I break down How To Make French Press Coffee into the exact ratios and timing most people miss.

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I love old school coffee rituals, but this Complete Guide To French Press Coffee Infographic actually taught me stuff I never thought about. I wanted stronger flavor, so I played with coarsely ground coffee and better filtered water and the difference was insane.

The images and tiny tips make you want to try it right away, even if you think French press is just basic. If youre curious about ratios, textures, and that perfect mouthfeel this piece labeled How To Make French Press Coffee might be the only thing you need to read tonight.

I promise youll learn a trick or two, and probably mess up in a good way.

Ingredients

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Coarsely ground coffee, wakes you up, has antioxidants, almost no calories but can taste bitter
Filtered water, no calories, hydrates and brings out coffee flavors, hot not boiling
Whole coffee beans, grind fresh for best flavor, same nutrition as grounds, slightly more aromatic
Milk or creamer, adds fat and protein, makes coffee creamier and sweeter depending on choice
Sugar or syrup, pure carbs, raises sweetness fast, can hide coffee bitterness but adds calories
Tiny pinch of fine salt, cuts bitterness, may round flavors, use sparingly
Flavorings like cinnamon, cardamom or vanilla, add aroma and sweetness, use very sparingly

Ingredient Quantities

Coarsely ground coffee, about 1 g coffee per 15 to 17 g water (examples: 15 g coffee for 225 ml / 8 fl oz water, 22 g for 340 ml / 12 fl oz, 60 g for 1000 ml / 34 fl oz). I usually go a bit stronger, but thats up to you

Filtered water, amounts to match coffee ratio (see examples above), hot but not boiling, about 195 to 205°F (90 to 96°C)

Whole coffee beans, if you plan to grind fresh (same weights as ground coffee listed above)

Optional: Milk or creamer (dairy or plant based), amount to taste

Optional: Sugar, simple syrup or other sweetener, to taste

Optional: Tiny pinch of fine salt, to mellow bitterness, if you like that trick

Optional: Flavorings like a stick of cinnamon, a crushed cardamom pod, or a splash of vanilla, use sparingly

How to Make this

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1. Preheat your kettle to about 195 to 205°F (90 to 96°C). If using boiling water just off the boil, let it sit 30 seconds so it cools a bit. Rinse the French press and your serving cup with hot water to warm them, then dump that water out.

2. Weigh your coffee and water using a scale. Use about 1 g coffee per 15 to 17 g water. Examples: 15 g coffee for 225 ml water, 22 g for 340 ml, 60 g for 1000 ml. I usually go a bit stronger but thats up to you. If you have whole beans grind them coarse, like coarse sea salt.

3. Add the coarse grounds to the warmed French press, level them so the bed is even.

4. Start a timer and pour just enough hot water to wet all the grounds and let them bloom, about 30 seconds. Pour slowly in a spiral if you want, just make sure everything gets wet.

5. After the bloom pour the rest of the water up to your target volume. Give one gentle stir with a spoon or chopstick to break the crust and ensure all grounds are saturated. Put the lid on with the plunger pulled all the way up.

6. Let it steep for about 4 minutes total from the first pour. If you like stronger coffee, add 30 to 60 seconds. Dont overdo it or it gets bitter.

7. Press the plunger down slowly and steadily, about 15 to 30 seconds, using firm even pressure. Pressing fast forces fines through the mesh and makes the cup gritty.

8. Immediately pour the coffee into cups or into a serving carafe. If you leave coffee in the press the grounds will keep extracting and it will get bitter, so decant right away if you wont drink it all at once.

9. Add optional things to taste: milk or creamer, sugar or simple syrup, a tiny pinch of fine salt to mellow bitterness, or a light splash of vanilla or a small piece of cinnamon while it steeps. Use spices sparingly or they will overpower the coffee.

10. Clean up: dump the grounds into compost or trash, rinse the filter and plunger parts well so oils dont build up, and let everything dry. Tip: use fresh beans, filtered water and a scale for the most consistent results, and adjust steep time or ratio till its how you like it.

