How to Make a French Press Coffee
Full immersion, full body. A metal mesh keeps the oils in for a rich, rounded, forgiving cup with no paper filter.
- Serves
- 2 (16 oz)
- Time
- 5 min
- Skill
- Easy
- Gear
- French press
Ingredients
- 30 g coffee, coarse
- 450 g water at 94–96°C / 200–205°F
- French press
Method
- 1
Add 30 g of coarsely-ground coffee to the press.
- 2
Pour in all 450 g of water, start a timer, and give it a gentle stir.
- 3
At 4 minutes, break the crust with a spoon and skim off the foam and floating grounds.
- 4
Press the plunger down slowly and pour immediately so it doesn't keep extracting.
Best results: Breaking the crust and skimming at 4 minutes gives a much cleaner cup with far less sediment.
Why it works
The French press is a full-immersion brewer: the grounds steep in all the water for the entire brew, and the metal mesh lets the coffee's oils and tiny colloids through, which is what gives the cup its heavy, rounded body. Coarse grounds are essential — anything finer slips through the mesh and leaves grit in the bottom of your cup.
Frequently asked
Why is my French press coffee gritty?
The grind is too fine, so particles pass through the mesh. Use a coarse, even grind (like sea salt), and skim the crust before plunging to catch loose fines.
How long should French press steep?
Four minutes is the sweet spot for a coarse grind. Longer over-extracts into bitterness — and pour it out of the press right after plunging so it stops brewing.
Keep brewing
Make it with Moksha
Organic, small-batch coffee — roasted fresh and shipped to your door.