PSA: I finally stopped boiling my water for French press and the coffee got sweeter, not weaker

Kelly Williams · 2026-10-16T09:45:03.983769+00:00

I always thought you needed water right off the boil at 212 degrees to pull anything out of the grounds. For about 2 years I poured straight from the kettle and every cup had this dry, bitter bite at the back of my tongue that I just thought was normal dark roast. Then a barista at a place in Denver told me to try 200 degrees and wait 30 seconds after the kettle clicks off. I tried it 3 mornings in a row with the same beans, and the bitterness dropped off while the chocolate flavor came through way more. The grounds also stopped tasting burnt when I dumped them out. If you use a French press, what temp are you actually pouring at?

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PSA: I finally stopped boiling my water for French press and the coffee got sweeter, not weaker | Coffee Enthusiasts - Rigidtalk