since espresso is more concentrated than regular coffee, it is also stronger. A typical shot of espresso contains about 64mg of caffeine, while a regular cup of coffee has about 95mg. Keep in mind though that we usually drink around 2-3 shots of espresso per cup so the overall caffeine content is way higher than regular coffee.
Last Thoughts
As you can see, making espresso with a French press is pretty easy. All you need is some coffee, hot water, and a little bit of patience.
So, the next time you’re in the mood for a delicious cup of espresso, give this method a try. You might be surprised at how good it tastes!
Happy Brewing!
Evelina
Evelina’s passion for coffee could never been hidden. Having worked as a barista, she learned the true value of the coffee bean and its secrets. As she continued to evolve as a barista, so did her knowledge, techniques on making different coffee blends and most importantly how to operate every kind of gear when it comes to coffee. Having a degree in biomedicine and being a barista, allows her to provide our community with in-depth knowledge surrounding the topics of coffee.
Get this free cheat sheet to step up your coffee game and learn about the different grind sizes!
