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A French press shown steeping coffee.
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5 from 1 vote

French Press Coffee

Learn to brew rich, smooth coffee in a French press, according to what makes a perfect cup for you!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time0 minutes
Steep Time4 minutes
Total Time9 minutes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: French
Servings: 2 cups

Ingredients

  • 50 g coffee beans
  • 750 ml hot water not boiling

Instructions

  • Grind your beans using a Burr grinder set on the coarsest setting. This will allow the beans to steep at a slower rate, and also prevent too much silt in your coffee.
  • Weigh out your desired amount of coffee. A good baseline is to start with 50 grams of coffee and 750 grams of water (which is about a full pot in a standard sized French press).
  • Add hot, but not boiling, water to your French press on top of the grounds. Some coffee lovers recommend you start with about 1/4 of the amount of water, and give your coffee 1 minute to “bloom,” before adding in the rest of the water. Whatever you choose, be sure all the coffee grounds are submerged. Give your coffee about 4 minutes to steep.
  • Use the French press filter to slowly press the grounds down to the bottom, leaving the smooth and rich coffee above the filter. Pour into a mug to enjoy, black or with cream and sugar!

Video

Notes

Note: It’s recommended to pour all coffee out as soon as it’s ready, rather than leaving coffee in the French press, which will make it continue to steep and result in bitter coffee. If you don’t drink a full pot at once, consider brewing half a pot, and then brewing the rest when you’re ready for another cup. You can also pour two mugs and reheat the second when ready.
French Press Coffee Ratio
The rule of thumb for French press coffee to water ratios is 1:15.
  • 1 gram of water, use 15 grams of coffee
For a Full Pot, that is:
  • 50 grams of coffee per 750 grams of water
  • 2 ounces of coffee per 20 ounces of water
Other Notes:
  • Experiment with ratios. I give you baseline ratios down below, but *the* perfect cup of coffee is different for everyone! Try yours with an extra tablespoon, or with 1 tablespoon less, and then just take not of your perfect ratio.
  • French presses aren’t meant to last forever. When your coffee isn’t as filtered as you’d like, it’s time to replace it. If you’re making coffee daily, this is probably once a year. A good French press will come with replacement filters and will last longer.
  • The grind is really important! French press coffee needs a coarse grind. I am asked often what the “measurement” is for pre-ground coffee. Use it if you want, but that’s not how you’re going to get the best cup of coffee.