Brew Guide: French Press | Stumptown Coffee Roasters

French Press

How to Brew Using a French Press

Easy to brew and super consistent, the French Press is very reliable. Its classic and well-engineered design hasn’t changed much since its invention in 1929, and it’s perfect for making multiple cups of heavy-bodied coffee in 4 minutes. Learn how to use the French Press to brew incredible-tasting coffee below.

Let's Get Brewing

Brew Time About 4 Minutes

What You Need

8-cup French Press Brewer
Grinder
56g (8 Tablespoons) ofStumptown coffee
Hot water just off the boil (about 205°F)
Stir Stick
Scale
Timer
Stumptown Diner Mug

Brewing Instructions

Simple guidance for a great cup

Brew Along With Us

Follow along step by step and see how it comes together

Prep and preheat
Fill your kettle with filtered water and heat to just off-the-boil. Preheat your empty French Press by rinsing it with hot water. This helps maintain the temperature while brewing. Discard the rinse water.
Weigh and grind coffee
Measure out 56g (about 8 Tablespoons) of your favorite Stumptown coffee and grind it coarse like breadcrumbs. Add the ground coffee to the French Press, shaking it gently to level the grounds. Zero your scale if using.
Add water
Start the timer when you add the hot water. Fill the French Press halfway with 450g of water, making sure to saturate all the grounds. Gently place the lid on top of the brewer to keep it warm, but do not press.
Stir
At 1:00, remove the lid and stir the coffee grounds into the water.
Add more water
Add more water to 850g, filling the French Press to the top of the metal collar. Put the lid on the brewer and allow the coffee to brew without pressing it down.
Press
At 4:00, it’s time to press. Firmly push the plunger all the way down. If you’re brewing on top of a scale, be sure to move the brewer to the counter before pressing.
Serve and enjoy
Serve it up!

Tip: Pour any coffee not immediately served from the French Press into a carafe to avoid over extraction and bitterness.