Can You Use Regular Ground Coffee In French Press?

You can use a regular ground coffee in a French press, but it is not optimal or a good choice. A French press is a method of brewing coffee by using a plunger and strainer. The French press device uses coarse and medium ground coffee for better flavor. In this device, coffee grounds are steeped in water for flavor extraction, unlike the drip coffee makers.

It is not recommended to use regular ground coffee in a French press, especially if you want to enjoy a good coffee. The French press is designed to make coffee with coarse and medium grounds. If you add regular finely ground coffee into your French press, it may not give you the required results. But, you can make coffee by using regular ground in a French press.

How to Use Regular Ground Coffee in French Press?

If you want to make coffee by using regular ground in your French press, follow the below-mentioned steps for a better flavor.

• To get a clear brew, use coffee sieves to remove the coarse particles in a French press.
• Pour hot water into the coffee. The water temperature should be 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Stir the coffee after adding water. Close the lid and lower down the plunger just above the coffee.
• Use plunger after 7-10 minutes of settlement of fines in the bottom.
• Without disturbing the fines, pour the brew carefully without tipping.
• Use hot water at 200 degrees Fahrenheit if you want to brew finer grounds for a slightly bitter taste. You can increase the brewing time to extract bitterness from the grounds.

How to Filter Regular Ground Coffee through a French Press?

To use finely ground coffee in a French press, only freshly ground beans are recommended. Due to over-extraction, freshly ground beans will taste less than the finest in a French press. You may choose any of the following filters for the French press for additional filtration.

• A fine-mesh sieve
• An extra French press filter
• A cheesecloth
• A fine mesh tea ball
• A drip coffee maker paper filter

Paper filters are the least choices to use in the French press because they can extract oils from the fresh coffee ground and lower the flavor.

You should give your coffee some time to settle before drinking it. It will allow the coffee particles to settle down.

How to Use French Press to Adjust the Strength of Regular Ground Coffee?

A more refined or regular ground of coffee will give a more pungent or bitter taste when made in a French press. On the contrary, coarse ground coffee in a French press will provide a less bitter flavor. By using the French press, you can adjust the strength of your coffee in the following ways.

• Higher or lower the amount of coffee ground concentration in water to adjust the strength of your coffee. Higher coffee concentration in water will result in a stronger taste. You can use 8grams of coffee ground in 200ml of water for a good flavorful taste.
• If you don’t want your regular coffee ground to result in a stronger taste, then you should brew it for less time. More brewing time results in a stronger coffee taste. Adjust your brewing time to make your coffee strengthen as per your choices.

Best Coffee Types to Use in French Press

Coarse ground coffee is best to use in a French press coffee maker. You can commonly find this coffee type in stores. Besides coarse ground coffee, you can also use medium ground coffee in a French press. The medium ground will make a stronger coffee than the coarse ground. You can use more water or wait for a little less to make less strong medium ground coffee in a French press.

Disadvantages of Using Regular Ground Coffee in French Press

French press is not made to use regular grounds of coffee; instead, it uses medium to coarse coffee grounds. But if you use regular ground in it, you may face some disadvantages.

• Regular ground coffee is made and packed to use in drip coffee makers. These coffee makers use a paper filter that is perfect for filtering these coffee grounds. French press is not designed to work best with regular coffee grounds.
• A French press uses a mesh filter that suits best for coarse ground. So, if you use regular fine ground coffee, you will get a lot of particles and solids in your coffee cup.
• The freshness of regular ground or pre-ground coffee only lasts up to 20 minutes after grinding. So, you will not get a fresh coffee flavor if you use these grounds in a French press. Pre-ground coffee’s aroma, taste, and freshness deteriorate more quickly than freshly ground coffee beans.

Bottom Line…

French press is designed to use coarse or medium ground coffee. You can use regular or fine ground coffee in a French press, but the end product will not be up to the mark.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why using regular ground coffee is not recommended in the French press?

Using regular or fine ground coffee in a French press will result in many unpleasant sediments in your coffee mug. It’s better to use coarse ground coffee in the French press for a better and more flavorful taste.

2. Does a French press need a filter?

Yes, the French press needs a filter to make a good cup of coffee. You cannot use the French press without a filter because you will have lots of sediments in your coffee if you don’t use the filter. Always use filter paper after brewing your coffee in a French press.

3. Does French press coffee have more caffeine than drip coffee?

Yes, a French press coffee has up to 54mg more caffeine than drip coffee. Generally, for 8 ounces of French press coffee; you will get 100-134mg of caffeine. While, for 8 ounces of drip coffee, you will get 80-100mg of caffeine.

4. Why is coarse ground best for the French press?

Using coarse ground in a French press is recommended because it reduces the amount of sediments in your coffee after brewing. In a French press, coarse ground makes less bitter coffee than finer grounds.