If you want a rich, full-bodied cup of coffee without an expensive machine, the French press is hard to beat. It's simple, it's forgiving, and once you know a few basics, it makes a great cup every time.
Here's everything you need to know.
What you'll need
- A French press
- Coarsely ground coffee
- Hot water (just off the boil)
- A spoon for stirring
- A timer (your phone works fine)
- Optional but helpful: a kitchen scale
The right ratio
A good starting point for French press is about 1 gram of coffee for every 15 grams of water. A little more coffee than you'd use in a drip machine gives French press its signature body.
- One large mug (about 12 oz of water): about 23 grams of coffee, or roughly 4 level tablespoons of whole beans
- A full 34 oz press: about 65 grams of coffee
Once you've made it a few times, adjust to taste: more coffee for a bolder cup, less for a lighter one.
Step-by-step
1. Heat your water
Bring water to a boil, then let it rest for about 30 seconds. You're aiming for 195 to 205°F. Water straight off a rolling boil can scald the coffee and make it taste harsh.
2. Grind your coffee coarse
French press needs a coarse grind, about like rough sea salt. A fine grind slips through the metal filter, leaving sludge in your cup, and it over-extracts, which makes coffee bitter.
3. Add coffee and water
Put the grounds in the press, start your timer, and pour in about half the water. Make sure all the grounds get wet. You'll see the coffee bubble and rise. That's carbon dioxide escaping from freshly roasted coffee, and it's a good sign.
4. Stir and top up
After about 30 seconds, give it a gentle stir and pour in the rest of the water. Place the lid on top with the plunger pulled all the way up.
5. Steep for 4 minutes
Let it brew for 4 minutes total. This is the step most people get wrong. Leaving it longer pulls out bitter flavors.
6. Press slowly
Push the plunger down slowly and steadily. If it's very hard to press, your grind is probably too fine. If it drops with almost no resistance, it may be too coarse.
7. Pour it all out right away
Pour all the coffee into your mug or a carafe as soon as you've pressed. Coffee left sitting on the grounds keeps brewing and turns bitter, even with the plunger down.
Troubleshooting your French press
- Too bitter: use a coarser grind, shorten the steep time, or let your water cool a little longer. (More fixes in Why Does My Coffee Taste Bitter?)
- Weak or sour: use a little more coffee, a slightly finer grind, or steep a bit longer.
- Muddy or gritty: your grind is too fine, or you're pouring the very last bit from the bottom. Leave the last half-inch in the press.
Keep your press clean
Coffee oils build up in the mesh filter and turn rancid over time. Rinse your press after every use, and every so often take the plunger apart and wash each piece with warm, soapy water.
The best coffee for French press
French press brings out body and richness, so it pairs beautifully with coffees that have chocolatey, nutty notes. Our Single Origin Brazil, a smooth medium/dark roast, is a perfect match. If you want more layers in the cup, try Mexico Chiapas.
Don't have a grinder? Every one of our coffees is available in a coarse grind made for French press. Just choose it when you order. All our coffee is air roasted in Jacksonville, Florida, for a clean, smooth cup without the bitterness.