French Press Coffee Guide

Perfect French Press Coffee

French press is simple but technique matters. Here's how to make consistently great coffee.

What You Need

• French press
• Coarse ground coffee
• Hot water (195-200°F)
• Timer

Recipe (3 Cups)

Ratio: 55g coffee to 800g water (1:14.5)

Grind: Coarse (like breadcrumbs)

Water Temp: 195-200°F (boil, wait 1 min)

Time: 4 minutes

Steps

1. Preheat: Rinse French press with hot water to warm it up.

2. Add Coffee: Add 55g coarse ground coffee to empty press.

3. Add Water: Start timer. Pour 800g water at 195-200°F. Stir gently 2-3 times to ensure all grounds are saturated.

4. Steep: Place lid on (plunger up) and wait 4 minutes.

5. Press: Press plunger down slowly and steadily (takes ~20 seconds). Don't force it.

6. Pour Immediately: Pour all coffee into cups or carafe. Leaving it in press continues extraction and makes it bitter.

Common Mistakes

• Using fine grounds (makes muddy, bitter coffee)
• Boiling water (scalds coffee, makes it bitter)
• Steeping longer than 4 min (overextracts)
• Not pressing straight down (tilted press extracts unevenly)

Keep Going

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