# French Press recipe and dial-in guide

> Coarse coffee steeps in the full water charge, then a metal mesh plunger separates it. Heavy-bodied, with the oils left in.

Source: https://cuplift.app/brewers/french-press · Updated 18 October 2026

## A starting French Press recipe

This is where Cuplift starts a new French Press brewer before it knows anything about the coffee. Once you add a bean, the recipe adjusts for roast, process and altitude, then learns from what you taste.

| Size | Coffee | Water | Ratio | Grind | Temp | Brew time |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 3-cup | 20g | 300ml | 1:15 | 800µm (Coarse) | 94°C | 4:00 |
| 8-cup | 60g | 900ml | 1:15 | 800µm (Coarse) | 94°C | 4:00 |
| 12-cup | 85g | 1275ml | 1:15 | 800µm (Coarse) | 94°C | 4:00 |

Grind is in microns because a click means something different on every grinder. 800µm is about 27 clicks on a Comandante C40. Filter: Metal mesh (built-in).

### Steps (3-cup)

1. Add 20g coffee at 800µm
2. Pour all 300ml at 94°C
3. Stir gently x1
4. Steep until 4:00
5. Plunge slowly (~20s)

## Dialling in a French Press

- Grind leads, but steep time is almost as direct — and it has no side effects to untangle.
- Stirring speeds extraction and stirs up fines; agitate less if the cup turns muddy.
- Temperature and water minerals come after grind and time.

Whatever the problem, change one thing per brew. The [dial-in guide](https://cuplift.app/dial-in) covers the order to fix things in.

## Common immersion problems

- [Why does my coffee taste bitter? How to fix it](https://cuplift.app/fix/bitter-coffee)
- [Why does my coffee taste sour? How to fix it](https://cuplift.app/fix/sour-coffee)
- [Why does my coffee taste dry, chalky or astringent?](https://cuplift.app/fix/astringent-coffee)
- [Coffee too strong or heavy? How to lighten it](https://cuplift.app/fix/strong-coffee)