Did you know that the French press is actually an easy way to experiment with manual brewing? By manual, we mean that you don't have to press a button on a machine to brew your coffee. Manual includes pour over coffees, Chemex brewing and French press. 

Here's our brew guide for the reliable French press. This is an easy brew method, a great first step away from traditional drip. 

 You will need:

A French press

We recommend the Le Creuset French press for many reasons--it's a great balance of form and function. (We actually wrote a brew guide for Le Creuset. You can read it here. )

If you prefer a glass French press, no worries, just make sure that the glass is heat proof. Some cheaper models don’t invest in quality glass and risk the whole thing cracking when you pour in the hot water.

Here’s what you need to get started:

French Press

Coffee, ground as coarse as bread crumbs

Hot water kettle. You can use a tea kettle on the stove. 

The process: 

Step one

Preheat the French press by pouring hot water into it. Note: if you use the Le Creuset French Press, you can skip this step. The ceramic retains heat.

Step two

Add your coffee. How much? It depends on the size of your French press. A good rule of thumb is a 1:15 ratio, meaning one part coffee (in grams) to sixteen parts water (mL). 

Step Three

Add your hot water. Your water should be just off boiling, so as not to scald the coffee. Pour slowly. The coffee will bloom, meaning as carbon dioxide rises out of the beans, the coffee will momentarily expand. It’s acutally quite pretty to watch. Wait a moment, then continue slowly pouring in the coffee.

 Step Four

Don’t plunge—wait a minute. And Another. Another. Another. We recommend waiting four minutes, but it depends on your personal preference and also the coffee you chose to brew.

Step Five

Ok you may plunge now. Serve and enjoy!

Simple and easy, we hope this brew guide takes the intimidation factor out of manual brewing!