Basic French Press Recipe

This is a basic recipe for the French press / cafetière. It has a coffee to water of ratio of 1:16, and yields around 3 cups of very balanced coffee.

This recipe includes a bloom phase even though the French press is an immersion brewer, not percolation brewer. The reason isn't to do with getting rid of the CO2 in the beans, but to create a slurry before the final larger pour. By pouring over a coffee slurry instead of dry grounds, the plunger goes down much faster as less of the grounds will form a crust on the top of the water.

You will need a medium to coarse grind size for a French press. The metal mesh on the plunger is relatively porous, allowing for small amount of particles into the final brew. This is what gives french press coffee a cloudier body and texture compared to pour over.

Notes

• Don't go too fast when pressing on the plunger, as this will increase turbulence as the water gets pushed through the filter. This will agitate the coffee unevenly and may cause over-extraction.
• If you find that there is substantial resistance when plunging, we recommend you grind coarser to prevent clogging of the filter. If your coffee tastes weak or lacks body, grind finer.

Recipe Preparation

• Place the coffee in the French press / cafetière.
• Place the French press on your scales and tare.
• Once the hot water is ready, start the timer.