If you love rich, full-bodied coffee with a smooth texture, making coffee in a French press might just become your new favorite ritual. The French press is a simple, manual brewing method that unlocks deep flavors and oils from your coffee grounds, delivering a cup that’s both robust and satisfying. Ready to learn how to make coffee in a French press? Let’s dive in!
What You’ll Need
– French press
– Fresh coffee beans
– Burr grinder (for best results)
– Kettle (preferably with temperature control)
– Timer or stopwatch
– Stirring spoon (wood or plastic to avoid breaking glass)
– Scale (optional, but helpful for precision)
– Hot water (about 200°F or just off the boil)
Step 1: Warm Up Your French Press
Before you start, preheat your French press by rinsing it with hot water. This helps keep your coffee hot longer during brewing and ensures better extraction of flavors.
Step 2: Measure and Grind Your Coffee
The ideal coffee-to-water ratio for a French press is about 1:16. For example, use roughly 56 grams (about 8 tablespoons) of coffee for 900 ml (around 30 ounces) of water. Adjust this depending on how strong you like your coffee.
Grind your coffee beans to a coarse consistency, similar to breadcrumbs. A burr grinder is preferred because it produces uniform grounds, preventing over-extraction and sediment in your cup.
Step 3: Add Coffee Grounds to the French Press
Discard the hot water used for warming. Add your freshly ground coffee to the empty French press carafe.
Step 4: Pour Hot Water Over the Grounds
Start your timer as you pour hot water (about 200°F) over the grounds. Pour enough water to saturate all the coffee evenly—usually halfway to the top of the press. Make sure no grounds are left dry. This initial wetting phase is crucial for proper extraction.
Step 5: Stir the Coffee
After about one minute, you’ll notice a crust forming on top of the grounds. Use a wooden or plastic spoon to gently break this crust and stir the coffee. This helps release trapped gases and ensures even brewing.
Step 6: Add Remaining Water and Steep
Fill the French press with the rest of the hot water up to the top. Place the lid on the press with the plunger pulled all the way up. Let the coffee steep for about 3 to 4 minutes. This brewing time balances flavor extraction without bitterness.
Step 7: Press the Plunger Down Slowly
After your steeping time is up, slowly press the plunger down to separate the grounds from the brewed coffee. Pressing too quickly can cause grounds to escape into your coffee or create unwanted bitterness.
Step 8: Serve Immediately
Pour your coffee into a cup or carafe right away. Leaving coffee sitting on the grounds will continue extraction, making the coffee bitter and unpleasant.
Cleaning Your French Press
To keep your coffee tasting fresh, clean your French press thoroughly after each use. Disassemble the plunger and rinse all parts to remove coffee oils and grounds that can cause off-flavors.
Tips for the Best French Press Coffee
– Use filtered water for better taste.
– Experiment with grind size and steeping time to find your perfect balance.
– Avoid fine grounds to prevent sediment and clogging.
– Use a wooden or plastic spoon to stir to protect your glass French press.
– Serve coffee immediately to avoid over-extraction and bitterness.
Why Choose a French Press?
The French press method extracts more oils and sediment from coffee grounds than drip machines, giving you a richer, fuller flavor and a creamy mouthfeel. It’s also easy to use, inexpensive, and versatile—you can even brew loose-leaf tea or cold brew with it.
However, it requires attention to detail like grind size, water temperature, and brewing time. Plus, because it doesn’t use paper filters, more coffee oils pass through, which some studies suggest could impact cholesterol if consumed excessively.
Enjoy your perfectly brewed French press coffee! It’s a simple pleasure that turns your morning routine into a delightful ritual.