Equipment Needed

1. French press (size to match how much you wanna brew)
2. Kettle (gooseneck is great for a slow pour, or any kettle you can heat to ~195–205°F)
3. Burr grinder for whole beans, or a bowl of pre-ground coarse coffee if you dont grind fresh
4. Digital kitchen scale (accurate grams for the 1 g coffee : 15–17 g water ratio)
5. Timer or your phone timer (start it at first pour)
6. Long spoon or chopstick for the bloom and gentle stir
7. Serving cup or carafe plus drinking cups to decant immediately
8. Small towel or scrub brush and a sink/bin for dumping grounds and rinsing parts

FAQ

Q: How much coffee and water should I use? A: Aim for about 1 g coffee per 15 to 17 g water. Examples: 15 g coffee for 225 ml or 8 fl oz water, 22 g for 340 ml or 12 fl oz, 60 g for 1000 ml or 34 fl oz. I usually go a bit stronger but thats up to you.

Q: What grind size is best? A: Use a coarse grind, like kosher salt. Too fine and you get sludge, bitterness and the plunger gets hard to press. If you can, grind fresh with a burr grinder for more consistent flavor.

Q: What water temp and brew time should I use? A: Heat water to about 195 to 205°F or 90 to 96°C. Pour to wet the grounds and let bloom 20 to 30 seconds, then fill, give a quick stir, put the lid on and brew about 4 minutes. Press slowly and serve right away.

Q: Want it stronger or weaker? A: Change the ratio and tiny tweaks to time. Try 1 to 15 for stronger, 1 to 17 for milder. You can shave brew time to 3.5 minutes for lighter or go to 5 minutes for more body but watch for bitterness.

Q: How do I reduce sediment and bitterness? A: Use a coarser grind, press slowly, pour immediately into cups or a carafe so the coffee doesnt keep extracting. For extra clarity try a paper filter or fine sieve after pressing. Clean your filter screen often.

Q: Can I add milk, sugar or spices? A: Yes. Add milk or creamer to taste. Simple syrup mixes better than dry sugar. A tiny pinch of fine salt can mellow bitterness, and little bits of cinnamon or crushed cardamom add nice notes but use sparingly.

Complete Guide To French Press Coffee Infographic Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Coarsely ground coffee
- Pre-ground “French press” labeled coffee, if you cant grind beans at home; it’s a bit less fresh but works fine
- Medium-coarse grind, if you only have one grinder setting; use slightly less contact time or it’ll taste bitter
- Dark roast beans ground coarse, for a bolder, smokier cup without increasing dose
- Mix in some Robusta beans for added body and caffeine, good if you like a stronger punch
Filtered water (hot but not boiling)
- Bottled spring water, for a cleaner, mineral-forward flavor when your tap water is off
- Tap water that’s been boiled and cooled 30 to 45 seconds, if you dont have a temp kettle
- Water run through a charcoal pitcher filter, when you want to remove chlorine and odd tastes
- Low-mineral bottled water, if your beans taste flat with hard water; can brighten the cup
Milk or creamer
- Oat milk, a creamy plant option that foams ok and pairs well with coffee
- Half and half or light cream, if you want richer mouthfeel and a silky texture
- Almond milk, lighter and nutty, but shake or stir well cause it can separate
- Coconut cream or canned coconut milk, for a sweet tropical twist, use sparingly
Sugar / simple syrup
- Maple syrup, adds sweetness plus a warm caramel note, use 1:1 swap for syrup
- Honey, gives floral sweetness and dissolves reasonably well in hot coffee
- Brown sugar or demerara, for molasses depth instead of plain sucrose
- Liquid sweeteners like agave or simple syrup, easier to mix into a cold or chilled brew

Pro Tips

1) Use a burr grinder and aim for uniform coarse particles, but give the grounds a quick tap or gentle sift to get rid of the ultra fine dust. Those fines make the cup gritty and over extracted, so removing a little of them makes a cleaner cup.

2) Invest in a gooseneck kettle or just practice steady, controlled pours from a narrow spout. Pour control changes extraction more than most people think, so slow steady pours in a couple short pulses will get more even flavor than one big splash.

