HOW TO BREW FRENCH PRESS COFFEE

Like its birthplace in late-1920s France, the French Press has an understated sophistication that has managed to walk the line between classic and contemporary its entire life. If you’re just wading into the world of specialty coffee and Detour’s How To Brew series, we recommend starting with this reliable, unfussy option first.

Sometimes called a cafetiere, press pot or plunger, the low-input, high-output qualities of the French Press make it a favourite amongst home coffee consumers and coffee professionals alike. If you’re looking for an excellent brew at home, this immersion brewer (the brewing method used by professional tasters) is the easiest way to go about it. And, the French Press gets bonus points for being simple, quick to brew and easy to clean up.

We’re giving a voice to the humble French Press today.

Ready to brew? We’re here to walk you through the process – you got this.

Brewing Tips

1. Weigh both the coffee beans and your water. The coffee-to-water ratio is your compass, controlling the strength. 
2. Use a burr grinder to grind you Detour Coffee right before you’re ready to roll (see: Grind Notes). 
3. Make your brew with filtered water (Brita or Mavea filters work well). 

Grind Notes:

Coarse grind (like sea salt or bread crumbs)

Let's brew

Coffee:Water = 1:15 
4 Servings = 65g:1L 
2 Servings = 33g:500mL
Brew Time: 5 minutes 

1. Preheat your French Press with hot water. Dump out water. 

2. Weigh and measure your coffee according to the amount of servings you desire. Grind coffee coarse (see: Grind Notes). 

3. Place French Press on your scale, add ground coffee and; tare (clear) scale.  

4. When your kettle has boiled, remove from heat for 30–40 seconds. Pour recently boiled water over coffee. (Note: If you’re using a scale, you can see exactly how much water you’re using, adjusting until you hit your perfect coffee:water ratio.) 

5. Wait 5 minutes while the coffee extracts. 

6. Gently stir. The coffee crust on top should settle to the bottom. 

7. Push plunger/filter down slowly and gently. 

8. Serve and Enjoy.

If you need a coffee for your French Press, check out our coffees.
Need a grinder? We've got them here. 

Happy Brewing.