French Press Brew Guide

Our first commercial offering is a French Press grind. We figured most people have a French Press or Cafetiere at home.

Below, you'll find step-by-step instructions. We've taken guidance from the James Hoffmann French press method as we think it's the best.

This will take about 10 minutes. Please don't rush it.

A Quick Guide

Use 30g of coffee per 500ml of water.

Pour the water over the coffee in the French Press and wait 5 minutes.

Stir the coffee, remove any foam and wait another 5 minutes.

Pour, enjoy.

A Step-By-Step Guide

We should start by telling you that freshness is the most important factor in coffee. No technique in the world will make stale beans taste better. So, if you want the best results, make sure you're buying coffee within one to two weeks of its roast date. Anything else, and you risk wasting your effort. At Narberth Coffee Roasters, we'll always sell you fresh coffee with a 'roasted on' date on it.

Step 1: Start Boiling Water

Boil your water first so you can prepare everything else while your kettle heats up. You'll want at least 500g of water in your kettle when you start.

Step 2: Weigh Your Coffee

For this method, we'll use a ratio of 30g of coffee to 500g of water. This doesn't have to be a hard rule; if you find this recipe isn't strong enough or is too strong, try adjusting the amount of coffee by a gram or two.

Weighing your coffee is more accurate than using volume measurements. If you don't have a scale, then 30 grams of coffee is roughly 4 tablespoons.

If you've been given a measuring scoop with your coffee, it holds 10g of coffee when leveled at the top (do not compress it down).

Put the coffee in French Press.

Step 3: Pour in 500g of Boiling Water

Boil your kettle until it clicks, then immediately pour 500g of water over the grounds. Use a scale if possible.

You'll want to pour in circles, making sure to evenly coat the grounds. It doesn't have to be perfect; just make sure there aren't any dry spots.

Step 4: Wait Five Minutes

This is a great time to start breakfast, feed your dog or cat, or simply zone out and wake up. During these initial five minutes, the coffee will steep, infusing the water with its unique flavors. If you've got fresh beans from a specialty roaster, take some time to enjoy the aromas. Over time, see if you can spot the differences between coffee origins, blends, and roasts!

DID YOU WAIT 5 MINUTES? Okay, move on...

Step 5: Stir the Grounds

After five minutes, a crust should form on top of the slurry.

This is a good thing! Now, you'll want to break up that crust so all the grounds get a chance to steep.

If you have a glass carafe, be careful not to stir too hard near the edges of the glass. In rare cases, this can cause the glass to crack because of the heat and the impact.

Step 6: Scoop the Foam and Bits on Top

This step can be easier with two spoons, but the general idea is to scoop out as much of the foam, bits, and grounds as you can. You don't need to get everything, but make sure you get the bigger chunks and grounds.

Step 7: Wait Another Five Minutes

This is where Hoffmann's method takes longer than other techniques, but this step is the key! Over the next five minutes, the rest of the grounds will settle toward the bottom of the carafe. Plus, the coffee is probably still too hot to drink (unless you like your coffee extremely hot).

Step 8: Plunge the Press Until the Screen Rests on Top of the Liquid

As you can see, Hoffmann's method is different: you don't plunge all the way down to the bottom of the carafe. The reason for this is so we don't stir up what's been settling for the last five minutes. It should make your cup clean, crisp, and silt-free.

Step 9: Pour Carefully and Enjoy!

Your coffee is now ready to drink. Pour carefully! You want to avoid stirring up the grounds that have settled at the bottom.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, James Hoffmann's French press technique takes a little bit more time and effort, but we think it's worth it. You'll have less silt, a cleaner cup, and the flavor will be incredible.

Don't forget that coffee is an incredibly personal experience. If you find that this method isn't delivering the results, try tweaking some of the details like the grind size, amount of coffee, and the water temperature. Part of the fun of specialty coffee is dialing in your own preferences, whatever those might be.