How to Make Coffee with a French Press

For a full immersion coffee brewing method that’s easy, consistent, and reliable, the French Press is a top choice. This iconic coffee accessory for coffee brewing has stood the test of time since its invention in 1929 and is perfect for making multiple cups of rich, full-bodied coffee. With our easy-to-follow coffee brewing guide and a few Mozzo tips, you’ll be making coffee like a pro in no time. 

Before you begin:

• Coffee recipe: 50 - 60g of coffee per litre of water
• Brew time: 4 - 5 minutes (from the contact of water to coffee)
• Grind size: coarse

What you’ll need:

• French Press (otherwise known as a cafetière)
• Weighing scale and timer
• Kettle
• Filtered water

Step 1: Boil your water

Start out by boiling your water. It will need to sit for a moment to ensure it comes down to the optimum temperature for brewing coffee - between 92 - 96°C.

Top tip: we recommend using filtered water to extract the best flavors from your coffee.

Step 2: Preheat your french press and cup

Pop some hot water into your cafetiere and cup to preheat them. Dispose of the water once they are warm.

Top tip: preheating your cafetiere and cup will help to prevent a drop in temperature during brewing.

Step 3: Weight & grind coffee

Measure the appropriate amount of coffee based on the size of your french press and grind it to a coarse grind size similar to that of granulated sugar (unless already pre-ground). 

What french press do you have? Generally speaking, a 3 Cup french press will take 350ml of water, and an 8 Cup french press will take 800ml of water.

Start your timer and pour your water into the coffee. While pouring, make sure to maintain a consistent circular motion to agitate the coffee grinds and enhance the brewing process.

Brew the coffee for 2 minutes before giving it a little stir with a spoon. Then allow it to brew for a further 2 - 3 minutes.

Top tip: stirring helps to agitate the grinds and encourage further extraction for a more full bodied brew.

Step 5: Plunge your coffee, pour and enjoy

Now it’s time to press down the plunger and secure the lid onto your french press. Slowly lower the plunger to prevent coffee grinds from pushing in above the mesh. Serve your coffee straight away to prevent over-extraction, and voila! You’re ready to enjoy a delicious, bold cup of coffee. 

Top tip: the plunger should lower smoothly without much resistance. If your plunger doesn’t want to plunge,  it could be because your grind size is too fine or you’ve put too much ground coffee in your french press. 

Manipulating the grind size, dose and brew time will extract different flavors from your coffee. 

Adjust your grind: coarser grinds will produce a lighter-bodied brew, while finer grinds will give you a fuller-bodied coffee. 

Adjust your dose: by changing the dose of coffee you use, you can adjust the strength of your coffee to your liking.

Adjust your brew time: similar to a teabag, leaving coffee grinds in contact with hot water for too long can result in an overly bitter and over-extracted cup of coffee. Our brew time is only a guideline - decrease or increase the brew time to adjust the intensity of the brew to your taste.