How Much Coffee Is In A French Press?

How much coffee is in a French press? This article explores the proper brewing method and amount of coffee needed when making french press coffee. 

How much coffee is in a french press?
French press coffee maker gives you a strong cup of coffee

If you enjoy a strong cup of coffee, you should try brewing your ground coffee in a French press coffee maker. 

On average, most Americans drink about 3.13 cups of coffee a day. So if you want to make this amount of coffee using a French press, an 8-cup press will be perfect for you.

An eight-cup French press holds about 4 cups of hot water. Therefore, it would make four regular cups of coffee or eight small 4 oz cups.

If you can get by on 1.5 cups of coffee a day, perhaps a 3-cup press would be the better investment. You might also be wondering, how many coffee scoops per cup?

How Much Coffee Is In A French Press?

Many coffee lovers stand by the belief that the French press makes the best coffee. Your ideal French press ratio will include using a 1:15 ratio of coffee to water or three tablespoons of ground coffee for each cup of hot water. Let’s look more in-depth at the amount of coffee to use when learning how to make a cup of French press coffee.

When you begin making your French press brew, remember you are not making espresso. If you decide to grind your own coffee, be mindful of the grind size. It is best to stick with a medium-coarse grind.

To ensure a consistent and uniform grind, you may want to use a burr grinder for your whole coffee beans. Or make it easy on yourself and buy ground beans at the store.

Make sure your carafe is on a stable and flat surface and follow these steps:

  • Pull out the plunger.
  • Add coffee using the water ratio mentioned above ( about 7 grams of coffee per 6.7 oz cup of water).
  • Pour hot water into the cylinder. For best results, the water temperature should not produce boiling water.
  • Place the plunger back in its previous position and stop just above the waterline.
  • Let your coffee steep in hot water. The brew time should last 3 to 5 minutes.
  • Steadily and slowly press the plunger down.
  • You can now enjoy a fresh cup of French press coffee.

How Many Cups Of Coffee Do You Get From A 2lb Bag Of Coffee Beans?

Coffee beans in burlap bags
The amount of coffee will depend on the size of your cup

The amount of coffee cups you will get from this bag depends on how big or small your coffee cups are. Overall, you will get 24 to 46 cups of coffee from 1 pound of coffee beans. So, if you grind all 2 lbs of coffee beans to make coffee in an 8-cup French Press, you can fill up your appliance around 12 to 23 times.

Why French Coffee Brewing Produces Good Coffee?

Coffee oils can add to the taste of a coffee. This method of brewing allows you to enjoy tiny bits of coffee grounds in your java.

While steeping is typically associated with tea, it can also help produce a perfect coffee cup. The aroma is enhanced, and you taste all the layers of flavor since nothing is filtered.

You can enjoy a pure cup of French roast coffee without the impurities associated with drip coffee. You might be interested in our guide on if Bodum is BPA-free.

How To Make Cold Brew Coffee With A French Press?

Ice coffee in a tall glass and coffee beans - how to grind coffee beans for cold brewing
You can cold brew in a French press using a measuring standard

If you want to use a French press to make cold-brew coffee, you may want to use the following measuring standards:

400 g of cold water makes approximately 400g / 500mL of coffee.

On average, you will use between 6 – 9 tablespoons of ground coffee for a liter. However, a more straightforward measurement would be to make sure you use around 1/3 cup (60 mL) of ground coffee for every 400 mL of water you are brewing.

How Much Coffee Is Needed To Make Cafe Au Lait?

The ratio of coffee to milk is about 1:1. So, if you are making coffee in a French Press, you will need twice as much ground coffee to make an equal amount of brewed coffee and frothed milk.

For example, one small 4-ounce cup would require two tablespoons (2/3 cup) of ground coffee for this type of drink.

How Much Coffee Is Needed For American-Style Coffee?

About one tablespoon of coarse-ground coffee will give you about two cups of American-style coffee in a French Press. You may use the same amount of coffee for strong Italian-style coffee but reduce the amount of water by about 1/2 cup.

How Much Coffee In French Press FAQ

How Many Cups Of Coffee Can You Make With A French Press?

When you buy an eight-cup French press, it will hold about four cups of hot water. In other words, it will make about eight small 4 oz cups of coffee or four standard 8 oz cups.

You will need one tablespoon of coffee for every 4 ounces of water. For example, use two tablespoons or 2/3 of a cup for an eight-cup French press. If you want more robust coffee, let the grounds steep longer.

If you are the only coffee drinker in your house, you may want to buy a 2-cup French press that will give you one standard cup of good coffee.

Author

  • Aisling O'Connor

    Aisling is an Irish food and drinks writer and journalist fueled by coffee and herbal tea. She followed up her journalism degree with nutrition studies. Find Aisling on LinkedIn.