How to Brew the Perfect French Press Coffee
There’s coffee… and then there’s French Press coffee, this is one of the easiest ways to get a full, rich cup at home.
If you have ever had a cup that tasted heavy, smooth, and seriously flavorful, chances are it came from a French press. The metal filter lets more oils and fine particles through, which gives you that deeper body and bold taste where nothing gets filtered out.
Here’s how to do it right.
What You’ll Need
Coffee - 30g
Chutzpah's Choice - Morning Maccabee
Grind Size - Medium-Coarse, our pre ground does the trick here!
Water - 420mL at 205°F Use filtered water for best results!
Ratio -1:14
Brew Time: ~5 minutes
Step by Step Brew Guide
- Prep the French Press. Pour some hot water into the press to warm it up, then dump it out.
- Load in the coffee. Dump in all of the grounds, add ~80 ml of the water and stir so all grounds are saturated.
- Pour in the rest! Pour the remaining water in and stir gently.
- Wait. Put the plunger on to keep the heat in, but do not press! Wait 5 minutes and then press the plunger down.
- Enjoy! Pour into your favorite mug and enjoy. Pro Tip: Pour it through a coffee filter for a smoother cup, that avoids and stray grounds.
Tips and Adjustments
Adjusting for Light Roasts:
Light roasts are denser and harder to extract, do the following to ensure a better brew:
Use hotter water
Grind a touch finer
Extend your brew time
Adjusting for Dark Roasts:
Dark roasts extract faster and can get bitter, do the following to ensure a better brew:
Use cooler water
Grind a touch coarser
Shorten your brew time
Pro Tips
Use fresh coffee! A fresh roast means better bloom and stronger flavor
Control your pour! Chemex rewards patience, don't just dump the water in, pour slow concentric circles starting in the center and moving outwards.
Dial your ratio
For stronger coffee try 1:12
For lighter coffee try 1:16
Coffee Feedback
Every bean is different! If your coffee tastes bitter, you most likely over extracted, follow the same adjustments for darker roasts, by cooling the water, grinding coarser, and shorting the brew time. If your coffee tastes sour or watery, you most likely under extracted, follow the same adjustments for lighter roasts, by heating up the water, grinding finer, and increasing the brew time.
Enjoy your perfect cup!
L'chaim!