How to make French press coffee – a complete brewing guide

French press coffee is a simple brewing method, but small changes in dosage, grind size, temperature, and brew time can make a big difference to the taste.

At Brændeholm Risteri, we recommend 60 grams of coffee per liter of water as a good starting point. From there, you can adjust the recipe according to the coffee you use and your own personal preference.

In this guide, we will go through the entire process from coffee beans and grind size to brew time, serving, and troubleshooting.

If you don't have a French press yet, you can see our selection of French press coffee makers.

French press coffee – quick recipe

As a starting point, we recommend:

• Coffee: 60 g per liter of water
• Grind size: medium-coarse to coarse
• Water temperature: approx. 92–96 °C
• Initial brew time: 4 minutes
• Total time: approx. 9–10 minutes with the method we describe below

How much coffee should I use?

A good starting point is:

If you prefer a stronger coffee, you can increase the amount slightly. If the coffee tastes too intense, you can use a little less coffee accordingly.

A coffee scale makes it easier to hit the same recipe from brew to brew.

How to make coffee in a French press

1. Weigh the coffee beans

Start with approximately 60 grams of coffee per liter of water.

Preferably grind the coffee beans immediately before brewing. This gives you a better opportunity to both preserve the aroma and adjust the grind size precisely.

You can see our selection of freshly roasted coffee beans.

2. Grind the coffee medium-coarse to coarse

Coffee for a French press should be ground coarser than coffee for espresso, for example.

We recommend starting with an even, medium-coarse to coarse grind rather than extremely large coffee particles.

The most important thing is that the grind is consistent.

If the coffee becomes very bitter or heavy, you can try grinding a little coarser. If it tastes thin, sour, or under-developed, a slightly finer grind size might be worth trying.

If you lack a grinder, you will find both manual and electric models among our coffee grinders.

3. Heat the water

A good starting point is a water temperature of approximately 92–96 °C.

For light-roasted coffee, you can often work at the high end of the temperature interval. For darker roasts, you can try a slightly lower temperature if the coffee becomes too bitter or strong.

If your kettle does not have temperature control, you can let the water sit for a short while after boiling before pouring it over the coffee.

4. Pour the water over the coffee

Put the freshly ground coffee into the French press.

Then pour the water evenly over the coffee so that all the coffee is saturated.

Stir gently if you can see dry areas or clumps of coffee on the surface.

5. Let the coffee steep for 4 minutes

Place the lid on the French press, but keep the plunger up.

Let the coffee steep for approximately 4 minutes.

After the 4 minutes, you can carefully break the crust of coffee on top and remove some of the foam and floating coffee residue with a spoon.

6. Let the coffee rest for another 5–6 minutes

Now let the coffee stand for an additional 5–6 minutes.

During this period, a large portion of the fine coffee particles will sink to the bottom. This can result in a cleaner cup with less silt.

7. Lower the plunger slowly

Lower the plunger calmly.

You do not need to press hard against the coffee grounds at the bottom. The purpose is primarily to hold back the larger coffee particles when the coffee is poured.

8. Serve the coffee

Pour the coffee once brewing is finished.

If there is coffee left that you want to save for a little while, you can pour it into a thermal carafe so that it doesn't stay in contact with the coffee grounds.

What grind size should French press coffee have?

The grind size is one of the most important things to adjust when brewing French press coffee.

The coffee should generally be coarser than for regular drip coffee and significantly coarser than espresso, but very coarse coffee is not automatically better.

We recommend starting medium-coarse to coarse and then letting the taste decide whether you should change the setting.

Signs that the coffee is ground too finely

If the coffee is ground very finely, you may experience, among other things:

• a lot of silt in the cup
• a heavy or bitter taste
• significant resistance when the plunger is lowered

If so, try grinding a little coarser.

Signs that the coffee is ground too coarsely

If the grind is too coarse in relation to the rest of the recipe, the coffee may taste:

• thin
• watery
• sour or acidic
• without much sweetness or body

Try grinding slightly finer before changing several things at once.

How long should French press coffee steep?

A classic recipe often uses about 4 minutes of brewing time.

