As a start-up coffee shop let us now turn our attention from business plans and buildings to coffee: just the other day my brother was asking me- as a college student- what was the best way to brew coffee in his dorm room and maintain the integrity of the bean's flavor? My dad will send him off from Kansas City with pounds of great beans from PT's Coffee and/or Revocup and placing those beans into a single-serving Mr. Coffee with a single spout drip simply will NOT do.The question then becomes one of cost. Are you willing or able to spend the money necessary to purchase a burr grinder and a shower-head coffee brewer? (ok, you should at the very least buy the burr grinder) Given the many college students lack these resources we are left with a choice: French press or pour-over?
Both of these methods are great, in their own right. Both require water to be around 190 degrees and for the coffee to be ground more coarsely than with a sprinkler head. Let's break down each method:
French press: this technique will require about 12-15 minutes (unless you have ready access to boiling water). You will grind your coffee to a medium grind (so you can still see small bits of bean) and measure out the appropriate amount (this will vary depending on your press' size). Pour the water over the grounds until it fills the press; at this point your grounds on top should be moist but form a sort of "coffee head" called "crema". Now you wait four minutes and then gently break the crema and stir the grounds with a wooden spoon (you can use rubber but some would argue it can taint the flavor). After it is stirred thoroughly, place the top on the press and push the plunger down. You are ready to pour and drink!
Pour over: this technique will take about 8-12 minutes (again, unless you have ready access to boiling water). You will need a drip kettle as well (which will set you back about $60)- there are also warmers for these kettles to properly heat up your water. Grind your coffee just as you did for the french press, measure out the appropriate amount, place the grounds in your filter, and put your cup underneath. Now, you will take your drip kettle and pour the water over the grounds slowly and in a circle/spiral fashion to ensure that all of the beans are integrated. You don't want to pour too fast or you will over fill your cup. Allow the grounds to steep and drain into your cup and you are all set.
All of that to say this: I don't think it matters. Both techniques have value, will bring out unique aspects of each bean, can be done well and done poorly (no pun intended), and really the only difference that we can note is the time. Beyond that, try both, see what you like and use that one.
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