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How To Make French Press Coffee

There are a million ways to geek out over coffee. But in the end, what we're after is a hot, delicious cup of coffee to see us through the morning. A simple pleasure.

French press is one of the easiest, least expensive ways to make great coffee. Learn the essentials: here's how to make a pot of great French press coffee.

The Pros and Cons of French Press Coffee

French press makes coffee by steeping the grounds in hot water, and then pressing the grounds out.

After the drip coffee maker, it's one of the easiest, least time-consuming ways to make a great cup of coffee. Also, unlike pour over and the Aeropress, it makes it easy to brew coffee for several people at once. But it is prone to bitterness and oiliness, since the coffee is sitting directly on the grounds for a period of time, and this can turn people off.

The Basics of Great French Press Coffee

It took me a while to warm up to French press. I have been brewing it since shortly after college, when a roommate and her boyfriend gifted me my first French press and a little blade grinder. But, while I brewed it almost every day, I found it bitter and murky for my taste. Eventually I switched to the speedy Aeropress, which gives a clean, robust cup of coffee quickly.

But then I married a man who has this eerily amazing habit of bringing me coffee in bed. His brewing method of choice is the French press, and he won me over. It's not just having coffee in bed that has turned me into a devotee of French press (although of course that helps). Turns out that my method had been missing one key element all those years: The right grinder.

Did you know that coffee and sleep go together? Watch the video!

Troubleshooting French Press Coffee

There are two things that really muck up French press coffee: water temperature — boiling water that scorches the grounds, or tepid water that doesn't extract fully — and badly ground coffee with too much fine grit that makes the pressed coffee muddy and bitter.

These are the two factors that, to me, are most commonly ignored and yet easiest to remedy. All you need is a sense of how hot your water is and a burr grinder.

→ Takeaway: Getting the temperature right is easy (just take the water off the boil and let it sit for a minute before brewing).

Why a Burr Grinder Is Important for Good French Press

And then there's the grinder. There aren't many processes in the kitchen that truly depend on one gadget or tool, but good French press coffee is one of them.

Here's why. A regular blade grinder like this one is perfectly good for grinding coffee beans for a drip machine and other methods, but a French press relies on having very evenly-sized grains of coffee, and they need to be relatively big. Smaller-sized grains will get through the filter, creating a sediment in your cup, and also get over-extracted, making your coffee bitter. It's essential that all the coffee beans are ground to the same consistency and the burr grinder (what's a burr grinder?) is far superior at making this happen.

→ Takeaway: If your French press turns out too bitter for you, or with a lot of gunky sediment at the bottom, then consider changing your grinder to a burr grinder. Or have your local coffee shop grind the coffee beans for you; their commercial grinders will do a great job as well.

If you don't have space for a burr grinder, then another brewing method might be better for you, like the Chemex or another pour over, or the Aeropress. More on these methods soon!

More on Burr Grinders

Getting Geeky Over French Press

However, you can get a lot more technical and geeky than that over French press. Just take a look at the varying levels of instruction and minuscule attention paid to grams and brewing time at Stumptown, Intelligentsia, Blue Bottle, and Serious Eats. Whew.

Personally, I don't feel that one needs to quibble over 40 grams versus 36 grams of grounds to water, or whether you should weigh your beans and water rather than measuring them by volume.

I have a hunch that some of you will argue with me about that, but if you are Into Coffee, then there are a million things to twiddle all the time. That's part of the pleasure of coffee; like other things in cooking, you can improve and tweak to your heart's content, and find a lot of satisfaction in it.

But if you're just getting into French press, I think that this is the easiest method that includes the essentials but doesn't get too geeky. If you are more comfortable weighing your coffee and water than measuring by volume, go to it! If you are persnickety about how long to brew which roasts, have at it! I'm right behind you.

But for now, let's just talk basics. Because in the end, it's just a cup of coffee, and I do hope that more of you will find your morning sustenance in a cup of French press, as it is really so delicious when done (mostly) right.

Ratio of Water & Coffee for French Press

The instructions below make 32 ounces, a common size of French press that makes about four servings. But what if you want to make more or less? Here's a general guide to proportions by volume. Note that coffee beans are measured before grinding.

• 1 serving — 1 cup water (8 fluid ounces) — 2 tablespoons coffee beans
• 2 servings — 2 cups water (16 fluid ounces) — 1/4 cup coffee beans
• 4 servings — 4 cups water (32 fluid ounces) — 1/2 cup coffee beans
• 8 servings — 8 cups water (64 fluid ounces) — 1 cup coffee beans

How To Make Coffee with a French Press

Makes 32 ounces ; serves 3 to 4

What You Need

Ingredients

freshly-roasted coffee beans

French press, should hold at least 32 ounces

Electric kettle OR a stovetop kettle

Instructions

Measure the coffee beans: Measure out 1/2 cup coffee beans. (Or, if you're making less than 32 ounces, refer to our coffee proportions chart above.)

