Using a French press is a very popular manual coffee brewing method. Most people are at least vaguely familiar with it. Although French press brewing is a relatively straight forward method you may have a few questions. Below you will find my coffee to water ratio for French press, grind for French press (plus recommendations on a French press grinder) and a recipe for French press coffee.

French Press vs. Pour Over

While drip brewing is in the pour over brewing category, French press brewing is an immersion brew method. Immersion brewing methods generally utilize a larger grind size and longer brewing times. The result is typically a cup of coffee with a lot more body, but less brightness in the cup flavors.

Here are the main differences in French Press vs. Pour Over brewing:

  • The equipment- Unlike pour over brewing, a gooseneck kettle isn’t necessary for achieving consistent results. If you have a French press, coffee and hot water, you can brew.
  • The taste- French press will generally produced a cup of coffee with a lot more body than a pour over, especially if you are using paper filters for your pour over. The French Press allows a lot more of the fats and oils from the ground coffee to end up in the final cup of brewed coffee.
  • The difficulty-The French press is considered to be a little more simple of a brewing method. It is a little easier than most pour over techniques to control your variables and get a consistent cup of coffee. There are also far less variations and techniques associated with brewing with a French press.

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