Is Your French Press Coffee Bitter? Fix It With These 7 Easy Steps

Is your French press coffee bitter? 

The last few times I brewed with my French press the coffee wasn’t as good as it used to be. In fact, it was bitter and this made me think about what really affected it. Stick around, I’m going to be sharing the best practices for avoiding brewing bitter coffee made with a French press and tips on what’s the best grind size for a French press. 

Let’s jump straight into it. 

Why is your French press coffee bitter? 

The most common reason that makes your French press coffee bitter is over extraction. This happens when a huge amount of coffee acids and lipids are extracted while coffee bean fibers start to dissolve which lead to bitter coffee. Using stale coffee beans for brewing is another reason that makes your coffee bitter. 

 7 reasons that make your French press coffee bitter

Let’s talk in detail about the most common reasons that make your coffee made with a French press bitter.

1. Too long brewing 

Brewing not long enough will make your coffee not that rich as not much flavours and aromas come up from the coffee grinds. On the other hand, brewing too long leads to over extraction, meaning that too much of flavours and aromas are extracted making your coffee bitter. It’s wise to find the soft spot of brewing coffee with a French press to make delicious rich coffee. 

As a rule of thumb, 4-5 minutes is the ideal time for brewing coffee with a French press. But this also depends on the coffee grinds and the French press itself. It’s wise to experiment to find out what really works best for you. 

2. Stale coffee beans

How long have been keeping these coffee beans/grounds in your cupboard? The bad news is that the moment you open the coffee pack the rest of the coffee beans/grounds start getting stale, and the longer you keep them the more stale they’re going to be. It goes without saying that coffee brewed with stale coffee beans has an unpleasant taste. 

The good news?

You don’t have to use stale coffee beans, especially if you’ve been keeping them in your cupboard for months. Get rid of them and buy the portion you really need. For example, if you drink 3 cups of coffee at home, you’ll need only 30gr (10gr per cup) per day; go for a 300gr pack which is going to last you 10 days and the coffee you’re going to brew with it is going to be fresh and delicious even on the 10th day. 

3. Coffee grinds left in the French press

One of the most common mistakes coffee lovers do when brewing with a French press is to leave coffee grinds in the cylinder when they’re done with brewing. What happens is coffee grinds keep interacting with the water causing over extraction and turning the coffee you just brewed into bitter. Once you’re finished with brewing, it’s wise to take off the plunger and remove the coffee grinds from the inside of the cylinder. Use a strainer to put coffee in an empty container, throw the used coffee grinds away and pour the coffee back into the French press. 

4. Too high water temperature 

Similar to brewing time, you should hit the right temperature to brew delicious coffee with a French press. If the water isn’t hot enough, the odds are your coffee is going to be almost tasteless and nowhere near rich. On the other hand, if it’s too hot, it’s going to lead to over extraction giving your cup of joe an unpleasant taste. 

What’s the right temperature then?

The ideal temperature for brewing with a French press is between 195°F and 205°F (90°C and 96°C respectively). 

What’s the best way of measuring the water temperature? 

You can simply use a coffee thermometre to measure the temperature to ensure you brew at the right temperature each time. If you don’t have one, I highly recommend you get one as the investment is relatively low, you can get a decent one online for $12. 

5. Too thin coffee grounds 

Unlike the ideal grind size for brewing with a coffee machine or Moka pot, coarse grinds are needed when making coffee with a French press. More specifically the grinding size should be between 0.75mm-1mm; anything lower than that will lead to over extraction and I’ve already mentioned, over extraction equals bitter coffee. 

Here’s the ground size for each gadget and machine: 

• Cold Brew → Extra Coarse 
• French Press → Coarse 
• Aeropress → Medium
• Moka pot → Thin 
• Greek coffee → Extra thin

6. Coffee to water ratio

Using too much coffee grounds when brewing, is going to make your coffee bitter. A great rule of thumb is to use 2 tbsp of coarse ground coffee for every 6oz of water or another very common coffee/water ration is 1/15 (1gr of coffee for 15 gr of water). It’s up to you to experiment if you go slightly higher or lower than these recommendations to make your coffee as strong as you like. But it’s wise not to completely ignore these rules as your coffee is going to taste bitter. 

7. Not clean enough French press

If your French press isn’t clean enough (you guessed it) your coffee is going to taste bitter. Keeping your French press in top condition is relatively easier compared to cleaning a coffee brewer. All you need to do is to give the plunger and the cylinder a good wash right after you’re finished with your brewing to remove any coffee residue and coffee lipids that build up on the inside over time. 

How do you fix bitter French Press coffee?

Let’s chat about simple methods for fixing French press coffee that tastes bitter:

• Brew 4-5 minutes: it’s wise to stick to this time and don’t brew longer than that, this way you’ll avoid burning the coffee. 

• Use fresh coffee beans: if you keep an open pack of beans in your cupboard for months, the chances are your coffee will be bitter. It’s a good idea to use only fresh beans to enjoy coffee every single time. 

• Opt for coarse coffee grinds: it’s recommended to use coarse coffee grinds so you avoid over extraction.

• Remove the used coffee grinds from the French press: this way the coffee that stays in the cylinder won’t turn bitter. 

• Stick to the right water temperature: it’s a good idea to use hot water at the right temperature to avoid coffee with an unpleasant taste. 

• Coffee to water ratio: measure the ratio to ensure you don’t use too much of either coffee or water which would make your coffee taste weird. 

• Keep your French press in top condition: cleaning is boring but it’s wise to spend 2 minutes cleaning your French press after each brewing. 

Let’s wrap it up

You made it to the end of this article, so I believe you know more about what makes coffee made with a Fench press bitter. If you enjoyed this article, go back to the home page and search for other articles on French press and brewing delicious coffee. That’s all for now, stay tuned and keep it real. 

FAQ

Let’s take a look at some of the most common questions on the topic.   

Why does my French Press coffee taste burnt?

It’s probably because you have brewed longer than it’s recommended. Stick to 4-5 minutes and make sure to track the time so you don’t end up brewing longer and burn your coffee. 

Is French Press a waste of coffee?

The short answer is: no 

A French press produces less waste compared to other coffee gadgets or machines, and you can use the used coffee grinds in your garden to make compost and spread it over your lawn to keep it green and healthy.