French Press preparation - the French way of life

For many decades, it has been one of the most popular coffee makers - the French Press, also known as a press pot, coffee press, cafetière, chambord or sieve press pot. It is easy to use, requires no electricity or filter paper, and is also quick to clean. Coffee from the French Press has a relatively long contact time between water and coffee grounds.

The result is a full-bodied coffee that retains much of what a paper filter would retain, for example. We recommend a medium grind (slightly coarser than that for the hand filter) and 65 grams of coffee powder per liter of water.

Before you pour the boiling water, you should wait around 30 seconds, because the water should not be too hot. The ideal preparation time is 4 minutes. However, keep an eye on the time to avoid over- or under-extraction. Over-extracted coffee tastes bitter, and under-extracted tastes thin and watery. Before you press down the lid, let it warm up for a few moments with the rising steam. This way it will expand a little and let less fines through the metal ring. Very important. Never press the coffee crown down to the bottom and the greatest possible resistance after brewing. By doing so, you are literally "pressing" things out of the coffee brew that would be better left in there from an aroma standpoint.

The French Press is a full immersion coffee maker: the coffee powder is in continuous contact with the water before it is later separated by a filter - and thus differs from the popular preparation with the hand filter, the Pour Over method. The coffee is distinguished by its body, as the metal sieve does not filter out the fats and oils contained in the coffee - unlike a paper filter - during preparation. Thus, the coffee has more fullness in taste.

The right preparation

Use a medium grind. This will give your coffee a full-bodied and nuanced taste. You can obtain a suitable, homogeneous grind by using a coffee grinder with a cone or disc mill. We recommend 65 grams of coffee powder per liter of water. It is best to preheat the glass jug with hot water beforehand and then pour it out again. This way, the water does not cool down as quickly and your coffee stays warm longer. Wait about 30 seconds before using the water. This allows it to reach the optimum temperature of around 96 °C. Now start the brewing process by pouring the water quickly. Stir the coffee after pouring so that the coffee powder is evenly distributed in the water and the coffee aromas can be optimally extracted. Then put on the lid and press it down slightly so that the coffee powder that has settled on the surface is pressed into the water. This will ensure that all the coffee powder is fully extracted.

The ideal preparation time is 4 minutes. Keep an eye on the time to avoid over- or under-extracting the coffee. Over-extracted coffee tastes bitter, and under-extracted coffee tastes thin and watery. After 3.5 minutes, stir twice and skim off the foam. Then press down on the sieve plunger, making sure to press slowly and evenly to give the coffee powder time to come down with you.

Important factors

Grinding degree: medium - coarse
Quantity: 65 g per 1 liter
Water temperature: 96 °C

Our tip

Rinse the French Press with hot water before brewing. This way, the pot is preheated and the coffee stays warm longer. If possible, pour your coffee directly, otherwise it will continue to extract in the French Press and can quickly become bitter. Therefore, our recommendation: Simply pour the remaining coffee into a (preheated) coffee pot or thermos.