French Press Brewing Guide

The Cafetiere is a brilliant and simple way to make a delicious filter coffee, with minimal fuss or precision you can brew a balanced and full bodied cup for up to 12 people. This guide and video will show you how to use a cafetiere to make amazing coffee.

All coffees will taste great through a Cafetiere; what you may lose in complexity you will make up for in body.

Preparation

  • You Will Need

    • Cafetiere
    • Mug
    • Scales
    • Timer
    • 2 Spoons

  • Ingredients

    • 300ml Filtered water, just off the boil
    • 20g Coffee ground for French Press

Method

1. Pre-heat your cafetiere with boiling water. 

Then, leave for 1 minute and dispose of the water. This will keep your brewing temperature stable allowing for a much more even extraction. 

2. Zero the scales. 

Place the cafetiere on the scales and put the 20g of coffee in the cafetiere, then zero the scales again. 

3. Start timer. 

4. Pour 300ml of water just off the boil directly onto the grounds.

Stir and ensure all grounds are wet. 

5. At 4 minutes, stir the crust to release any grounds from the surface.

6. Using a tablespoon, skim the crema off of the surface.

Crema is a combination of the natural fat/oil from the bean and CO₂ that is being released. By skimming from the top we remove unpleasant bitterness, leaving us with a clean cup. 

7. At 4:30, plunge, serve and enjoy!

If your brew tastes bitter, coarsen your grind. If your brew tastes weak and sour, fine your grind. If you want more body, up your coffee dose and adjust grind to taste. 

Coffee FAQ's

How many cups of coffee can I make with a cafetiere?

Depending on the size of your cafetiere, you can make in between 1-12 cups of coffee.

What are the benefits of using a cafetiere?

With a cafetiere, you can easily make enough coffee for a bigger group, without having to repeat the brewing recipe over and over again.