Brew Guide: How to Brew with a Cafetière

How to brew perfectly using a Cafetière!

Welcome to the first instalment of our How to Brew series! Over the next few weeks, we will explore all the different brewing devices available, discussing their differences, flavours, and, most importantly, how to use them!

We must kick off with the classic brew method: the trusty cafetière. Also known as a French Press, this device is renowned for being the easiest way to brew consistently delicious coffee. You can’t go wrong, especially when combined with our awesome single-origin speciality brew.

Why we love the Cafetière!

This brew method follows the immersion process, which gives an even extraction and a richer, more robust cup. AKA a top-notch flavour. Its user-friendly technique supports this; you simply plunge away! Now, there are some tips and tricks to perfect this brewing device, but don’t worry; we will get to that later.

Another great thing about the cafetière is that it is a universal device. Whether they use it or not, everyone has one shoved at the back of their cupboard. This proves helpful when you want a gift for your coffee lover friend but can’t remember what they brew with at home; a cafetiere is always a safe bet!

What is the best coffee to use for a Cafetière?

Technically, you can put any roast style into a cafetière (as long as it’s the correct grind size!). However, we recommend sticking to a light and fruity or medium coffee. These coffees work exceptionally well, as their acidity levels pair perfectly with how cafetières brew.

In a nutshell, lighter-roasted coffees are naturally quite acidic. They have been roasted for a shorter period, and the natural acids within the bean are retained. This means they are less suited for pressure methods, such as an espresso machine, as this only heightens the acidity within the coffee, which can become overwhelming. Alternatively, Cafetières brew by gravity, which extracts the perfect amount of acidity from the coffee, creating a delicious cup of joe!

Luckily for you, we are big fans of light, fruity, and medium brews at Two Chimps. We don’t like to roast to a dark level, as our single-origin speciality beans are too perfect to over-roast. Our current yellow-labelled coffee, ‘Smile at the Yawners,’ is the perfect light and fruity coffee. With its chocolatey base topped with cranberries, apples, and a bright citrus acidity, this pairs beautifully with a cafetière.

If you are a decaf drinker, we have you covered. Our lilac coffee, ‘The Daydream Continues,’ has an irresistible buttery biscuit base balanced by dark chocolate, walnuts, and a chunk of toffee. This Ugandan brew is so good that it tastes like the real deal!

Lastly, say hello to our pink-labelled coffee, Auntie Mary’s Green Canary! This coffee has a medium roast style with chocolate-coated hazelnuts, spiced dried fruit, and an apple zing- perfect if you want something a little bit stronger.

How to brew

Remember when we said we’d tell you all the tips and tricks? Well, get ready to hear all the coffee knowledge!

Let’s start by getting that grind size spot on. We can take care of this when you order from Two Chimps, but if you prefer to grind your coffee yourself, you want to aim for medium size, like caster sugar!  As there is little to no pressure inside your cafetière (apart from your plunging), we need a bit of coarseness created by the coffee to create that extraction process.

How much coffee to add to your cafetière depends on the size of your device. The general rule is a 1:20 ratio, which means for every 1 gram of coffee, you want 20 ml of water! Trying to work out the exact amount you need for your cafetière can be a bit of a faff. To make it easy for you, if you have a 1000ml (8 cup) cafetière, you want 50g of coffee and 1000ml of water. For a 350 (3 cup) cafetière, 18g of coffee and 350ml of coffee is perfect!

However, you can pretty much brew with a cafetière, depending on your personal preference. If you want it a tad stronger, add more coffee and let it sit in the water for longer before the big plunge.

Now you have your grind size and ratio spot on; let’s make this cuppa already!

1. Pop the kettle on and let it cool for 30 seconds.
2. Rinse your cafetière with some boiled water and discard.
3. Measure out the correct amount of coffee and add it to your cafetière.
4. Add the water and place on the lid- but don’t plunge!
5. Wait for two minutes, remove the lid, and stir.
6. Wait for another two minutes and pluuuunnge!
7. Wait for another two minutes before pouring.
8. Voila! You have the perfect cup of coffee. High five!

This ends our first Two Chimps Coffee School lesson on brewing devices. Wahoo! You are now a professional cafetière brewer who can always make the best cup of coffee.

Looking for the perfect coffee to use in your cafetière? Shop below!

Light & Fruity Coffees