If you’re a fan of strong, bold coffee, you’ve likely seen the iconic yellow and red brick of Café Bustelo on grocery store shelves. This beloved Latin-style espresso grind coffee has a dedicated following for its rich flavor and robust character. But if your preferred brewing method is the French press, you might be looking at that fine powder and wondering, can you use Café Bustelo for French press? The short answer is a resounding yes, and it can lead to a fantastically strong and full-bodied cup.
While Café Bustelo is traditionally marketed for espresso machines or moka pots, its finely ground nature doesn’t have to limit its potential. The question of Can You Use Café Bustelo For French Press? Get A Stronger Brew is one many coffee lovers are asking, and the results can be surprisingly excellent if you adjust your technique slightly. Using it in a French press allows you to extract a deep, intense flavor profile that stands up to milk and sugar beautifully, making it an ideal choice for those who prefer a coffee that truly wakes up the senses.
Why Café Bustelo and French Press Are a Powerful Pair
At first glance, the fine grind of Café Bustelo seems to go against the conventional wisdom for French press brewing, which typically calls for a coarse grind. The coarse grind helps prevent the coffee grounds from slipping through the mesh filter and into your cup. So, why does this combination work so well for a stronger brew?
The secret lies in extraction. A finer grind has more surface area, which allows hot water to pull out more of the coffee’s oils, flavors, and caffeine much more quickly. In a French press, the immersion brewing style—where coffee grounds steep in water—combined with this fine grind, results in a very efficient and complete extraction. This process yields a cup that is intensely flavorful, full-bodied, and, most notably, very strong. It’s a method that highlights the chocolatey, slightly smoky notes of the Bustelo blend without any of the bitterness that can sometimes come from other brewing methods.
Can You Use Café Bustelo For French Press? Get A Stronger Brew
Absolutely, you can. The key to success isn’t in the “if” but in the “how.” To get that stronger brew without a muddy cup, you’ll need to tweak your standard French press routine. The main challenge with using a fine grind is that more sediment will make its way through the mesh filter. However, with a few simple techniques, you can manage this and create a remarkably smooth and potent coffee.
Think of it less as a rule-breaking experiment and more as an adaptation. You’re leveraging the qualities of the fine grind to your advantage, maximizing extraction to achieve the powerful coffee experience you’re after. It’s a method that respects the character of Café Bustelo while utilizing the full-immersion magic of the French press.
Your Step-by-Step Guide to the Perfect Bustelo Press
Ready to brew? Follow these steps to make a fantastic cup of French press coffee with Café Bustelo.
What You’ll Need:
- French Press
- Café Bustelo (finely ground)
- Hot water (just off the boil, around 200°F)
- Kettle
- Timer
- Spoon
The Brewing Process:
- Preheat and Measure: Start by preheating your French press with hot water. This ensures a stable brewing temperature. Discard the water. For a strong brew, use a heaping coffee scoop (about 7-8 grams) of Café Bustelo for every 4 ounces of water. This is a slightly higher coffee-to-water ratio than usual, which contributes to the strength.
- Bloom the Coffee: Add your measured Café Bustelo to the press. Pour a small amount of hot water—just enough to saturate all the grounds—over the coffee. Give it a gentle stir to ensure there are no dry clumps. Let it bloom for about 30 seconds. You’ll see the coffee puff up and release gas, which prepares it for a better extraction.
- Pour and Steep: Slowly pour the rest of your hot water into the press. Place the lid on top with the plunger pulled all the way up. Now, set your timer for 3 to 4 minutes. A shorter steep time is crucial here. Because the grind is so fine, it extracts quickly. Steeping for too long (like the usual 4-5 minutes for coarse grinds) can lead to over-extraction and bitterness.
- Press and Pour Gently: When the timer goes off, it’s time to press. Place your hand on the lid and press the plunger down slowly and steadily. Do not force it. Once pressed, pour all the coffee out immediately into your mug or a carafe. Leaving the coffee in the press with the grounds will continue the brewing process and make it bitter.
Tips for a Cleaner, Smoother Cup
Since you’re working with a fine grind, a bit of sediment in the bottom of your cup is normal. But if you want to minimize it, here are a couple of pro tips:
- Try a Double Filter: Some coffee enthusiasts place a standard paper coffee filter between the mesh filter and the plunger assembly. This will catch almost all the fine sediment, giving you a much cleaner cup while retaining the intense flavor.
- Don’t Stir Before Pressing: Avoid stirring the grounds right before you plunge. This can agitate the fines and make them more likely to pass through the filter.
- Choose a Quality Press: A French press with a tight-fitting, high-quality mesh filter will naturally do a better job at holding back the fine grounds.
Enjoying Your Bold Creation
The result of your efforts is a coffee that is unapologetically strong and full of character. Café Bustelo brewed in a French press stands beautifully on its own for those who take their coffee black. Its robust profile also means it can hold its own when you add cream or sugar; it won’t get lost or become watery. It’s the perfect base for a homemade iced coffee or a café con leche, providing that deep, dark foundation that makes those drinks so satisfying.
So, the next time you’re in the mood for a powerful coffee experience, don’t hesitate to reach for that brick of Café Bustelo and your French press. With a slightly adjusted technique, you can unlock a deeply satisfying and intensely flavorful brew that might just become your new morning ritual. It’s a simple way to enjoy a classic coffee in a bold new way.