Brew Guide: French Press

Jump to the brewing instructions

A Bit of French Press History

The French Press is not a coffee variety or even brewing method - it's a coffee brewing device that consists of a cylindrical coffee pot and a piston.

The first design with a simple piston was patented in France in 1852. It was improved in subsequent years by two Italians using a a better mesh and deformable seal, resulting in 2 patents in 1928 and 1933 that were the basis of modern devices. The "Melior Coffee Pot" was launched by the French company Melior using those patents, and giving the device its French identity, typically called a "cafetière à piston" (coffee pot with piston). It was successfully sold both in France and especially the UK with their UK subsidiary. 1937 introduced their Bakelite art deco handle, and in 1938 the spring fitted above the filter completed the design.

The design was good, the method deceptively simple - "Put the coffee into the pot and pour on boiling water. Allow it to infuse for a few minutes, then press down the ingenious double filter to clear it and pour out your coffee." That's from a UK Army & Navy Stores Catalogue (1935). However, it was expensive, selling for £17 6s (when the average wage was only £3-4 a week).

In the 1950s - 1960s the French Melior company began to make the cylinder from glass, and with the rounded "Chambord" top (maybe referencing the roofline of Château de Chambord) and selling the device as the "Melior Chambord cafetiére". UK manufacturing followed, making the Chambord a well known name, especially among the elite. It was still expensive in the 1970s, selling for £6 15s (when the average UK wage was £32 a week) so instant coffee, percolators or filter coffee makers were still the most commonly used.

Meanwhile the Swiss company Bodum had been manufacturing these devices since the 1950s, and expanded popularity worldwide, where the company name became associated with the iconic coffee press device. In the US starting in the 1980's the cafetiéres began to be called French presses. Bodum purchased the French Melior company in 1991, and the Bodum Chambord is now one of the most recognizable French Presses. A 34-oz Chambord typically costs around $40 on Amazon.

Brewing Instructions

The method we use is a bit more nuanced than the original 1935 instructions, but very similar.

  1. Grind your coffee just before brewing. For a standard 34 oz brewer, we suggest you start with 35 grams of coffee (6.5 level tablespoons). Grind your beans on the coarsest setting so that your grounds do not flow through the wire mesh when pressed.

  2. Put your ground coffee into the press.

  3. Boil your water. Let the pot sit for a minute - you really want less than 212 degree water. Ideal water temperature is 205 degrees.

  4. Pour a small amount of water over the grounds just to get them wet. Wait 30 seconds. You will see the coffee expand and bubble as it releases carbon dioxide in the beans. This is called the “bloom.”

  5. Fill your pot with the needed amount of hot water. Stir the pot to disperse the grounds. Put the lid on the press to keep it hot, but DO NOT press the plunger.

  6. Leave the press for 4 minutes.

  7. *Slowly* press the plunger to the bottom. Plunging with force will stir up the sediment in the brewer and will result in unwanted chalky sediment in your cup.

  8. Pour gently. To avoid sediment in your cup, keep an eye on the spout and stop pouring when you see a lot more sediment in the liquid.

  9. Enjoy

It's really a simple process, and results in a coffee with a thick, velvety texture and a rich, intense flavor.

Download a printable PDF of these instructions.

Troubleshooting Your Brews

It's best to view our - or any - brewing instructions as an initial guide. Personal preference may push you to modify the steps in order to achieve a better cup of coffee, which is perfectly normal. Here are some suggestions on how to correct perceived defects in your brew.

Problem: Coffee is too strong

  • Too much coffee: 35g is our starting point. Adjust the amount to suit your preference.

  • Overextraction: For immersion methods like French Press, if your coffee is ground too fine, too many bitter components will be extracted from the fine grounds over the brew period. Be sure to use the coarsest setting on your grinder.

  • Brewing too long: 4 minutes should be plenty of time to extract great flavor from your beans. More than that can lead to overextraction bitterness.

Problem: Sludge in my cup

To a certain extent, very fine grounds are unavoidable with the mesh filter. That said, you can minimize how much gets into your cup.

  • Improper grinding: Coarse-ground coffee particles are the best. When using blade grinders, even just pulsing the beans, very little fine particles are a common result. We recommend a burr grinder, which should produce uniform particles on all grind settings.

  • Plunging too fast: Forcing the French Press plunger down too fast can force any fine particles through the mesh. Press slowly!

Problem: Sludge in my cup

  • Your French Press is not hot: We recommend preheating your French Press by adding a cup of hot water to it prior to brewing. Be sure to dump out this water before brewing!

  • Wrap your Press: A towel or cozy cover can help reduce heat loss during brewing. An insulated French Press can help considerably.

  • Brew water too cool: We recommend starting with water that’s at least 205 degrees.