Grind the coffee beans: Grind the beans on the coarsest setting in a burr grinder. If you don't have a burr grinder, grind in brief, sharp pulses in a blade grinder, stopping every couple seconds to invert the grinder and give it a sharp shake while holding the lid on. Your coffee grounds should be rough and coarse, but still evenly-sized, without a lot of fine grit. Stumptown describes the ideal size and shape as "breadcrumbs." Pour the grounds into the French press.

Heat the water to boiling, then cool for 1 minute. Measure 4 cups water. (Or, if you're making less than 32 ounces, refer to our coffee proportions chart above.) Water for French press coffee should be heated to 195°F. This is below boiling, which is 212°F at sea level. Heat the water in a stovetop or electric kettle to boiling, then take off the heat for about 1 full minute before making the coffee. If you want to make extra-sure it's the right temperature, use a thermometer to check. (Or, if you have a fancy newer kettle with custom temperature settings, choose "coffee.")

Add the water: Add the full 4 cups of hot water to the French press.

Stir the brew: Stir vigorously, using an up and down motion.

Steep for 4 minutes: Four minutes will produce a robust brew. If you want to tweak your French press as you learn its nuances, you may find that different roasts of coffee do better with slightly longer or shorter steeping times.

Plunge the press: When the timer goes off, immediately press the plunger all the way to the bottom. Drink the coffee immediately.

Recipe Notes

• Warm the French Press First: One step we didn't include here, for the sake of simplicity, is warming the French press. If you have time (and presence of mind) in the morning, heat the water to boiling and rinse out the French press with hot water to warm it.
• Use a Carafe: If you are not going to drink the coffee immediately, don't leave it in the French press, where it will continue to sit on the grounds and get bitter. Pour into a thermal carafe to keep it hot.

• Calories 1
• Fat 0 g (0%)
• Saturated 0 g (0%)
• Protein 0.1 g (0.1%)
• Sodium 20.1 mg (0.8%)

More Tips on Making Great Coffee

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Updated from post originally published April 2010.

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French press kaffee

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What You'll Need

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Background

French press coffee is dense and heavy, yet it has its own sort of elegance. As with any method, the devil is in the details: To achieve a full expression of the coffee, decant it immediately after brewing so it doesn’t become bitter or chalky. Then, sink into this rich and heady cup. It only takes four minutes to brew.

Bring enough water to fill the French press to a boil. For a 17-oz press, you'll need about 350 grams (12 ounces).

While the water is heating, grind your coffee. French press coffee calls for a coarse, even grind. We recommend starting with a 1:12 coffee-to-water ratio. If you're using 350 grams of water, you’ll want 30 grams of coffee.

To start, gently pour twice the amount of water than you have coffee onto your grounds. For example, if you have 35 grams of coffee, you’ll want to start with 70 grams of water.

Give the grounds a gentle stir with a bamboo paddle or chopstick. Allow the coffee to bloom for 30 seconds.

Add the rest of your water and position the lid gently on top of the grounds. Don’t plunge just yet. Let the coffee steep for four minutes. Four. Don’t guess.

Gently remove your French press from the scale and place it on your counter. Press the filter down. If it’s hard to press, that means your grind is too fine; if the plunger “thunks” immediately down to the floor, it means your grind is too coarse. The sweet spot, pressure-wise, is 15–20 pounds. Not sure what this feels like? Try it out on your bathroom scale.

Recommended Items

Blue Bottle at Home

We source great coffees, roast them to perfection, and get them to you fresh.

Recommended Items

Blue Bottle at Home

We source great coffees, roast them to perfection, and get them to you fresh.

What You'll Need

Have Questions?

Background

French press coffee is dense and heavy, yet it has its own sort of elegance. As with any method, the devil is in the details: To achieve a full expression of the coffee, decant it immediately after brewing so it doesn’t become bitter or chalky. Then, sink into this rich and heady cup. It only takes four minutes to brew.

Bring 1½ cups (350 g) of water to a boil.

Empty the contents of your Blue Bottle Perfectly Ground envelope into the French press.

Pour the hot water gently over the grounds.

Stir the coffee with a bamboo paddle or chopstick to ensure the grounds are evenly saturated.

Place the lid gently on top of the press. Don’t plunge just yet.

Pause and let the coffee steep for four minutes. Four. Don’t guess.

