Switched from french press to pour over and I get it now

I was a diehard french press guy for like 5 years. Thought pour over was just extra steps for no reason. Then my buddy brought his Chemex over last weekend and made a cup of Ethiopian Yirgacheffe I couldn't believe. The clarity of flavor was totally different, no grit at the bottom, and the whole thing took maybe 4 minutes. I ordered a V60 the next day and now I'm not sure I can go back. Has anyone else made this switch and stuck with it?

3 comments

3 Comments

kai_ramirez388h ago

French press has been around forever for a reason. That grit you mention is just the price you pay for a full bodied cup, not a flaw. Pour over strips out all the oils and fine particles that give coffee its richness. Tried a V60 at a cafe once and it tasted like weak tea compared to my usual brew. Different strokes, but I'll take the texture and complexity of a french press any day over something that looks clean but tastes thin.

shane1708h ago

Agree with the weak tea thing, I had a pour over once that was so light it felt like the coffee ghosted me. The grit in a French press is just proof that your coffee actually fought for its life before hitting your mug. Different strokes for different folks, but I'd rather chew my coffee than sip a suggestion of it.

iris_barnes873h ago

Holding the grit in your coffee like a badge of honor is wild to me. That "full bodied" mouthfeel is literally just silt, and it hides the subtle flavors that make a good bean worth buying. A proper pour over with a decent grinder and just the right water temp brings out bright notes and acidity that get totally crushed in a french press. You can keep your muddy chew, I'll take the clean cup that actually lets me taste the origin of the coffee.