Did you know, using French Press to brew your loose leaf teas is the most convenient methods? Few years back, on my visit to IKEA, i bought a French Press. Back then, I used to enjoy infused water alot, well i still do, but most of my infused water now also have tea leaves. It was super easy to infuse water in a french press, just add some cut fruits, mint leaves, lemon wedges, water and keep in fridge, and next morning, sip it very first thing. But today, with this, i also add green tea or other loose leaf teas, oolong being my favorite to make infused water.
A few weeks back, i read an article which said, benefits of brewing tea in a french press. and suddenly i could connect to it. I had been doing it since so many years, but never knew its a thing that other people do too. So i thought, why not share what i have learnt over the years, brewing tea almost everyday in my french press. It’s not some fancy technique, honestly, its one of the easiest things you can do in your kitchen, and once you get the hang of it, you will never go back to those flimsy tea bags again.
What is a French Press?
A French press is a simple, cylindrical brewing device made of glass or steel, with a built-in plunger and mesh filter attached to a lid. It was originally designed for making coffee, you add your coffee grounds or in our case, loose leaf tea, pour hot water over it, let it steep for a few minutes, and then press the plunger down slowly. This separates the leaves or grounds from the liquid, leaving you with a clean, ready to drink brew, no separate strainer or filter paper needed. Its this simplicity, one vessel doing both steeping and straining, that makes it such a handy tool to have in the kitchen.
Why French Press Works So Well for Loose Leaf Tea
A french press was made for coffee, that we all know. But the same plunger and mesh filter that separates coffee grounds from your brew, does an equally good job with tea leaves. The mesh is fine enough to hold back even the smaller pieces of leaves, so you dont end up with bits floating in your cup.
What i love the most is, it gives the leaves so much room to open up. Unlike a small tea infuser ball where the leaves are all cramped up and barely get to unfurl, a french press lets the leaves swim freely in hot water. This is something tea people call “full leaf expansion” and honestly, it does make a difference in the taste. You get a fuller, rounder cup, not a thin watery one.
And of course, the plunger. When your tea has steeped enough, you just push down the plunger and it stops the leaves from steeping further. No need to fish out a tea bag or strain leaves separately, everything happens in one vessel.
How I Brew My Loose Leaf Tea in a French Press
Over the years, i have kind of settled into a rhythm, so let me just walk you through it.
- Heat the water – depending on what tea i am brewing, i adjust the temperature. Green tea and delicate white teas, i keep the water slightly below boiling, around 80°C. For black tea or oolong, i let it come to a proper rolling boil.
- Add the leaves to the french press – i usually go with about a teaspoon of loose leaf per cup, but i tend to eyeball it now, since i have made it so many times.
- Pour the water over the leaves – straight into the french press, no separate pot needed.
- Put the lid on, but dont plunge yet – just place the lid with the plunger pulled all the way up, this keeps the heat in while the tea steeps.
- Let it steep – green tea, i give it about 2-3 minutes, oolong needs a bit longer, around 3-5 minutes, and black tea can go up to 4-5 minutes too.
- Plunge slowly – once the time is up, press the plunger down gently. This separates the leaves at the bottom and the tea is ready to pour.
- Pour immediately – this part is important, dont let the tea sit in the french press even after plunging, because the leaves are still touching the tea a little bit and it can go bitter if left too long.
My Favorite Way – The Infused Tea Water
Like i mentioned before, this is where i started, and honestly it is still my favorite use of the french press. At night, i just add some sliced fruits, a few mint leaves, lemon wedges, and now, some loose leaf tea, oolong mostly, sometimes green tea. Pour cold or room temperature water, close the lid, and keep it in the fridge overnight.
Next morning, first thing, i pour myself a glass. Its light, refreshing, and doesn’t have that heavy caffeine hit that a hot brewed cup gives you. Perfect for starting the day slow.
Why I Prefer This Over a Teapot or Infuser
I have tried teapots, i have tried those little mesh ball infusers too, but i keep coming back to the french press for a few reasons –
- Convenience – one vessel does it all, steeping and straining.
- Easy cleanup – just pull out the plunger, dump the leaves, rinse. No small crevices where leaves get stuck.
- Better leaf expansion – as i mentioned, more room for the leaves to open up fully.
- Can make bigger batches – if i have guests over, i just brew a full french press and everyone gets a cup.
A Few Tips I Have Picked Up
- Always warm your french press with a little hot water before adding the tea leaves, it helps maintain the temperature better while steeping.
- Dont oversteep, especially green tea, it turns bitter really fast.
- If you are someone who likes a stronger cup, add a little more leaves rather than steeping it longer.
- Clean your french press right after use, tea leaves left in there for long can leave a stain and affect the taste of your next brew.
That article i read did remind me how something i was doing so casually, just as a habit, is actually a proper method that a lot of tea lovers swear by. So if you already own a french press sitting somewhere in your kitchen, mostly used for coffee, give this a try. You might just end up using it more for tea than coffee, like i do now.