Plunge the filter down through the coffee. The sweet spot is 15–20 pounds of pressure. Not sure what this feels like? Try it out on your bathroom scale. We have.

Recommended Items

Blue Bottle at Home

We source great coffees, roast them to perfection, and get them to you fresh.

Recommended Items

Blue Bottle at Home

We source great coffees, roast them to perfection, and get them to you fresh.

French press kaffee

Posted: November 10, 2003

The ubiquitous press pot. It's everywhere. It's seemingly easy to use, right? Well, yes, but a little understanding of the device, how it works, and maybe a bit about the history of the product will get you using yours better. If you want some of the richest coffee you can get, a press pot can deliver. What may surprise most is that you can also get a relatively clean brew from it as well, if you have the right tools and prep everything correctly.

The Press Pot History

First, a bit of my own history. I wrote an article on this site some time back that I called Why I like Bodum. You see, press pots were my initiation into the world of quality coffee, at least in North America. I have a lot of loyalty and fond memories of this brewing method and the coffee (and situations) it delivered me.

Factors that make a good pot of Press Pot Coffee

If there's one thing that you need to take away from this how to, it's this. Don't skimp on your grinder.

Enlarge this picture (click it) and look at the bottom of the pot. All the particles are even - no dust. This is a near-perfect press pot grind.

With a press pot, particle size of the grounds is as important as it is for espresso. The difference is, you want uniform large particles, instead of uniform tiny particles. Cheap grinders can't give you either - they will give you a mixed bag of big and small chunks. Dust and boulders. It's what leads to the thing people dislike most about press pot coffee - the sludge.

Enough talk, how about some pictures! Here's the visual how to.

I can't stress enough how important the grinder is.

We've got enough coffee to start - 1 rounded tablespoon per "cup" (about 4oz).

It's important to add your coffee quickly after grinding - if you're smelling aromas, it's going stale.

I add roughly 8.5 grams of coarse ground coffee per 4oz of water used. This is a 12oz press pot.

Your water should be boiled before you grind; by the time you add it, it should be near perfect temperatures to start.

Add the water steadily, saturating all the grounds by changing where the water falls.

We've covered most of the grounds, and already, a small bloom is starting.

Know how much water you need to pour in to fill the press pot, and still let the filter do its job.

Use a chopstick to quickly stir the slurry; this is optional, but aids in complete extraction.

It doesn't take much to mix things up and make the bloom really come out. This is the result of maybe 6 stirs.

Add the filter assembly, and start counting. For a small press pot like this one, a two or three minute steep time would suit. For a larger model, stick with the four minute steep.

After our steep time is done, it's time to plunge down the filter. Grasp the handle firmly, get a solid grip on the plunger stick.

And start pressing down in an even, controlled manner, always keeping the plunger rod absolutely straight. If it goes crooked, grounds will escape into the upper portion.

Ahh. Looks awesome don't it?

When pouring with a press pot, it's always a good idea to hold on to the lid so things don't slide around or accidently pop out.

Two awesome cups of coffee (Kona was used), ready to go. 3 cup press pots are great for afternoon kaffee klatsches.

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French press kaffee

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A better everyday one cup at a time

We drink coffee and tea to wake up in the mornings, to stay awake at night or simply because it’s good company. Malin Ljungström, who has been involved in developing the range, has more insights to why we enjoy these steaming drinks so much. “To many, the smell of coffee and tea means well-being and a homey feeling. Since we want to improve people’s everyday, we’re offering products that make it possible for more to experience more feelgood moments at home.”

Cold facts and hot products

Trends travel fast today. In the world of coffee and tea, we pick up interesting habits and quirky behaviors in the blink of an eye. We’re exploring and trying new things. And we want to be able to make as good coffee and tea at home as we’ve tasted in that cozy coffee shop on the corner. “Today it’s cool to be an expert and really skilled at something. I think it gives a sense of satisfaction when we notice that we’re able make things as good as the experts, without expensive and hard-to-find equipment,” says Malin.

Things that make a difference

Malin and her colleagues dug deep into traditional coffee and tea cultures to find out what tools people feel they can’t live without. They talked to specialists, investigated living, eating and drinking habits to get an idea of the most necessary products. “We wanted to develop items that make a difference. A kitchen full of gadgets doesn’t make it easier to make good coffee and tea, so we’ve focused on a few, but carefully selected products,” she states. To secure the right quality and functions, the team cooperated a lot with IKEA Test Lab in Älmhult, Sweden. It’s an IKEA version of a James Bond lab where prototypes are inspected and evaluated. “A couple of the things we checked were that the thermoses can keep fluids really warm for a long time. And that the glass mugs and glass pots are durable and comfortable, even though they look and feel light and airy,” tells Malin.

