A French Press Tip

As often mentioned on this blog, at work I normally use a French press to steep my tea one 12 ounce mug at a time. It is fast and easy. It takes up very little space. Most important to me, clean up is a breeze. I remove the lid, spread the leaf out on the bottom, and let the press set until the insides dry out a bit. Then it is usually just a matter of turning the press upside down and tapping a couple times and the tea leaf falls right out. A simple wipe and I am ready to go again.

In listening to others talk about using a press, I have noticed many of them have a problem with getting the press to drain. When they pour the tea into their cup some of the liquid is left behind. This is not a normal intended function of a French press. It should drain completely. The problem is caused by the water forming a tight seal against the superfine mesh on the screen. It will not allow the air to flow through and break the suction of the water.

So what can you do? Once you pour what comes out freely, keep the press in the pour position and holding down the lid, pull out just slightly on the plunger. This may seem a bit tricky at first. Once the plunger is pulled out slightly it will suck in air and break the seal. This will release the rest of the tea into your cup.