French Press, what am I doing wrong

While we await arrival of new coffee maker, I’m using a Bodum French Press. I’m finding the coffee contains very fine sludge and I’m having to filter the coffee. That seems to be a very slow process due to the fineness of the sludge.
I’m not unfamiliar with this sort of process in other contexts , haha, but this is annoying.

What might I be doing wrong?

The grinder is set to the coarser end of the ‘Press’ end of the spectrum (58 on my Breville).

I have used a Frieling stainless french press daily for years. Haven’t tried Bodum. There is sometimes a bit of grounds that sneaks through but I ignore it. I use very close to the coarsest grind on my Capresso and replace the screen on the press every few years, as the edges do get frayed over time. The coffee tastes great.

How even are the grinds? Sounds like many are too small.

Sounds like your grinds a re too fine. Try a coarse grind and allow the coarse grinds to steep longer before pressing.

The setting is the max coarseness (see above)

I’ve reconciled myself to filtering my French press coffee. Doesn’t seem overly burdensome to me and I really like the coffee.

Make a little extra and resign to sacrificing the bottom 1/4? (We do it for wine :man_shrugging:t2:).

You’re just trying to start the 169th decanting thread.

French press is a generally terrible technique imo unless you like really robust coffee. But yeah, that fine sludge is too fine of a grind.

I thought that was actually normal. I ignore it and it doesn’t really bother me.

I have been using a french press since last century. It’s the correct way to make coffee.

You might try using calibrated fine mesh strainers with the grounds. Some hard core geeky coffee guys use them to let the fines drop through. I bought a set years ago, but have never actually used them.

Don’t know anything about your grinder, but the lower end Baratza grinders get very high marks for their consistency of particles at the drip settings on up to French press. Considering that in the end you are crushing up dried beans regardless of the grinder, I would expect some finer particles though. It would seem unavoidable and the only way to removed them would be the calibrated screens/strainers.

[berserker.gif]

I do not mind any residual when I get it. But use the “Hoffman method” to get a clean cup from a French press. Just google and learn. It takes extra time but does make a great cup.

We love our French press coffee. Never thought twice about the fine sediment.

Top the freshly brewed with a coarse paper towel disc, before plunging the mesh press.

Do you stir the grinds at any point in the brewing process?

Yes, twice. Once after the water is added and again just before punch down.

I don’t stir before plunging. I add water to cover the grounds and stir to wet them all. No more stirring. Add the rest of the water, insert plunger just enough to submerge the cap, steep, then plunge and pour.

If you pour from six or so inches above the container/carafe, the force of the falling water is enough to thoroughly wet the grounds. No stirring needed. Stirring, especially anyway near the time of pouring a cup, re-suspends the fines – more of them end up in the cup. And overly vigorous plunging will stir up the fines… easy does it. (Also note that dark roasts produce a greater amount of powdery fines than light roasts.)

Of course, the only method that does justice to a good Kenyan or Ethiopian coffee that is not over-roasted (i.e., not past City+ or Full City) is the pour-over.