For all tastes and different wallets

The best way to prepare and drink coffee and tea can cause intense discussions. No matter which ‘team’ you side with, or how you enjoy your cup, you’ll be able to find the things that put an extra flavor to your hot drink in the range. Another good thing is that there’s something for all wallets. “It’s one of our contributions to a better life at home. A way to improve people’s everyday one cup at a time,” says Malin.

Coffee Press

Brewing with a coffee press retains the precious natural oils that paper filters absorb, and extracts the coffee’s full flavor while giving it a consistency that’s thick and rich.

STEP-BY-STEP

Grind and measure

Use coarse ground coffee that resembles sea salt in your press, and measure 2 tablespoons per 6 ounces of water.

Remember, coffee is like produce. Buy it often in small quantities to enjoy it at the peak of freshness.

Add hot water

Fill the press with hot water that’s just off the boil. Make sure to saturate all the grounds.

To give your coffee the best possible flavor, use filtered or bottled water.

Place plunger and brew

Put the plunger back on the press without pushing it down, and let the coffee brew for 4 minutes.

Press and pour

Gently push down the plunger until it reaches the bottom of the press, and enjoy.

Shop a variety of coffee presses online.

Shop a wide variety of whole bean and ground coffees.

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French Press Cold Brew Coffee

Introduction: French Press Cold Brew Coffee

I love coffee - but my addition gets pricey when I've got to shell out $4 for a small carton of cold brew coffee from my favorite local coffee shop. I also love iced coffee, but cringe when a barista pours hot coffee over ice: it's bitter & now it's just diluted.

Solution: make my own cold brew coffee using a french press!

The key to cold brew coffee is that it uses time - versus heat - to make a perfect cup of joe.

Grab your french press and let's get started :)

Step 1: Materials

- Filtered water (you can use just tap water, but coffee is 99% water, so ya might as well use the best tasting water you can get your hands on)

- coffee: coarsely ground!!

- coffee creamer (optional)

- recycled glass bottle to put all of your delicious coffee concentrate into once you're done

Step 2: Let's Get Brewing!

- Add 2 cups of coarsely ground coffee to your french press

- Add 4 cups of (filtered) water on top

- Place plastic wrap over the top, seal off with a rubber band

Step 3: Wait. Patiently. Then Press It!

The recommended time for cold brew is between 12 - 18 hours. I brewed mine for 18 hours, and it turned out perfectly!

Once you've waited oh-so-patiently for the perfect cup of coffee, press it!

Step 4: Prep Your Perfect Cup of Cold Brew Coffee!

With this recipe, I recommend diluting it 1:1 (coffee concentrate to water ratio).

For those who get the jitters from strong coffee, I'd kick the water portion up a notch, as this is quite strong.

Grab some water, ice, a cup, and creamer and/or sugar, and kick start your morning with this coffee! Store your coffee concentrate in the glass bottle you're re-using, and now you'll have coffee concentrate for your work week.

You can even use your coffee grounds in your garden as compost if you want!

Thanks for reading my Instructable, and if you try this, let me know!

I love my French Press. I started using it when I lived in the Netherlands and now use it, along with my other cold brew appliance, for my coffee. It makes delicious coffee and I buy my coffee, ground coarse, at the local grocery store.

I will be trying this tonight!

Do you need to refrigerate it overnight?

Just made this last night/am drinking it this morning. PERFECT ratio of coffee to water. Most cold-pressed coffee recipes have the ratio for unground beans to water, and I only have ground coffee. thanks! Excellent :)

Awesome! Thank you. I love coldbrew coffee and want something I can keep in my tiny fridge by my desk and not share with anyone! lol. Really though, this is great. =)

You can scale this up to a gallon easily using a plastic or glass jug; let the coffee mixture sit in the fridge for 24 hours then strain. Med and Dark roasts work best - really brings out the chocolate flavors. Doesn't need sweetener or ice or anything.

Just curious if you measure the coffee ground or whole? My 8 cup press was 3/4 full after adding 2 cups of ground beans.

While visiting Vietnam a few years ago I had just about everyday the most delicious coffee, including cold coffee. We now make it at home. French press coffee (coarse ground) and allowed to cool to room temperature. Add sweetened condensed milk and a few ice cubes to a cup. Slowly pour the coffee down the side of the cup so as not to disturb the milk. Try using a french roasted bean and Rooster brand milk. Doesn't get much better on a hot day.

If you dont have course ground coffee you can use regular - you can simply pour it from the pot into a jar (I use a wine bottle) through a coffee filter.

