LifeHacker lists two techniques to perfect a french press brew: 1) Don’t cover the press during the brew, and 2) skim the grounds off the top before pressing. I don’t usually cover the press, but I have been known to stir the grinds so they don’t collect at the top, unbrewed. A comment in the above post suggests stirring might be a good idea, but that might negate the benefits of skimming. Still, it’s a nice experiment to try.