How to Use a French Press to Brew Coffee at Home

A traditional and adaptable coffee brewing technique, the French press produces a robust, full-bodied flavoured coffee with minimal effort. This brewing technique is popular the world over because of its simplicity, and the rich and textured coffee it produces.

In this brew guide, I’ll show you step-by-step how to use a French press. I’ll also go over everything you need to know to get the most out of your French press, from selecting the best beans to honing your brewing method and grind size.

Things you’ll need:

1. French press coffee maker
2. Your favourite coffee beans
3. Water
4. Kettle
5. Stirring spoon
6. Coffee mug or cup
7. Scale or coffee measurement spoon
8. Measuring cup

Choosing the Right Coffee for French Press

Choosing the right coffee beans is one of the most important elements of creating delicious French press coffee.

• Select filter-roasted coffee: Choose a medium or light roast of coffee beans rather than espresso-roasted ones, which are darker and oilier. These will provide a more balanced flavour profile.
• Freshness is key: To preserve the most flavour and aroma, use freshly roasted coffee beans and ground them right before brewing.
• Single-origin vs. blend: A single-origin coffee is a fantastic option if you like to taste distinctive flavour notes. Choose a well-balanced blend if you want a flavour that is steady and silky.

The Ideal French Press Ratio

A ratio of 1:16 coffee to water is a great place to start when making French press coffee. This suggests that 16 grams (or millilitres) of water are required for every gram of coffee, give or take. For the chart below I’ve rounded the coffee grams up for convenience and easy measuring.

Here’s a quick summary:

For this guide, I’ll be brewing 30 grams of coffee and 500 millilitres of water to make two cups of coffee.

How to Use a French Press: Step by Step

Step 1: Grind Your Coffee to a Medium-Coarse Texture

The flavour of your French press coffee is influenced by the size of the grind. The best grind is medium-coarse, like sea salt, for the following reasons:

• Too Fine: The coffee may become overly bitter and muddy.
• Too Coarse: This produces a weak and unimpressive brew because the water won’t extract enough flavour.

Adjust your grind based on taste:

• If the coffee tastes too bitter, try a coarser grind.
• If the coffee is too weak or sour, grind slightly finer.

I tend to buy whole bean coffee and grind to medium-coarse at my local Costco, so this is what I will be using in this guide.

Step 2: Heat Your Water to the Right Temperature

Heat your water to about 195°F and 205°F (90°C and 96°C) for optimal extraction.

When ready, wait 30 seconds before pouring the water into your French press. This preheats your French press for ideal brewing.

Step 3: Weigh Your Coffee

The standard measurement is 15g of coffee grounds to 250mL of water. Modify this ratio depending upon how much coffee you are brewing.

As you can see in the image, I will use four full measuring spoons to achieve approximately 28-30g of ground coffee to make two cups of brewed coffee. I have pre-measured this into the bowl.

Step 4: Empty the French Press

Pour the boiling water out of the French press into another container.

Step 5: Add Coffee to the French Press

Fill the bottom of the French press with 30 grams of ground coffee, or adjust depending on how many cups you’re making.

Step 6: Bloom the Coffee (First Pour)

Make sure the grounds are completely wet by pouring a small amount of water (about 100 ml) over them.

To ensure even extraction, let this sit for 30 seconds to let the carbon dioxide out.

Step 7: Pour the Remaining Water and Stir

Fill the French press with the remaining 400 millilitres of water slowly. Make sure the coffee grounds are all equally saturated, gently stirring the mixture.

Step 8: Steep for 4 Minutes

It’s all about timing! The ideal steeping time for a well-balanced and tasty brew is four minutes.

Your coffee may turn very bitter if you steep it for too long, and it could be weak and under-extracted if you don’t steep it long enough.

Step 9: (Optional) Remove the Coffee Crust

After four minutes, you have two choices:

• For a cleaner cup: Use a spoon to scrape off the floating coffee grounds. This results in a smoother brew and less sediment.
• For a faster process: Skip this step and go straight to plunging.

Step 10: Plunge Slowly

Don’t rush; press the plunger down steadily and carefully.

To stop tiny particles from getting through the mesh filter, stop right before you reach the bottom.

Step 11: Pour Immediately

Decant the coffee right away into cups or another container to avoid over-extraction and harshness.

