Next you need to have some good quality beans and a decent grinder. I am using some Ethiopian Yirgacheffe and a burr grinder set for a medium coarse grind. The French Press I use holds 32 ounces of water which equals a little more than five 6 ounce cups. The rule of thumb is two tablespoon of coffee per 6 ounce cup. I have a two tablespoon scoop and use 6 of those for 32 ounces of coffee. I have big thumbs.