Using milk instead of water, helps with the strongness and makes taste even better!

Milk also keeps coffee from staining dentures! BONUS!

I love coffee milk, but I LOVE my iced coffee. Would this be diluted with water or more milk? Maybe the answer is obvious, but I can't figure it out. But then, I haven't had my coffee yet either.

absolutely! milk is a great substitute, almond milk or soy milk are great additions too :) Thanks for your comment!

I made this and it's so good! It's so smooth and delicious! Thanks for the instructable!

VERY ECOLOGICAL and ANTI Global Warming +++ TASTY. Congratulations.

For Coffee on the go a nice addition to our Bus

What size French press are you using. I want to be sure measurements will work in mine. Also do you dilute w water THEN add cream? Or would i dilute w cream?

When I brew coffee, I weigh it. How much coffee in weight (oz or grams) did you use? I find that depending on the coffee beans you use, it can vary significantly!

Thanks! This also solves the problem of coffee grounds going stale on the counter or in the freezer. Once brewed, the concentrate keeps just fine! !!

Wow, looks like I am going to try this over the summer! Thanks for sharing!

This is my first time making a cold brew coffee and it was so easy! My husband has been drinking iced coffee lately at work. He doesn't use any cream or sugar, so hot coffee doesn't go "bad" if it sits out for a while, but it definitely doesn't taste as good when it is cold and If he doesn't get around to drinking it in the morning, he'll drink it throughout the day. This solved his problem of having watery iced coffee (yuck) when the ice melts.

Thanks for sharing!

Oh good! I'm glad you like it! It's nice too that it comes out sweeter and less bitter since it doesn't use heat. Another method (if you dont like watery iced coffee) is throw some of your extra coffee into your ice cube trays and use those for your iced coffee. Then you'll have the perfect ratio of coffee to water throughout all your sipping.

I'll have to try that! Thanks for the tip!

I like to pour a bit of kahlua and a shot of cream over coffee ice cubes. Would be tasty to have concentrate to add, instead. Lovely ible

Been experimenting with this all week, and your ratio nailed it. Drinking a batch of 1.5/4 coffee grinds to water and it still dilutes too much when I had the hot water. Delicious on its own, though. so smooth.

Ah, glad you've found the perfect ratio for your morning cup o' joe! :)

I use hot water with mine and then put it in the fridge, it's ready in a few hours or so and you don't get the diluted problem beacsue its already cold and the hot helps it brew quicker. That way I can start it in the morning and have a nice cold one on a hot afternoon.

Nice, that is a great method too. I've heard that coffee is less bitter when you brew it with cold water, so you'll have to do a side-by-side taste test and let us know!

I use hot water with mine and then put it in the fridge, it's ready in a few hours or so and you don't get the diluted problem beacsue its already cold and the hot helps it brew quicker. That way I can start it in the morning and have a nice cold one on a hot afternoon.

I am French and it is not a french coffee. It is a Italian Coffee.

The french is made with a 'Cafetière'. Type this word in Google. Have a good day :)

Sorry guy, i'm french too, and That is FRENCH. ( invented by Marcel Paquet in 1924). name is "French press" in US.

In Uk, it is called "cafetiere" cause french name of coffee machine.

If you looked in google as you said, you will find this .

Ok, ok, I will not know the name in USA

Thx 4 ur answers :)

I'm confused. I googled Cafetiere and it showed photos and described a carafe with a plunger - what we call French Press - where you put the coffee grounds in and pour boiling water into the carafe, wait a few minutes, and press the plunger to get the grounds out of your beverage. I've also used an Italian coffee pot. It is narrow in the middle, the water goes in the bottom and the coffee in the middle, and when you cook it on the stove the water goes up through the grounds and ends up in the top part of the pot. So why is the pot used in this cold brew instructable NOT a French press?

It's a french 'cafetiere'

yes in the us we call it a french press

I'm going to try this method for my first time cold brewing coffee. Just wondering if this should sit at room temp or in fridge for the brew time?

Oh, I hope you like it! Remember coarse grounds :) I have this sit at room temp. Another tip is throw some of your leftover cold brew coffee into ice trays, so then you have ice cube coffee for your iced coffee! Enjoy

This works great!! I ended up leaving it for about 24 hours and it came out perfect. I dilute it with milk about 3:1 and I don't even need sugar. My sister introduced me to the French press about 5 years ago and I've been hooked since, but this is definitely my new method. Thanks!

Wonderful :) Isn't it great that you don't need sugar? It comes out sweeter and not bitter. Glad you're enjoying it!!