Coffee will continue to brew if left in the French press, which will result in an unpleasant flavour. Pour your fresh French press coffee into your favourite mug and enjoy!

How Does a French Press Work

A French press consists of cylindrical carafe made of stainless steel or glass, a plunger with a fine mesh filter, and a lid.

When boiling water is added, coffee oils and other fine particles flow through the mesh filter, producing a brew that is rich and full-bodied.

Pour the coffee right after plunging to avoid over-extraction. Try a coarser grind if your brew is too bitter; or if it’s too weak, try lengthening the steeping period or change the proportions of coffee to water.

How to Make the Most of Your French Press

Use the right grind size: Like sea salt, a coarse, even grind keeps the sediment out of your cup and prevents over-extraction. If your grind is too fine the plunger will be difficult to press; if it is too coarse plunging will feel too easy.

Control water temperature: Coffee grinds can be scorched by boiling water (212°F), resulting in a bitter flavour. Aim for 195 to 205°F water temperature. Before pouring, let the freshly heated water settle for 30 seconds.

Bloom for better flavour: Add water to the ground coffee just enough to cover them (about twice their weight) and leave this for 30 seconds. This helps improve extraction and offers a well-balanced flavour by releasing trapped carbon dioxide.

Perfect your plunge: Press the plunger down gradually and evenly to avoid over-extraction and bitterness. A sudden, strong plunge may mix up particles, muddying your brew.

Don’t let sit: Pour the coffee straight from the press into your cup. It will continue to be extracted if you leave it in the French press with the grounds, making it very acidic and harsh.

How to Serve and Enjoy French Press Coffee

After you’ve mastered the fundamentals of French press brewing, now it’s time to try new flavours and textures by experimenting with different serving techniques, milk additions, and brewing adjustments. I’ve included a couple of expert-recommended recipes below.

French Press Cappuccino

See at: https://champagne-tastes.com/vanilla-french-press-cappuccino

Equipment

• French press
• Milk frother

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons coarsely ground coffee beans
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
• ½ cup milk for frothing dairy or non-dairy

Instructions

1. Bring water to a boil and then let it sit for 1 minute off-heat.
2. Add coffee grounds to the French press, add vanilla extract (if using), and then hot water. Add the French press lid, but don’t lower the plunger. Let sit for 4 minutes. Lower the plunger.
3. While coffee is steeping, froth the milk. If your milk frother cannot heat the milk, bring the milk to a simmer before frothing.
4. Divide coffee between 2 mugs. Top coffee with frothed milk and serve immediately!

French Press Breakfast Chocolate

See at: https://theviewfromgreatisland.com/french-press-breakfast-chocolate

Equipment

• French press

Ingredients

• 10 oz good quality dark or bittersweet chocolate, cut in rough chunks
• 1 cup milk
• Leftover vanilla bean pods (optional)
• 1/4 tsp espresso powder (optional)

Instructions

1. Put the chocolate in the bowl of a food processor. Make sure the bowl is completely dry. Process until the chocolate is finely ground. You want a coarse granular texture. Stop if the chocolate starts to clump together and release its oil.
2. Let the chocolate dry at room temperature for several hours. Then process again briefly. The chocolate will have lightened in color.
3. Store the chocolate in a mason type jar with a tight-fitting lid. If you are using the vanilla bean pods, layer them in as you fill the jar.
4. Put 4 tbsp of the chocolate powder in the bottom of the French press. Add in the espresso powder, if using.
5. Put the milk in a quart sized Pyrex measuring cup. Microwave for 2-3 minutes, until it just comes to a boil. You can do this on the stove too.
6. Pour the scalding hot milk over the chocolate and put the plunger top on the pot, but don’t plunge it yet.
7. Let the milk sit for 2 minutes.
8. Then plunge vigorously for 1 minute to froth the hot chocolate. It will increase in volume. Do this on a steady surface.
9. Pour into 1 large or 2 small cups and enjoy!

Cleaning and Maintaining Your French Press

To keep your French press in top condition, follow these steps:

1. Hand wash after every use: To get rid of coffee oils, properly rinse the plunger and carafe.
2. Clean the mesh filter: To get rid of stuck grinds and avoid clogging, use hot water.
3. Dry completely: To prevent mold or accumulation, make sure every component is completely dry before reassembling.

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