Master the art of using a French press to produce a sublimely full-bodied brew with superior depth of flavor and richness—no cream or sugar required.
Courtesy of Aharon Coffee
Written byBatSheva Vaknin, of Aharon CoffeeAugust 22, 2020
Share this story
We only recommend things we love. If you buy something through our site, we might earn a commission.
Aharon Coffee is a Los Angeles-based roaster and purveyor supplying beans to premiere businesses throughout the region. A favorite of the Sunset Staff, Aharon Coffee will bring you inside the world of high-quality coffee in this new weekly series. For more information, visit the Aharon Coffee website.
Before we opened our Beverly Hills 90210 café, Aharon Vaknin, my husband and founder of Aharon Coffee, used to brew French press coffee for us almost daily at home. We loved the naturally occurring coffee oils that gave our cup a wonderfully bold, rich flavor and a full-bodied mouthfeel.
In our café, you won’t find French press coffee on our online menu (though we’ve been known to offer it as an “off the menu” option for those who ask) but at home, it’s still a Vaknin staple.
Simply put, French press coffee is one of the most enjoyable ways to brew and sip!
How to Make Your French Press Coffee Dazzle the Senses
People who enjoy French press tend to like their coffee rich and full-bodied. Our Movito perfectly fits that bill, as do some of our single-origin offerings, like our honey processed Honduras, or our Colombia coffee. Ethiopia is also fantastic and nuanced when brewed as a French press. Play around. Find the coffee with the flavor notes that you will love.
Pre-Heat Your French Press
All the pros know: Before you brew coffee into a vessel (like French press or pour-over), first pour hot water into the vessel and swirl it around a bit, to pre-heat it. Just don’t forget to toss that water out before brewing.
Grind Coffee: Coarse Grind
Coffee should be ground coarsely, much coarser than drip grind (but not as coarse as for cold brew). Have a look at this blog to see why the grinder used to grind your coffee is so important. If you want your beans to last longer, invest in a grinder.
We love this Encore by Baratza. Or if you will consume the beans within a week or so, ask us to grind your coffee for you.
Weigh or Scoop Grinds into a French Press
In our Beverly Hills café, we weigh 10g of coffee per 1 gram of water (so a one-cup French press takes 45g of coffee and 450g of water).
For the standard larger size 3-cup French press (if you don’t use a scale), we recommend 6 coffee scoops (12 tablespoons) of coffee.
To answer your question: Yes, French press takes a lot of coffee for each brew. Don’t skimp or it won’t taste right.
Fill French Press Vessel with 200 Degree Water, Cover, and Brew for Four Minutes
Ratio of water to coffee is very important. It’s important enough to repeat: 1g of water for 45g coffee. Check out this blog to understand the part water plays in making your coffee taste fantastic. (Hint: It plays a big part.) Please do not use unfiltered water; your coffee will not taste amazing.
Stir/agitate the grinds & water together gently with a spoon in order to encourage the total extraction of coffee from the grinds.
Keep it hot! Put the cover back and wait a couple more minutes. Total brew time for French press including the bloom (see pro tip, below) should be 4 minutes.
Enjoy Your Coffee!
(Like this really needed to be a step!)
Pro Tip: When you are ready to add the hot water, first, fill the French press vessel only one-fourth of the way full with 200-degree water. Then wait one minute as your coffee blooms. What does that mean? Watch the coffee at this stage and you will know where the terminology comes from. The coffee grinds will de-gas, and, as the naturally occurring gases release, the coffee blooms upwards. After the bloom, add the remainder of the hot water, stir/agitate, cover, and wait another 3 minutes for the perfect extraction.
Important: Boiling water is not a friend of coffee! Depending on your preference, you want water that’s between 195 and 202 degrees, and to control that temperature, you need one of these highly precise Bonavita kettles, which warm the water quickly and pour quite elegantly.
