What is the French Press Ratio of Water to Beans

Whether you’re a seasoned French Press owner or just trying out this coffee making device, we’ve all wondered at some point just what is the French Press ratio of water to beans.

It can be tough to achieve the perfect cup, but to spare you the math, we’ve broken down the perfect ratio of water to beans for your morning cup of joe. Read on to get brewing!

French Press Coffee

French Press coffee is made by immersing ground coffee beans in hot water, and then “pressing” them out through a filter. The process is hands-on, and you have a lot of control over the strength of your coffee because you can decide when to stop steeping.

While we love the freedom a French Press gives, if you’re not careful you can end up with coffee on either end of the spectrum- watery and bland or slushy and bitter. The following breakdown will help you ensure you achieve a balanced cup.

• Grind Size

  

  While ratio is important, grind size is too. Even if you have the proper ratio of coffee, the grind size of your beans can make or break your cup. Always ensure you have a coarse, even grind of coffee when working in a French Press. This will ensure maximum saturation without slushy residue.

  Once you’ve got your ideal grind size, you’re ready to get measuring!

• The Ratio

  

  The magic ratio for French Press coffee is between 1:11 parts coffee to water and 1:17 parts coffee to water. You’ll want to go close to 11 parts coffee if you like lighter flavours, and closer to 17 if you like a strong cup. Most people enjoy around the 1:13 ratio.

  While this ratio is specific, it requires a lot of math if you’re measuring manually. You can use this calculator to help you figure out how many beans you need for the amount of coffee you want to brew. You can adjust the calculator for a higher or lower ratio as you like.

• Adjustments

  

  There’s some adjustments you’ll want to keep in mind when brewing your coffee. Each grind of coffee has its own density. A dry tablespoon of one coffee might give you more volume than a dry tablespoon of another grind. For example, light roasts have a higher density than dark roasts, so a tablespoon of light roast is more than a tablespoon of dark roast.

  For this reason it is essential to use a scale to measure out your coffee grounds and your water. You can find scales such as this one on Amazon to ensure you’re measuring your grounds precisely. This will make all the difference in adjusting your brew to your taste.

Conclusion

There’s no one size fits all answer for the question “what is the French Press ratio of water to beans?”. However, starting with a coarse grind, a ratio of 1:13 (beans to water) and using a scale to measure your coffee is the best way to ensure you figure out the perfect ratio for your personal cup.

If you have any more questions about French Press coffee, let us know in the comments below. We’ll be sure to answer your questions as best we can!