Brewing guide
French Press
Full immersion through a metal mesh — the simplest route to a rich, heavy-bodied, oily cup.
The setup
The French press (or cafetière, patented in its modern form by Italian designer Attilio Calimani in 1929) is full-immersion brewing at its most honest. The grounds sit in the water the whole time, and a metal mesh — not paper — separates them at the end. That mesh lets oils and a fine sediment through, which is exactly why the cup is so full-bodied and textured.
You'll need:
- French press (a 1L / 8-cup is standard)
- Coarse grinder
- Kettle
- Scale + timer
Grind coarse — like rough sea salt. Too fine and you'll get a muddy, over-extracted cup that's a pain to plunge.
Recipe — 30g coffee, 450g water
| Step | Time | Water | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Add all water | 0:00 | 450g | Pour in one go, just off the boil (~95°C) |
| Steep | 0:00–4:00 | — | Let the crust form on top |
| Break the crust | 4:00 | — | Stir gently 3×, skim the foam and floaters |
| Settle | 4:00–8:00 | — | Wait — this drops the fines to the bottom |
| Plunge & pour | 8:00 | — | Press slowly, pour immediately |
The trick most people miss: after breaking the crust, wait another few minutes before plunging. The grounds sink on their own, so you can press with almost no resistance and leave the sludge behind.
Try the timer
French press 30g recipe timer
Press Space to start/pause.
- 0sPour all water+450ml
- 4mBreak crust + skim+0ml
- 8mPlunge slowly+0ml
Common mistakes
- Grinding too fine. Sediment overload and a bitter, gritty cup.
- Letting it sit on the grounds. Decant fully once plunged; coffee left on the bed keeps extracting and turns harsh.
- Pressing too hard, too fast. Slamming the plunger stirs the fines back up. Slow and steady.