Is French Press Coffee Stronger Than Drip?

In my life running a coffee-based business I run into lots of different people who are used to drinking drip coffee from an automatic coffee maker every day. Many of them know a lot about French press coffee but they’ve never actually had it or tried to make it.

For the people who are new to French press coffee I’ll try to answer the question of strength in the most generally way possible and then I’ll go into more detail.

French press coffee is typically stronger than standard drip coffee because most people make drip coffee without using enough grind in the basket.

French press coffee is also typically stronger than regular coffee because it is filtered with a fine mesh screen which allows the fines in the coffee grind to make it into the final brewed carafe.

In addition to the fines that some people call sediment or mud the French press allows all coffee oils to get through into your cup which adds to the aroma and taste of the coffee.

French press coffee also contains more body, meaning it feel more robust in your mouth because of the paper filters in drip coffee (or pour over coffee for that matter). This added body can make some people think it is actually stronger too.

What I as a coffee instructor tell my customers is that if you like your coffee strong then a French press is an excellent way to get really good quality, strong coffee in your home.

Much like brewing tea if you use a uniform coarse grind in your French press and steep the coffee for 5 minutes instead of four your coffee will be stronger and more caffeinated.

If you like weaker coffee then steeping the grounds for 3 minutes may be right for you.

Additionally the strength of French press coffee can be influenced by grind particle size as well as the volume of grind.

Stronger coffee (sometimes more bitter in nature) can be achieved by using a slightly smaller grind size. You can also use a regular coarse grind and just use more grind — say 20% more than you would ordinarily.

With drip coffee you have fewer things to change to alter the strength of the brew.

Drip coffee makers brew to one single temp and drip at a stable speed. You can change the grind size and the amount of grind but that’s about it.

On average, the typical person brewing French press coffee makes it stronger than regular coffee but the way they achieve strength is frequently different.

Over on our website we have more detailed articles describing the difference between French press and drip coffee.

Many people opt to switch from drip to pour over to have more control of their brew without having to change grind size or deal with sediment or oils.

Also, if you like strong coffee then take a close look at modern electric percolators which are better made than ever before.

Here is an article on our site comparing percolators to French press coffee.

And, if you thinking about buying a French press anytime in the near future make sure to see this article comparing some of the best French press coffee makers on the market.

Anyone can go to Walmart and pick up a cheap coffee press but if you want a really good one then make sure to see that post!