French Press Coffee: How to Get a Rich, Full-Bodied Brew

The Case For French Press

No shortcuts. No paper filter standing between you and the coffee. Just fresh grounds, hot water, time, and a little patience

The result is a rich, full-bodied cup with a smooth, velvety texture. Without a paper filter, more of the coffee’s natural oils make it into your cup, bringing out deeper body, complexity, and character.

It’s a brewing method built for coffees that can hold their own—especially our darker roasts like Night Watch and Ridgeline Roast.

What You’ll Need

• French press — 32 oz, but any size will do
• Burr grinder
• Kettle
• Kitchen timer
• Fresh Trailforged Coffee Co. beans
• Good water

The Ratio

Start with a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio.

That's 1 gram of coffee for every 15 grams of water.

For a standard 32 oz French press:

55g coffee + 825g water

You can adjust from there. Want it stronger? Add a little more coffee. Prefer a lighter cup? Back it off slightly.

The goal isn't perfection on paper. It's finding the cup that keeps you coming back.

Grind Size

Go coarse.

Think sea salt or rough breadcrumbs.

A grind that's too fine can slip through the mesh filter, leaving sediment in your cup and extracting the coffee too aggressively. Too coarse, and you may end up with a weak, underdeveloped brew.

Start coarse. Adjust from there.

Water Temperature

Aim for 195–205°F (90–96°C).

For darker roasts like Night Watch, try the lower end of that range around 195°F. It can help preserve the deeper chocolate and roasted character without pulling out excessive bitterness.

The Trailforged Method

1. Preheat

Fill your French press with hot water and let it sit for a moment. Discard the water before brewing.

2. Load the Grounds

Add your freshly ground, coarse coffee to the empty press.

3. Pour

Start your timer and pour the hot water evenly over the grounds. Make sure every bit of coffee gets saturated.

4. Stir & Set

Give the grounds a gentle stir, then place the lid on top with the plunger pulled completely up.

Don't press yet.

Let time do its work.

5. Steep

Let the coffee steep for 4 minutes.

This is the part where patience pays off.

6. Press

Press the plunger down slowly and steadily.

If you have to force it, your grind is probably too fine. If the plunger drops with almost no resistance, your grind may be too coarse.

7. Pour

Pour immediately.

Don't leave the finished coffee sitting in the press. The grounds will continue extracting, which can push the cup toward bitterness.

Best Beans for French Press

French press shines when body, richness, and depth are part of the experience.

Night Watch brings a bold, dark-roast character with deep chocolate and smoky notes—a natural fit for the French press.

Ridgeline Roast takes a different approach, delivering a balanced medium-dark profile with caramel sweetness and enough depth to stand up to the method.

Two different trails. Same destination: a dang good cup of coffee.

Find Your Roast

Whether you're looking for something bold enough to start the night watch or smooth enough to carry you up the next ridgeline, there's a Trailforged roast waiting.

-Where the trail meets the grind 

Browse our roasts and find your French press favorite.