French Press / Cafetière
The French Press (or cafetière) is a classic for a reason: it makes a rich, full-bodied cup with minimal fuss.
What You Need:
Coarsely Ground Coffee: Like coarse sea salt. 60g (about 3/4 cup)
Hot (but not boiling) Water: 900ml (about 3 3/4 cups). 93-96°C (200-205°F).
French Press: Obviously!
Timer: Precision helps.
Spoon: For stirring.
The Steps:
Preheat: Warm your French press with hot water, then discard.
Add Coffee: Place the ground coffee in the bottom.
Bloom: Pour in just enough hot water to saturate, stir, and let it sit for 30 seconds.
Brew: Pour in the remaining water, stir gently.
Steep: Place the lid on (plunger up!) and steep for 4 minutes.
Plunge: Slowly press the plunger down.
Serve Immediately: Don't let the coffee sit with the grounds.
Top Tip: Use filtered water!
Taste Tweaks:
Strength:
Stronger: Increase the coffee-to-water ratio (e.g. 70g coffee). You can also slightly extend the brewing time, but be careful not to go too far past 4 minutes, or it can get bitter.
Weaker: Decrease the coffee-to-water ratio (e.g., 50g coffee) or shorten the brewing time slightly (e.g. 3.5 minutes).
Body: The French press naturally produces a full-bodied cup due to the oils and fine particles that pass through the filter.
Even Fuller Body: Use a slightly finer grind (but still coarser than pour-over). Be aware this might result in more sediment.
Slightly Cleaner Body: Use a coarser grind and be very gentle when plunging to minimize sediment.
Bitterness If your coffee is too bitter, use cooler water, less coffee or less steep time.
See our home brewing fundamentals guide on how to get the best out of your beans!