Sounds like a great recipe! I quite love iced coffee myself. Thank you for mentioning that this makes highly concentrated coffee - I tried another recipe and it didn't mention how concentrated it would be, so I, being the silly illogical thing I am, just drank it. I felt absolutely wretched the rest of the day. :P I am glad that you included this warning - perhaps others can escape my jittery fate!!

Thanks for your nice comment - oh yes, coffee concentrate gives me the jitters so badly, dilution is key! Hope you enjoy your new coffee creation!

At my shop we put a teaspoon of cinnamon and a quarter vanilla bean into a gallon of our concentrate(1coffee:5water). The cinnamon and vanilla flavored are really "quiet" but it's wonderful!

Wow, that recipe sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing! I love a hint of vanilla in my coffee, no sugar needed! Thanks for sharing :)

Thanks for the details, I will be giving this a try

Thanks @dimdiode (Great username by the way!) - I hope it goes well! Hopefully you won't even need sugar, it's so flavorful this way!

Oh thanks! I'm gonna make an affogato! :)

Ohhh, I love affogatos! Sounds so tasty! That would make a great Instructable! I hope you enjoy this method, it definitely makes the coffee taste more sweet and less bitter :)

Before I read this I was having trouble with coffee grounds ending up in my drinks. Thanks for the instructable!

Heya, thanks so much! Yeah, I tend to use a store grinder (like at Trader Joes or Safeway) and not my personal one, the grounds get too fine. Hope you enjoy your newly perfected cup of joe!

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How to Make Cold Brew Coffee with a French Press

Cold brew coffee has never been hotter. Most of the major brands have ready-to-drink cold brew sold by the bottle or carton. Many cafes are now offering cold brew on tap or even on nitro.

As we’ve written before, Japanese iced coffee is our favorite way to drink coffee in the warmer months, but there are many reasons why cold brew is a great summer treat. For one, cold brew tastes a lot better with cream and sugar than other iced coffee methods. Sure, you might be a coffee snob, but you probably have a friend who likes a little dairy in their coffee. Cold brew is also a great way to use older coffee which would taste stale brewed hot. But, most importantly, cold brew is ridiculously easy to make. In fact, it’s quite possibly the the easiest way to make coffee ever. As an added bonus, cold brew is perfect for larger batches of coffee and it keeps for several days (which solves the age old dilemma, “How can you make coffee before you’ve had coffee?”).

Cold brew is quite possibly the the easiest way to make coffee ever.

The most delicious cold brew we’ve ever had was brewed with a Yama Kyoto dripper. But unless you have $250 burning a hole in your pocket and a overabundance of counter space, you’re probably looking for a simpler option. The good news is that you probably already have everything you need to make delicious cold brew. So, without further ado, here is the official Compass guide on How to Make Cold Brew Coffee with a French Press.

What You Need

• Coffee – Cold brew works best with coffees with deep sweetness. Think chocolate and caramel notes. We’re using some of this delicious Rwanda Dukunde Kawa from our friends and partners at Greenway Coffee.
• French Press – a French press is pretty much perfect for making cold brew coffee. Most are big enough to make up to a liter of cold brew, and they have a built-in filtration system. If you don’t already have a French press, Bodum makes our favorite.
• Scale – Here we are using the Acaia Coffee Scale, but any kitchen scale will do the job. We have reviewed several.
• Burr Grinder – We can’t say it enough: your grinder is the most important piece of coffee brewing equipment you own. Good coffee is the result of even extraction, which is only possible with even particle size. To have an even particle size, you need a good burr grinder. Baratza makes the best home grinder we’ve used.

Step 1: Weigh and Grind the Coffee

Most cold brew coffee recipes use a 7:1 water to coffee ratio. In other words, for every liter of water you’re going to use about 140 grams of coffee. Here we’re making a half batch, so we are only grinding 70 grams. (If you don’t have a scale this is slightly less than a cup of ground coffee. Read Five Reasons to Own a Coffee Scale while you find your measuring cup).

You’re going to use the same grind size as a French Press. That’s 35 on a Baratza Virtuoso.

Step 2: Add Water

Next, add 500ml of room temperature water. As always, filtered water aids with better extraction, but if there’s any brew method you can get away with using tap water, it’s cold brew.

Step 3: Stir

Make sure all of the grounds are fully immersed by giving the slurry a thorough stir. If you’re using a glass French press, use a wooden spoon so you don’t crack the glass.

Step 4: Wait

This the hardest part of making cold brew: waiting. With this corse of a grind, the coffee should be allowed to steep for 12 hours at room temperature. If you want to slow down the process, (i.e. not wake up at 4 am to decant cold brew) you can steep it in the refrigerator to add a few hours. Put the lid back on the French press, but be careful not to plunge it.

