How To Brew Coffee in a French Press

Tips and tricks for how to brew a delightful cup of coffee in a French press.

Brewing coffee in a French press is a relatively simple and effective way to make a delicious cup of coffee.

Here are the steps:

1. Make sure that your French press is clean and ready to be used. Determine how many oz of water your French press can accommodate.

2. Determine how many cups of coffee you would like to make. One mug of coffee is usually about 6-8 oz.

3. Boil enough water for the number of cups of coffee that you would like to make.

4. While the water is boiling, grind your coffee beans. A French Press is more coarsely ground than the usual pre-ground beans.

   1. You can potentially get away with using a more finely ground bean but only if the screen of your press is fine enough to keep the grounds from remaining in the coffee and keeping in mind that the coffee will be stronger.

   2. Beans tend to lose a substantial amount of their flavor 15 minutes after they have been ground. That is why it is better to buy whole bean coffee and grind it yourself.

5. Preheat your French press by pouring some hot water into it, swirling it around, and then dumping it out.

6. Add the correct number of tablespoons of coffee grounds to your French press. For a French press you will want to use 1-2 tablespoons of ground coffee beans for every 8 oz.

   1. I like to add a tablespoon of 100% chocolate powder per serving as well. I love the flavor and it is so much tastier to add it during the brewing process than to add it later.

7. Once the water is boiling, add it to your French press, and make sure that the grounds are fully saturated.

   1. I usually stir it with a spoon to be sure.

8. Place the top (with the plunger) onto the French press and gently press the plunger down until you feel the screen touch the water to be sure that the beans are fully submerged.

9. Set at timer and let the coffee steep for 4-5 minutes.

10. Slowly press down on the plunger, being careful not to force it too hard, until the coffee grounds are at the bottom of the French press.

11. Pour your freshly brewed coffee into your mug or cup and enjoy!