Bonavita 1.0L Variable Temperature Gooseneck Kettle, $95
2 of 11Courtesy of Amazon
Scales: Not Just for Geeks
Okay, we know what you’re going to say: Seriously, a scale? I am not a coffee geek! Fair enough. But if you want to make better coffee, you need to know precisely how much coffee you’re using, and the Hario is going to tell you that, measuring beans to 0.1 grams. Trust us, within days of starting to do this, it’ll seem entirely natural, and the idea of using a scoop will sound ridiculous. Bonus: You can use it to measure things other than coffee, like artisan flour.
Hario V60 Drip Coffee Scale and Timer, $64.25
3 of 11Courtesy of Food52
Grind It Right, Right?
Nothing beats freshly ground coffee, and with this grinder from Bellevue, WA–based Baratza, you can choose from 40 grind settings to truly become an expert on how coarse or how fine you want your grounds.
Baratza Virtuoso+, $249
4 of 11Courtesy of Amazon
Easy Espresso: AeroPress
When it comes to roughing it, most of us draw the line at giving up morning coffee. Luckily, there’s the AeroPress, invented by the same entrepreneur behind the Aerobie, the magical flying disk. This innovative coffee maker has garnered thousands of rave reviews for its ability to brew perfect americano or espresso in 30 seconds. Easier and more reliable than a French press, it uses air pressure to press boiling water through coffee grounds and straight into your cup. Cleanup takes about a minute, and the durable pieces store neatly in a travel bag, making the AeroPress the perfect camping gadget to bring along for a cuppa.
AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker, $30
5 of 11Courtesy of Amazon
Slow and Simple: Chemex
Time-tested and beloved by baristas and home brewers alike, the pour-over offers a pure expression of a bean’s flavor profile. Designed in 1941 by an eccentric chemist, timeless.
CHEMEX Pour-Over Glass Coffeemaker, 6-Cup, $45
6 of 11Courtesy of Breville
The Convert: Breville Barista Pro
A perfect all-in-one solution for the at-home barista, this unit takes up minimal counter space, and looks good doing it. We’re huge fans of the integrated burr grinder—which saves additional space—as well as the smart grind adaptor feature. The best part: It’s ready to brew mere seconds after firing up.
Breville Barista Pro, $800
7 of 11Courtesy of Blue Bottle
Cold Brew, Overnight: Hario Coldbrew System
Stop paying $6 for iced coffee. It’s not rocket science: Throw some ground coffee in the filter of this unit and you’ll have wonderful coffee all week long, for a tenth of the price of store-bought brew.
Hario Cold Brew Bottle, $35
8 of 11Courtesy of La Marzocco
The Virtuoso: La Marzocco Linea Mini
Used in many commercial contexts, the Ferrari of espresso machines boasts a dual boiler system for keeping the brew head and steam wand ready for action simultaneously. You’ll coax wonderful shots out of this unit, but like a Leica rangefinder camera or a vintage manual race car, it requires finesse to see top results. Isn’t that part of the goal?
La Marzocco Linea Mini, $5,400
9 of 11Courtesy of Amazon
Pretend You’re in a Fancy Café
Your pour-over coffee game is about to get even better. For the fancy coffee aficionado, this sleek model features a beautiful glass dripper which rests on a brass stand with an American walnut base. The stand adjusts to the height of your mug or pot.
Brass Pour Over Coffee Dripper, $60
10 of 11Courtesy of Ember
A Smarter Sip
Smart technology comes to the teahouse with this mug that keeps your coffee consistently toasty warm at your desired temperature. Sitting with your drink for a spell? Keep your mug resting in the battery-powered base to ensure the warmth stays in check. Want to take it to go? The Ember comes in a travel mug version, powered by a portable battery (although it won’t stay warm for as long as the desktop version). Originally available in white, we love the matte black finish for its neo-noir vibe.
Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug, $109.95
11 of 11Nicole Clausing
French Press
Nothing beats the rich, silky cup of coffee you get from a French press. We particularly like this one, with its unbreakable stainless steel construction.