Step 5: Decant

Here’s the only tricky bit: push the plunger an inch or two down for stability, but avoid agitating the slurry. After steeping for 12 hours the coffee grounds are more volatile and any agitation will release the more unpleasant bits of the dissolvable solids that are better left behind. With the screen firmly in place, carefully decant the cold brew into another vessel. Since we live in Kentucky, we like using mason jars.

For a cleaner, sweeter cup, you can run the mixture through a rinsed coffee filter. This will remove the fine coffee particles that passed through the French press filter.

Step 6: Drink and Enjoy

You’ve been waiting for at least 12 hours at this point. It’s time to enjoy some delicious iced coffee. This recipe makes a concentrated brew, so you’ll probably want to cut it to taste. Plan for some dilution from the ice as well. We like to drink our cold brew in a crystal old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, preferably sitting on our porch.

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About Michael

Michael Butterworth is a coffee educator, consultant, and writer. He cofounded the Coffee Compass mostly as an excuse to visit more coffee shops. Michael is a two-time USBC Competitor, licensed Q Grader, and was once the 4th best Aeropresser in America. Michael and his wife Julie write about travel and other things that aren't coffee at pilgrimaged.com

Reader Interactions

What grind setting on a Hario Skerton would you recommend for a French Press? You recommend 8 for v60, right?

Start with 10. Try to make the grounds look like the grounds in the picture.

If you’re using the Hario Skerton for french press, you should definitely add this upgrade. Makes a huge difference in grind consistency. http://www.bluehorseproducts.com/hario-skerton-upgrade-kit

Awesome post michael! I’ve been told multiple times about using a French Press to make cold brew but never looked at the process closely. As far as cutting it with water do you have any recommendations on ratio?

Thanks Todd! High praise coming from a cold brew fiend such as yourself. As far as cutting goes, I would try anywhere from 1/4-1/3 water. Obviously it’s easier to add more water, so start small. To try it “New Orleans style” cut it with milk instead. Let me know how it turns out for you!

Craig Helmen says

I tried this with 70 g of griunds and 500mls of water. The next day, the grounds had soaked up the water and there was nothing to decant. I used a french press. Any thoughts? Thanks

Wow. I’ve never heard of that happening. It’s possible that your coffee was too finely ground. Try using the same coarseness as a French press. If you’re using coffee ground for autodrip try only steeping it for 8 hours.

What amount of the resulting cold brew concentrate would you recommend per cup, with water and/or milk added? I tried 6 ounces after brewing it in the fridge for 12 hours, which I then realized wasn’t long enough in the fridge. The second time I made it, I brewed it at room temperature for 36 hours and it tastes stronger, so I cut 3 ounces of cold brew with 5 ounces of coconut milk and water.

We usually cut our cold brew with about 30% water, but that is simply a preference issue.

Hello Michael, beautiful instructions. I want to make hot (not warm) coffee from the concentrate. do I need to make it even stronger?

Thank you Cathryn! I would not recommend heating cold brew coffee. That’s going to cause a lot of the acids in the coffee to breakdown into quinic acids, which tastes really bad! For hot coffee it’s hard to find a simpler brew method than a Clever dripper: https://www.thecoffeecompass.com/3-best-coffee-accessories/

That is good to know. My quest is to find or create a low acid coffee. As a long time coffee drinker (grinding the beans and using the pour over method) I now find I cannot handle the acid any longer. I live in the Pacific NW and am not a fan of iced coffee. Appreciate your reply, greatly.

I’ve heard of a “dutch americano” which is cold brew in hot water…I tried making it with a cup of hot water and a few ounces of cold brew concentrate and it was still pretty dang smooth.

When you say “plunge an inch or two,” do you mean an inch or two below the spicket on top, or an inch or into into the slurry?

However much is necessary to ensure the lid is stable. The important thing is to filter out the grounds while agitating them as little as possible.

This looks awesome. I have tried this before but never got it to taste right but now that I read this, maybe I was using the wrong coffee.

Ruthie Serrano Peppy-ham says

What kind of scale is that?

Oh WOW! I made this yesterday with locally roasted Peru coffee then decanted through my Pourover filter and tried it for the first time this morning and it is AMAZING! I cut it with milk (and okay, a small scoop of locally made vanilla ice cream – just to help keep it cold of course) and it tasted just as good as a fancy coffee shop drink – better actually since it didn’t come with a $5+ price tag. I think I may have to track down some decaf beans so I can drink this heavenly stuff in the evenings too. Thanks so much for posting this!