In this guide, we recommend a method where the coffee first steeps for about 4 minutes and then has an additional 5–6 minutes of resting time.

This does not mean that there is only one correct brewing time.

Coffee beans, grind size, roast level, temperature, and your own taste play together. Therefore, use the recipe as a stable starting point and adjust one factor at a time.

Which coffee is best for a French press?

There is no one specific coffee bean or roast level that is always best for French press coffee.

The brewing method works well with many different coffees, and the choice depends largely on the taste experience you want.

Light-roasted coffee

Light-roasted coffee can provide a more vibrant and nuanced French press coffee, where the fruitiness, acidity, and origin character of the coffee often stand out more clearly.

Medium-roasted coffee

Medium-roasted coffee is a good starting point if you want a balance between sweetness, aroma, and body.

It is often a versatile choice for a French press.

Dark-roasted coffee

Dark-roasted coffee typically provides a stronger and more roasted flavor profile.

If you use dark-roasted coffee and find the result bitter, you can, among other things, try a slightly coarser grind or a lower water temperature.

You can explore all our coffee beans and choose according to the flavor profile you prefer.

Why does my French press coffee taste bitter?

Bitter French press coffee can be caused by several things.

Try one change at a time:

• grind the coffee a little coarser
• use a slightly lower water temperature
• check the dosage
• ensure that the pot and filter are clean
• pour the coffee out of the French press after brewing rather than letting it stand with the grounds

If you change everything at once, it becomes difficult to find out which adjustment actually improved the coffee.

Why does my French press coffee taste sour or thin?

If the coffee tastes very sour, thin, or lacks sweetness and body, the brewing may be insufficiently extracted.

Try, for example:

• grinding a little finer
• using hotter water
• verifying that you are using enough coffee
• ensuring that all the coffee is saturated
• letting the brewing have a little more time

Start again with one change at a time.

Why is there silt in the French press coffee?

A small amount of fine coffee particles is normal in French press coffee because the French press uses a metal filter rather than a paper filter.

If you get a lot of silt in the cup, it may be due to:

• too finely ground coffee
• a grinder that produces many very fine particles
• the plunger being pressed down hard
• the coffee being poured very vigorously

A consistent grind and calm serving can help.

Should you stir French press coffee?

You don't need to stir vigorously.

The most important thing is that all the ground coffee gets properly wet. If there is dry coffee on the surface, you can therefore stir very gently.

After the first 4 minutes or so, you can carefully break the crust on top.

Should the plunger go all the way to the bottom?

The plunger should be lowered calmly, but it is not necessary to press hard into the coffee grounds.

If you press very hard, you risk swirling up more fine particles.

Should French press coffee be drunk immediately?

Yes, preferably.

Once brewing is finished, we recommend pouring the coffee out or into a separate serving carafe or thermal carafe.

This way, you avoid the finished coffee standing in close contact with the coffee grounds for longer than necessary.

How to clean your French press

Old coffee oils and coffee residue can affect the taste of the next brew.

After use, you should therefore:

1. Remove the coffee grounds.
2. Rinse the pot.
3. Dismantle the filter part as needed.
4. Wash the filter and other parts thoroughly.
5. Let the parts dry completely.

Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for the specific French press, especially regarding the dishwasher and materials.

French press or drip coffee?

The French press typically uses a metal filter, while many traditional drip methods use a paper filter.

The paper filter retains more of the coffee's oils and very fine particles, while the metal filter in a French press lets more pass into the cup.

Therefore, French press coffee will often feel fuller in mouthfeel.

Neither method is necessarily better than the other – they just yield different results.

The most important thing to remember

If you want to improve your French press coffee, start with a stable starting point:

60 grams of coffee per liter of water, medium-coarse to coarse grind, and water around 92–96 °C.

Brew using the same method a few times, and then adjust only one parameter at a time.

In this way, it becomes much easier to find exactly the recipe that suits your coffee beans and your taste.

Are you looking for a new brewer? You can see our entire selection of French presses. At Brændeholm Risteri, you will also find freshly roasted coffee, coffee grinders, and coffee scales so that you can assemble the equipment you need for your brewing.