French press brew guide

The French press produces a dense and heavy coffee. As with any method, the outcome will depend on the parameters you use in your brewing recipe and we always recommend using filtered water. To get the best results out of your coffee, decant it immediately after brewing so it doesn’t become bitter. It is a very easy brew and it only takes about four minutes to prepare.

For this recipe we will prepare enough for 2 people, so we will be using around 500g of water. The same principles apply if you are brewing for 1 person or 4. Simply adjust the quantities accordingly and aim for a 1:12 coffee to water ratio.

Step 1

Grind 40g of coffee. The french press requires your coffee to be ground coarser than most methods. Aim for a cous-cous like consistency.

Step 2

Bring 500g of water to a boil and place your french press on top of a digital scale.

Step 3

Start your timer and gently pour double the amount of water than you have coffee onto your grounds. For example, if you have 40 grams of coffee, you’ll want to start with 80 grams of water.

Step 4

Give the mix a gentle stir with a paddle or a butter knife and allow the coffee to bloom for 30 seconds.

Step 5

Pour the remaining 420g of water into the french press. Don’t plunge just yet. Let the coffee steep until your timer reaches four minutes.

Step 6

After four minutes, give the coffee one final gentle stir with a paddle or butter knife, this is known as breaking the crust and will cause the grounds to submerge to the bottom. Gently remove your French press from the scale and place it on your counter. Add the plunge to the top and press the filter down. We recommend not pressing it fully down as it may cause some of the grinds to escape into your drink.

When you’ve finished pressing, serve the coffee immediately. Don’t let it sit in the french press for too long as this will cause it to continue brewing and over-extract.