You’re welcome! Thanks for trying it.

Michael, if you haven’t already….make ice cubes with your brew…then your iced coffee won’t get watered down with the ice cube you put in your glass!

Stuart Nottingham says

I’m looking for an easy way to make coffee while cycle touring. Could the coffee/water mix be done in a separate container then poured into the press for straining?

Absolutely! That being said it’s hard to beat an Aeropress for compact coffee brewing!

One math quibble, 7/1 is a fraction not a ratio. A ratio of 7:1 would equate to 125g of coffee grounds per liter there being 8 parts 7 water and 1 coffee. While a 140g is 1/7 of a water liter’s mass, that is actually a 6:1 ratio of water to coffee. Even 125g is much more coffee than I typically use a hot brew in my French press, so I’m trying that out (actually 130g, since I didn’t stop grinding in time). I’ll brew it overnight and see how it tastes. Sorry to be critical but I did go to the North Carolina School of Science and Math, and even though Science was my strong suit not Math, I do get bugged by obvious math errors.

Thanks for the critique, I edited the post to reflect it. I should have been more clear in the article, the ratio refers to the ingredients and not the finished beverage. The total mass of the slurry in this recipe would be the water plus the coffee. The finished beverage will end up being less than a liter, as the grounds will absorb a considerable amount of the water.

Great! It does absorb a lot of water. I diluted with milk and added some hot water suspended cocoa powder/sugar mix with a pinch of sea salt, that I also made the night before and chilled, and the mix was terrific for iced mocha coffee for a hot summer morning.

So you don’t plunge the plunger all the way down? Just the 1-2 inches and then pour it into a different container?

I was needing to know this also, not clear above and didn’t want to mess it up.

I’m confused on this point, as well. It says to not disturb the grounds, but as I read the instructions, I assume it means to push the plunger down 1-2 inches, and then tip the whole thing so it pours into a glass. Wouldn’t this agitate the grounds any way because you’re moving the whole thing to pour out the liquid contents? Couldn’t you just push the plunger all the way down to stamp the grounds to the bottom, and THEN pour out the liquid? It seems to me like the agitation would be similar either way.

How many glasses on average would this make? Iced of course. Thanks

That largely depends on how much you want to dilute the concentrate. You should be able to get at least 3-4 cups out of this recipe.

how long will a batch of this last? a few days?

If you keep it refrigerated it should keep for several days.

Does this make a concentrate, or does this make ready-to-drink cold brew? Because 140 grams of ground coffee fills my 1 litre French press halfway… That seems like an insane amount. Yes, I have a good scale.

Adam Morrone says

So for clarification: we only press the plunger down an inch or two, and then pour the whole thing? We’re NOT pressing the plunger all the way down?

The only thing I always find annoying is that the yield is a lot less and when you filter the cold brew through a regular Kalita or V60 filter they always get clogged.

I made some last night with the French Press, 750ml -> 115g of coffee. I used the Nano Chala from CafféCouture in Vienna. It’s super smooth.

Was looking for this recipe to stop spending money at Dunkin Donuts. I’m enjoying my first glass, but I did add 5 teaspoons of carmel sauce. Thanks for this..

So ok, I consulted the trusted barista at my local Starbucks (as I know their cold brew is insanely good) and she recommended their Komodo Dragon blend. Thanks for the good instructions and recipe.. I am now at Step 4 (waiting) and hoping for / looking forward to a great mid-Morning pick-me-up tomorrow!

Great read! Just came across your site. When you weigh the beans are you including the glass into the 140grams weigh in? Planning to make my first batch. Thanks

No. We tare the scale with the receptacle already on it.

Victoria Olson says

140g is a LOT of beans, about 2 cups/ of grounds. That means

3 liters of coffee from a 12 oz bag. Also, i grind by hand with a ceramic burr mill for accuracy, 140g took 20 minutes. It’s sitting in the fridge right now, hoping for the best outcome.

Cold brew is one of the least efficient brew methods when it comes to coffee use. If you’re looking for a more efficient iced coffee recipe try Japanese iced coffee (there’s a link in the post).

I’ve been a French Press coffee drinker for years (at the moment I have three) and then I became addicted to Starbucks ice coffee (it’s the filtered ice, I swear). Then they introduced me to Cold Brew and I drank the Kool-aid 😉 spending $5 a day forever. Then I got the BRIGHT IDEA to use my French Press (didn’t know you had been there, done that). I’m excited to have come across your site and I’m trying it YOUR way–think I didn’t stir it long enough before letting it sit–I too was confused about that 1 1/2 inch thing–enlighten me–I plan to plunge very slowly in 18 hours.

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