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Help me understand the need to bloom French Press coffee...

lasta

Blade Biter
I was catching up on some podcasts yesterday. Oddly enough, one was Milk Street with James Hoffmann talking about coffee and his French press method. I'd heard of it but forgotten since I only occassionally use my French press these days.

He adds all the water at once and then does nothing for 5 minutes. Then, he stirs it to break the crust, scoops out the foam and other bits that float, and then again does nothing for another 5 minutes. After that, he lowers the plunger only to the top of the liquid and pours.

It's unusual, but many swear by it. Has anyone tried it?
Something about equilibrium extraction (I forgot the exact term)?

I suppose it's understandable. I've experimented with 10+ minutes, not much to be gained from 4 minutes to be honest.
 
I've been tempted to but just don't like the idea of the grounds steeping that long. I'm usually in too much of a rush.
@SwamperWI has though. We'll see if he chimes in on it.

After posting this question, and seeing some of the answers above, it appears the biggest draw for blooming the coffee is so that it doesn't expand too much near the top if you wait until all the water is added. Makes sense to me. I rarely have coffee "fresh" enough to blow up like a volcano, so that never even crossed my mind. ;)

I’ve been using a French Press daily for at least three years. I’ve always added all my water and let it sit for 1.5 minutes before breaking the crust. I’ve never tried scooping the foam and bits. I would then let it sit for 5.5 minutes more, plunge, and pour. After watching Hoffmann’s video, I’ve been trying 4 minutes and 5 minutes for about a week. I haven’t noticed much of a difference. Only plunging to the top of the grounds has improved taste and clarity a bit.
 

Phoenixkh

I shaved a fortune
I was catching up on some podcasts yesterday. Oddly enough, one was Milk Street with James Hoffmann talking about coffee and his French press method. I'd heard of it but forgotten since I only occassionally use my French press these days.

He adds all the water at once and then does nothing for 5 minutes. Then, he stirs it to break the crust, scoops out the foam and other bits that float, and then again does nothing for another 5 minutes. After that, he lowers the plunger only to the top of the liquid and pours.

It's unusual, but many swear by it. Has anyone tried it?
i switched to that method hmmmm maybe 6 pots ago. I can't remember exactly.... but that extra 5 minute wait time seems to make a difference... fewer fines come through. I am pushing the plunger down, however.... but just until the grinds gently touch the bottom of the glass. I think that might be the most significant change I've made. Since I fill the water to about 3/4' of the top, putting the plunger in to the top of the liquid coffee would be... zero movement on the plunger at all. I guess that might work. I do think the problem is pushing the plunger in too far. Not using it at all, just as a stop, not as a filter, seems odd, but he's the expert. I'm certainly not. <eg>

I'm trying to wrap my mind around his approach. I guess the coffee grounds themselves, just under the plunger, would work as a filter of sorts... maybe the grinds up against the French Press holder and screen would do an even better job of filtering out the fines. I'll try it tomorrow. I know, one time for each of us.. we were not quite awake yet and both forgot to push the plunger down. The coffee was much weaker for both of us. For the record, this happened on different days. ;)
 

TexLaw

Fussy Evil Genius
Only plunging to the top of the grounds has improved taste and clarity a bit.

Hoffmann did seem most interested in letting the fines settle and then not stirring them back up. The time and the shallow plunging are all about that.

I've experimented with 10+ minutes, not much to be gained from 4 minutes to be honest.

And that's why it's okay to let it sit long enough for the fines to settle. The extra time doesn't much do anything.
 
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