French Press

The French Press delivers a perfectly flavored, strong filter coffee. Coffee from the French Press is rich in aromas, but less caffeinated than other filter coffees. This is due to the brewing method. This is because "pressed" coffee remains in contact with the coffee water for longer than coffee brewed using the classic method with a continuous water supply.

It is recommended to use coarsely ground coffee grounds for coffee from the coffee press. This allows the full spectrum of aromas to come to the fore without the invigorating drink becoming bitter. (In this case, finely ground coffee would lead to so-called over-extraction). Our tip: Make sure you leave the coffee water to cool for a short moment after boiling. A temperature of around 92 to 96 °C is ideal for the French press method.

Whether Arabica, Robusta or a blend of different types of coffee: light roasts are ideal for this type of coffee preparation. Light-roasted coffees emphasize the complex acidic aromas in the bean - interesting flavours that can develop all the more varied with this brewing method, especially as the filter paper usually used with other filter methods is not used here (where there is no filter paper, there is no flavour-distorting barrier). Calculate with about 60 grams of freshly ground coffee per liter of water and initially only pour about a fifth of the amount of water into the pot. Leave the coffee to swell for half a minute and only then add the rest of the water. After another four minutes, the plunger can be pressed down. Et voilà, your new favorite coffee is ready!

Coffee made in a French press has a bold flavor but contains less caffeine than other filter coffees. This is due to the brewing method. “Pressed” coffee grounds remain in contact with the hot water longer than coffee brewed in the traditional way with a continuous flow of water.

For coffee made in a French press, a slightly coarser grind works best. This allows the full spectrum of flavors to come through without making the invigorating beverage bitter. A fine grind would lead to what’s known as over-extraction in this case. Tip: However, the grind setting on your grinder shouldn’t be too coarse either, because very coarsely ground coffee would make the beverage taste thin and watery.

Whether Arabica, Robusta, or a blend, we recommend using light-roast coffees in a French press, as they highlight the complex acidic notes in the bean, which can develop even more richly with this brewing method. Especially since the filter paper commonly used in other filter methods isn’t used in the French press—and where there’s no filter paper, there’s no barrier that could potentially alter the flavor.

If you don’t have a kettle with a temperature control setting, it’s worth letting the water cool for a moment after it comes to a boil, since boiling-hot water will scorch the ground coffee. A water temperature of about 92 to 96 °C is ideal for the French press method. To keep the beverage warm a little longer, you can preheat the carafe of your French press with a splash of very hot water. For glass carafes, it’s usually sufficient to briefly rinse the vessel with hot water.

Allow about 60 grams of freshly ground coffee per liter of water, and start by adding just one-fifth of the total amount of water to the coffee grounds in your pot. What follows is what coffee experts call “blooming.” Let the coffee aromas bloom! You can allow about half a minute for this phase of flavor-enhancing pre-infusion (called “pre-infusion” on a portafilter machine). Then slowly and evenly pour in the remaining water, stir thoroughly once, and let your coffee steep for about three and a half to four minutes. Feel free to put the lid on, but keep the plunger up during the steeping time!

Finally, when pressing down the plunger, don’t go too fast so as not to stir up any coffee grounds. Et voilà—your new favorite coffee is ready!

In areas with very hard tap water, we also recommend using bottled still water or, alternatively, filtered tap water. This way, neither limescale nor other substances that alter the flavor will spoil your coffee experience. Speaking of residue: To ensure you can enjoy your French press for a long time, clean it immediately after each use. Dispose of the coffee grounds (not down the sink, but ideally in the compost) and rinse the carafe thoroughly with hot water. To remove all traces of coffee grounds, you should regularly take apart the filter and spring and clean all parts individually.