Brew guide · French press
Best Coffee for French Press
The best coffee for French press is a medium dark or dark roast with plenty of body, ground coarse. At Gigawatt Coffee Roasters, we'd start with our Kite & Key Blend, then Live Wire Espresso or Cameroon Mount Oku. Every coffee is air roasted in small batches in Bensenville, Illinois, and comes ground for French press when you order.
Shop French press coffee
By Jennifer Coleman, co-founder of Gigawatt Coffee Roasters
What's the best coffee for a French press?
A fuller roast. A French press keeps the grounds in the water for the whole brew and strains through metal mesh instead of paper, so more of the coffee's oils reach your cup. Medium dark and dark roasts turn that into a heavy, smooth body; a light roast tastes brighter. Tap a coffee and it comes ground for French press.
Kite & Key BlendMedium dark. Our pick, and our flagship blend.10 oz · from $13.99Pick this one →
Live Wire Espresso BlendDark. Our darkest. Bold, with a clean finish.10 oz · from $13.99Pick this one →
Cameroon Mount OkuMedium dark. Single origin from Mount Oku. Full body.10 oz · from $13.99Pick this one →
Costa Rican TarrazuLight. For a brighter press: peach and brown sugar.10 oz · from $13.99Pick this one →
Whole bean or ground coffee for French press?
Either one works, as long as it's coarse. Every Gigawatt coffee comes four ways, and two of them belong in a press.
Where most people start
Kite & Key Blend
Our flagship blend and the coffee we'd put in a press first: a medium dark roast from Colombia, Brazil and Guatemala, with notes of dark chocolate, walnut and caramel.
Medium dark Shop Kite & KeyHow do you make French press coffee?
Use a coarse grind, 1 part coffee to 15 parts water, and a 4-minute steep. Here's the whole method, start to finish.
- Heat water to just off the boil, about 200°F.
- Add coarse ground coffee to the press: about 67 grams for a full 34 oz press.
- Pour in all the water, stir once and set the lid on with the plunger up.
- Steep 4 minutes, then press the plunger down slowly and evenly.
- Pour it all out right away, so it doesn’t keep brewing and turn bitter.
Coffee to water
French press coffee ratio
Start at 1 to 15: 1 gram of coffee for every 15 grams of water. Like it stronger or lighter? Tap to change it.
| Press size | Water | Coffee |
|---|---|---|
| 12 oz3 cup | 350 g | 23 g |
| 17 oz4 cup | 500 g | 33 g |
| 34 oz8 cup | 1,000 g | 67 g |
| 51 oz12 cup | 1,500 g | 100 g |
A 10 oz bag of Gigawatt coffee makes about four full 34 oz presses at 1:15.
The Gigawatt difference
Why our coffee works in a French press
Air roasted, never bitter
A press shows you everything in the bean. We roast on hot air in small batches in Bensenville, so the cup stays smooth.
Small batchesDated by hand
The roast date is written on every bag, so you know exactly when it was roasted.
On every bagNothing to risk
If a bag is ever not right, tell us and we'll make it right. No hoops.
See our promiseMore brewing guides
Comparing brewers, or brewing it cold? Start here.
The Gigawatt Guarantee
Never bitter, never burnt, always fresh.
If it's ever not, tell us and we'll make it right. No hoops, no sending anything back.
Shop French press coffeeHow the guarantee works“Always delicious. Never bitter.”
★★★★★Susan L., Dark Roast Sampler
Questions
What is the best coffee for a French press?
A medium dark or dark roast with plenty of body, ground coarse. Our pick is Kite & Key Blend.
How long should French press coffee steep?
About 4 minutes. Much longer pulls out bitterness, so pour it all out as soon as you press.
What is the coffee to water ratio for a French press?
1 to 15: about 67 grams of coffee for 1,000 grams (34 oz) of water. Use 1 to 12 for stronger coffee.
Why does my French press coffee taste bitter?
Usually the grind is too fine or it steeped too long. A coarse grind and a 4-minute steep fix most of it.
Can you make cold brew in a French press?
Yes. Steep coarse grounds in cold water, 1 part coffee to 8 parts water, for 16 to 24 hours, then press and pour.