Making your own coffee with a French press doesn’t have to be a science (unless you want it to be a science, then it can be a science). In reality, it can be dumbed down into five necessary steps. Before I start laying out the details of how to make French press coffee, a few basics need to be covered. First, ask yourself these questions:
Do I have a French press?
Do I have the ability to boil water?
Do I have coffee beans?
Do I have a coffee bean grinder?
Do I have a mug?
If you have answered no to any these questions, I kindly suggest you go to your local store and invest in buying these items. Or, you can always order some of these supplies off Amazon. If you don’t want to buy a coffee bean grinder, you’ll have to buy your beans already ground, but keep in mind that pre-ground beans typically only stay fresh for up to two weeks.
#SpoonTip: Invest in a bean grinder, it’s worth it and they are not that expensive.
Now you have all of the needed materials to self-caffeinate and you’re ready to roll. I suggest asking friends for their recommendation on coffee beans they like or going to your local coffee shop and buying the ones they use. If none of your friends drink coffee and you don’t have a local coffee shop, just go to Whole Foods and break out the childhood choosing method of eeny-meenie-miny-moe.
Step 1: Measure beans
There is a typical rule of thumb of 2 tablespoons of coffee beans for every 8 fluid ounce of water.
Step 2: Grind beans
This is the only step that can be slightly tricky. If you’re using a hand grinder, you’ll likely have a setting of how you want coarse or fine you want your beans. You’re going to want to grind the beans to a “coarse grind,” but if you’re using an electric grinder pulse the beans until desired consistency.
Step 3: Put beans in French press and boil water
This is as easy as it sounds. Chuck those delicious smelling ground beans into your French press and turn on your source of heat to boil some water. I suggest a kettle, but a stovetop and pot or microwave work just fine.
Step 4: Pour, stir, and wait
I suggest waiting 45 seconds or so after your water has boiled and you’ve turned off the heating element before pouring in the water to avoid burning the beans. After you fill the French press to your desired amount, stir vigorously with a spoon for a couple seconds to ensure proper mixing. Now, wait four minutes for your coffee to steep.
Step 5: Press and enjoy
The moment we’ve all been waiting for: the coffee. Start by slowly pressing down the top of the French press so it can filter out the grounds from the water. Once the filter is at the bottom, pour your coffee into a mug, add some creamer, sugar, whatever you want, and enjoy!
You now know how to make French press coffee, congratulations. French presses are incredibly easy to clean. Simply run your filter under hot water, making sure to remove all grounds, and put on a drying rack. Repeat the same method with the body of your French press. Make sure not to use soap on the filter because it could leave a soapy taste.
#SpoonTip: If you’re looking to switch up your morning cup of coffee, check out these 13 strangely delicious things people add to their morning coffee.