Brew Guide - French Press

Brewing coffee in a French Press follows the same general principles for pretty much every coffee. However, Kona coffee requires its own subtly different approach to brewing in order to maximize flavor potential.

What we’re optimizing for

Sweetness, texture, and aromatic fullness without muddiness or woody bitterness.

Kona coffee is easy to over-extract in a French Press if stirred aggressively or steeped too long. The key is full saturation with minimal disturbance.

What you will need

• A kettle for heating water - preferably with a gooseneck spout. (We use the Fellow Products Stagg EKG)

• A French Press. In the Coffee LAB we use the Yama Glass 6-Cup French Press.

• A timer.

Recipe

• Dose: 30 g coffee

• Grind: Medium-coarse

• Water: 450 g

• Water temp: 205°F

• Ratio: 1:15

• Total time: 4:00

Method

1. Start your timer and add coffee to your preheated press.

2. Pour all water evenly in one continuous pour. Move the kettle in gentle circles to ensure all coffee is evenly wet.

3. Do not stir.

4. Place the lid on top to help maintain heat (do not plunge).

5. At 3:50, plunge slowly and steadily. Serve immediately, or pour the coffee into another container (this removes the brewed coffee from the grinds to prevent further extraction).

Why this works for Kona

• Avoiding stirring avoids speeding up the extraction of heavier bitter compounds.

• Full-volume pouring ensures early compounds (brightness, aromatics) are fully accessed.

• Slightly shorter steep time protects Kona’s clean finish and floral aromatics.

This produces a cup that’s sweet, round, and expressive without the heaviness French Press sometimes introduces.

You will need to dial in the correct grind size for your combination of water and grinder, but this recipe should get you headed in the right direction to get the best out of our 100% Kona coffee at home.

Happy brewing!