3) Stop extraction completely if you wont drink it right away: plunge slowly, then decant through a fine mesh or a paper filter into another carafe. That catches stray fines and oils and keeps the brew from getting bitter if you need to hold it a bit.

4) Keep a tiny brew log. Note bean roast date, grind setting, water source, temp guess, steep time and how it tasted. Make one small change at a time and you’ll dial in a repeatable cup way faster than winging it each morning.

Complete Guide To French Press Coffee Infographic Recipe

Recipe by Francis Mead

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I break down How To Make French Press Coffee into the exact ratios and timing most people miss.

Servings

servings

Calories

kcal

Equipment: 1. French press (size to match how much you wanna brew)
2. Kettle (gooseneck is great for a slow pour, or any kettle you can heat to ~195–205°F)
3. Burr grinder for whole beans, or a bowl of pre-ground coarse coffee if you dont grind fresh
4. Digital kitchen scale (accurate grams for the 1 g coffee : 15–17 g water ratio)
5. Timer or your phone timer (start it at first pour)
6. Long spoon or chopstick for the bloom and gentle stir
7. Serving cup or carafe plus drinking cups to decant immediately
8. Small towel or scrub brush and a sink/bin for dumping grounds and rinsing parts

Ingredients

Coarsely ground coffee, about 1 g coffee per 15 to 17 g water (examples: 15 g coffee for 225 ml / 8 fl oz water, 22 g for 340 ml / 12 fl oz, 60 g for 1000 ml / 34 fl oz). I usually go a bit stronger, but thats up to you
Filtered water, amounts to match coffee ratio (see examples above), hot but not boiling, about 195 to 205°F (90 to 96°C)
Whole coffee beans, if you plan to grind fresh (same weights as ground coffee listed above)
Optional: Milk or creamer (dairy or plant based), amount to taste
Optional: Sugar, simple syrup or other sweetener, to taste
Optional: Tiny pinch of fine salt, to mellow bitterness, if you like that trick
Optional: Flavorings like a stick of cinnamon, a crushed cardamom pod, or a splash of vanilla, use sparingly

Directions

Preheat your kettle to about 195 to 205°F (90 to 96°C). If using boiling water just off the boil, let it sit 30 seconds so it cools a bit. Rinse the French press and your serving cup with hot water to warm them, then dump that water out.
Weigh your coffee and water using a scale. Use about 1 g coffee per 15 to 17 g water. Examples: 15 g coffee for 225 ml water, 22 g for 340 ml, 60 g for 1000 ml. I usually go a bit stronger but thats up to you. If you have whole beans grind them coarse, like coarse sea salt.
Add the coarse grounds to the warmed French press, level them so the bed is even.
Start a timer and pour just enough hot water to wet all the grounds and let them bloom, about 30 seconds. Pour slowly in a spiral if you want, just make sure everything gets wet.
After the bloom pour the rest of the water up to your target volume. Give one gentle stir with a spoon or chopstick to break the crust and ensure all grounds are saturated. Put the lid on with the plunger pulled all the way up.
Let it steep for about 4 minutes total from the first pour. If you like stronger coffee, add 30 to 60 seconds. Dont overdo it or it gets bitter.
Press the plunger down slowly and steadily, about 15 to 30 seconds, using firm even pressure. Pressing fast forces fines through the mesh and makes the cup gritty.
Immediately pour the coffee into cups or into a serving carafe. If you leave coffee in the press the grounds will keep extracting and it will get bitter, so decant right away if you wont drink it all at once.
Add optional things to taste: milk or creamer, sugar or simple syrup, a tiny pinch of fine salt to mellow bitterness, or a light splash of vanilla or a small piece of cinnamon while it steeps. Use spices sparingly or they will overpower the coffee.
Clean up: dump the grounds into compost or trash, rinse the filter and plunger parts well so oils dont build up, and let everything dry. Tip: use fresh beans, filtered water and a scale for the most consistent results, and adjust steep time or ratio till its how you like it.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.