How to dose a 1L French press?

For a 1-litre French press, the recommended ratio is 60 to 70 grams of coffee per 1,000 ml of water — roughly 1 level tablespoon (6–8g) per 100 ml. This ratio falls within the SCA range for filter coffee (55–65g/L). The grind should be coarse, like sea salt, and the steeping time 4 to 5 minutes at 92–96°C.

The French press (also called a cafetière or plunger) is one of the simplest and most widespread brewing methods in the world, among both amateurs and professionals. Its principle is total immersion: the grounds remain in contact with the water for the entire steeping duration before being separated by the plunger pressure. For a 1-litre capacity, dosing is crucial because an error of a few grams multiplied across ten cups will have a major impact on taste.

The base ratio: 60g/L (SCA filter coffee ratio) yields a balanced and accessible coffee. For a stronger brew, go up to 65–70g/L. For a lighter coffee suited to long drinking or palates unaccustomed to strong coffee, 50–55g/L is acceptable. The golden rule is to use a kitchen scale rather than volumetric measures (spoons) — the weight of ground coffee varies considerably depending on bean density and grind size.

The grind is coarse — coarser than for an electric filter, similar to coarse sea salt or coarse sugar. Too fine a grind produces a cloudy, gritty and over-extracted drink. Water temperature: 92 to 96°C (boiling water left to rest for 30–60 seconds). Procedure: pour a little hot water over the coffee for the bloom (30 seconds), then add the remaining water, stir gently, place the lid without pressing and wait 4 minutes. Press the plunger slowly (20–30 seconds). Pour immediately — never leave the coffee steeping longer with the grounds as it over-extracts.

For a 1L French press serving 4 people, the reference recipe is: 60g coffee + 1,000 ml water at 93°C, 4 minutes steeping, plunger pressed slowly. A surprising fact: the French press is one of the rare methods that allows coffee oils (cafestol and kahweol) to pass into the cup because there is no paper filter to trap them — giving it more body but also higher diterpene content, substances associated with a slight increase in blood cholesterol with high daily consumption.

French press recipes by capacity