How to Make Coffee in a French Press?

Almost all of us have a French press at home. I think that this utensil is highly underestimated. After all, it can be used for brewing loose-leaf tea, coffee and even frothing milk. I believe this device offers one of the easiest ways to make delicious coffee at home, yielding the palm only to brewing coffee directly in the cup.

So, here is my favorite recipe for brewing coffee in a 330 ml French press. For the French press, as well as for other alternative brewing methods, we take light- or medium-roasted coffee beans. Remember about freshness: the longer the roasted beans are stored, the less potential they have. Again, my regular recommendation: don’t buy a lot of coffee beans for future use. Instead, purchase 250-gram packs to be able to drink fresh coffee each time and experiment with different roasters and different countries of coffee origin.

First, let’s weigh the number of beans we need. The standard ratio of coffee to water is 1:15. For a 500 ml French press, you need 33 grams. Since my French press is smaller, I put in nearly 19.8 grams of coffee. As with all recipes, you can experiment in different ways, varying the amount of coffee up to your taste. I have a manual coffee grinder at home, and I’m milling the beans while the water is heating. If you have no grinder, you can ask to mill the beans at any nearest coffee shop, specifying your brewing method. The grind size should be a little larger than that of granulated sugar. I don’t recommend using too finely-ground coffee typically used in coffee machines because the drink will be over-brewed and taste bitter.

Then, I use a weighing scale with a timer. If you have none, that’s okay, you can use a timer on your phone. I put the coffee inside the pot and cover it with water almost up to the top, leaving some room to put the plunger.

Regarding water, I recommend taking bottled non-carbonated water because tap water is often not suitable for brewing coffee and may greatly affect its taste. The water should be 92-95°C (200°F). So, just wait nearly 2-3 minutes after the kettle has boiled. You can stir the coffee so that all the particles can interact with the water. Wait nearly 4 minutes without placing a lid on the pot. After some time, when the coffee particles rise to the top, stir the beverage again and insert a plunger into the pot.

When the allotted brewing time is over, slowly move the plunger down. With abrupt movements, you can splash the coffee out and burn your hand, so be careful. When the plunger reaches the pot bottom, pour the coffee into the cup. If there is some liquid left in the French press, the extraction will continue and spoil the beverage taste.

As the drink cools, its taste changes. Some coffee varieties show up uncommon tastes in dynamics, so take your time and drink it slowly.

I truly love this brewing method. Often, I find 10-15 minutes on Sundays to make the aromatic coffee for breakfast. I hope my article will help you make this delicious drink at home as well.