How to brew coffee in a French press

Many people receive a new French press as a gift or want input or tips on how to brew even better coffee at home. In this series, we cover the best brewing methods with specific recipes you can try. And as usual, we want to emphasize that this is not the definitive answer. The best taste is what you think tastes best! (But with a little practice and an open mind, this can change, coffee is a world of flavors).

French Press

For many, the French press is their first encounter with slightly better coffee. It's a simple and quick way to prepare strong coffee, even in larger quantities, which can be suitable for bigger gatherings. The French press is still the most popular way to brew good coffee.
The brew itself is unfiltered, with the advantages and disadvantages that entails. For example, it can contribute to higher cholesterol. The plunger and the coarse metal filter on most French presses are mainly to keep the freshly brewed coffee settled at the bottom of the pot and not to add more flavor to the coffee or be stirred up into the cup when you pour.

We recommend slightly coarser ground coffee than for filter brewing. And always use fresh cold tap water that you boil.

• Weigh out 60 grams of coffee, grind for French press, and pour it into the pot.
• Then, boil one liter of water and carefully pour it into the French press along with the coffee.
• Let the coffee steep for 4 minutes. Now comes the trick that will elevate your French press brew: Take one or two tablespoons and scrape off the foam on top of the French press. Don't be afraid to get some coffee grounds, it's actually good. The brewing is over now anyway, so it doesn't matter.
• Once you've removed the foam, you can insert the plunger and press it to the bottom.
• Now the coffee is ready!

In this example, we brew about one liter of coffee; there is no problem halving the amount of water and coffee, or even brewing 2dl in a small French press with 12-14g of coffee.

To get a good brew, we need to control time and quantity, which is why you have a scale and timer. To get good extraction, you need a good grinder that provides a consistent grind size. If you lack a scale, you can find one here

In previous articles, we have explained how to think about strength and extraction. How much you dose will determine the strength of the brew, while extraction tells us what proportion of the actual coffee is in the brew. Extraction is directly linked to grind size and brewing time. Here we use 6g of coffee per dl of water; find the grind size adapted to your brew and taste your way. If the coffee tastes sour, you can try to adjust the grinder a little finer; if the coffee tastes bitter, you should adjust it a little coarser.

And remember that no matter which brewing method you use, coffee tastes best when you use fresh ingredients and clean equipment.