Can’t figure out how much coffee to put in a French press? Use this French press coffee to water ratio and make the perfect cup of coffee at home.
A French press makes it easy to make coffee for several people at once and brews heavy-bodied coffee in just 4 minutes. It’s also plastic-free, so it’s ideal for your health and for the environment.
How does a French press work?
A French press makes coffee by immersing ground coffee in hot water and then separating the grounds from the coffee by pressing down the filter.
French press brew time: 4 minutes
French press water temp: hot water just off the boil (between 195°F and 205°F)
French press grind size: coarse, as breadcrumbs
But, the key to a great tasting French press coffee is using proper coffee to water ratio for French press.
How much coffee in a French press?
French presses are available in a number of sizes, starting at 12 ounces and going all the way up to 51 ounces. Depending on its size or how many cups you wish to make, you’ll need to adjust the amount of coffee.
One detail to keep in mind is that the brands are a little misleading with their measurements. French press cups are not the same as standard US cups.
While standard cup in US measurement is 8 fl ounces, a cup on your press is only 4 fl ounces. This means that a full 4 cup French press makes 2 standard cups (16 fl oz), not 4.
3 cup French press – makes 12 oz coffee
4 cup French press – makes 17 oz (makes 2 standard US cups)
8 cup French press – makes 34 oz (makes 4 cups)
12 cup French press – makes 51 oz (makes 6 cups)
French press coffee to water ratio
The golden French press coffee to water ratio is 2 tablespoons of coffee for every 8 ounces of water. You may use more or less depending on your own preferences.
For bold, strong brew use:
To make 1 standard US cup = Use 8 oz water + 2 tbsp coffee
For 2 cups = Use 16 oz water + 4 tbsp coffee (this amount makes full 4 cups French press)
For 3 cups = Use 24 oz water + 6 tbsp coffee
For 4 cups = Use 32 oz water + 8 tbsp coffee (this amount makes full 8 cups French press)
For 5 cups = Use 40 oz water + 10 tbsp coffee
For 6 cups = Use 48 oz water + 12 tbsp coffee (makes full 12 cup French press)
For medium strength, use:
1 standard US cup = 8 oz water + 1 1/2 tbsp coffee
2 cups = 16 oz water + 3 tbsp coffee
3 cups = 24 oz water + 4 1/2 tbsp coffee
4 cups = 32 oz water + 6 tbsp coffee
5 cups = 40 oz water + 7 1/2 tbsp coffee
6 cups = 48 oz water + 9 tbsp coffee
Cold brew French press ratio
French presses can be used to make cold brew coffee. Simply fill the carafe with coarsely ground coffee beans and cold water, place in the fridge, and let steep anywhere from 12 to 24 hours.
17 oz press – 3 oz coarsely ground coffee + 2 cups (16 oz) cold water
34 oz press – 6 oz coarsely ground coffee + 4 cups (32 oz) cold water
50 oz press – 9 oz coarsely ground coffee + 6 cups (48 oz) cups cold water
Brew guide
If you need instructions, here’s a step-by-step tutorial on how to use a French press, with pictures.
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