Aqil Amjid
You will be able to recognize the best type of coffee suitable for the French Press method. Besides, we have included a detailed guide that will take you through everything about the french press method and what type of coffee beans are suitable to be used with French Press. Also, if you want to know how to make French Press coffee the best way, we have included that. Use the navigation below to reach whatever you want to know.
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Coffee Made using french press has a different class of taste which many people prefer over modern drip coffee makers. But the coffee would only be worth it if a proper series of steps and preparation is followed. This preparation, among many other things, involves using the right coffee beans, having perfect grind size, and in a precise ratio to the water. This is why you should know what is the best coffee for the french press. Because you would come across a wide variety of whole coffee beans and pre-ground coffee, but not all of them are suitable for use in a french press. Some of the best coffee beans for the french press were picked and added to the list here. Coffee from these brands will surely be an excellent addition to a perfect cup of coffee. Let’s dig into some of these great coffee beans and see if it is better to grind coffee beans yourself or buy pre-ground coffee for the french press.
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What Coffee Beans are Best for French Press?
There are several ways for making yourself a cup of coffee. Each of these methods has a different process and requires a specific sort of beans. Also, every method has different results. But here, since we are talking about the best coffee for the french press, we will stick to it. Below are enough details to make you sure about choosing the best coffee beans for the french press. Keep in mind that the proper method for using a french press is as important as selecting the beans; we have added a guide that tells you how to make french press coffee.
Pre-Ground vs. Grinding Beans Yourself
The first and most important thing to know is whether you should use pre-ground coffee or buy whole beans and then grind them yourself. Many people buy pre-ground coffee and use them in their french press, this saves them time, and they do not need to buy a separate grinder either. But the thing here is that the french press method for brewing coffee needs the coffee grounds to be in a specific way. Which, being honest, can only be attained if you grind the beans yourself at home.
The thing with pre-ground coffee is that, first, it won’t be fresh most of the time. And second, most brands grind the beans to a very fine level which is not suitable for the french press. See, the freshness of beans is of the utmost importance for any coffee brewing method. And also, splendid coffee grounds would pass through the perforations of your french press. They will leave behind a certain amount of those grounds in your cup of coffee. This most certainly is what you don’t want your cup of coffee to be.
However, if you still decide to stick with pre-ground coffee, don’t put an extra thing (grinding) on your own. Here is what you should do, you should buy your coffee beans at some local store which you know has a good number of sales, this indicates that the beans are fresh. Besides, ask them to get you a medium or dark roast which is preferable for the french press. And most importantly, ask them to grind them at a medium-coarse size. And finally, everything aside but grinding the coffee beans yourself at home is still unbeatable, period.
Anyway, should you decide to grind the beans yourself, you can go for either a manual or an electric coffee beans grinder. Not all grinders will be perfect for a grind, and thus your ground coffee won’t be suitable for the french press. Here are two coffee grinders that will get you a nice grind that can be used in a french press.
- Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder – an electric coffee grinder which gives you the option of choosing among 40 different grind sizes and the coarse range of grind settings in it is perfect for french press.
- Porlex Mini Stainless Steel Coffee Grinder – a manual coffee grinder which is small in size and comes with a ceramic burr which grinds nicely for a french press.
Recommended Coffee Beans for French Press
For a perfect cup of coffee using the french press method, your beans need to be of a particular type and have some properties. So, what would be the best coffee for the french press? The coffee you use should have proper grind size, they need to be fresh, and the roast of the beans holds importance. Make sure your coffee fits these properties, and rest assured, your coffee will taste delicious.
Grind of the Beans
Grind size of the beans you use can affect your coffee in two different ways. First, a fine grind will pass through into the water inside your french press, leaving behind a certain level of a trace of coffee grounds that no one likes. Your final cup needs to be a smooth cup of coffee having nothing but water and the taste of coffee in it.
Second, and this one is important, the bigger the coffee ground particles, the higher the surface area for water. This leads to effective flavor extraction, which means your coffee will be richer in taste, having everything in it the same as the beans had. So, keep in mind that you should never go for a fine grind at all when using a french press. The coffee grounds should always be anywhere between medium to coarse grind size.
Freshness of the Beans
There is no doubt about the importance of the freshness of the coffee beans. Everyone will tell you to always get fresh coffee beans, OK good. But why? Why is freshness so important? What can be the reason for it? Here is why your best coffee beans for the french press need to be fresh. You must know that coffee beans are roasted before they are ready to be used; roasting is what brings out the aroma, flavor, and all the rich things the beans hide inside. While roasting is done, these compounds start flowing out, and most of the time, 70% of the richness is lost before they arrive at your doorstep. This is because it takes time to clean, pack, ship, and receive.
Now, 70% is OK, but if the beans pass on another month or so in the store, they won’t be worth it. They lose all their richness, and these beans become stale. So make sure the beans you buy have only passed anything between 3 – 9 days after they were roasted; this is when the freshness, flavor, and aroma is at their peak. Also, make sure you do not buy too many beans altogether, buy in a small amount to always have fresh coffee beans.
Roast of the Beans
Coffee Beans, in general, are roasted to three different levels. Namely, light, medium, and dark roast. The harder the beans are roasted, the more oil comes out to the surface, and the more bitter is the taste.
Light roast turns the color of the coffee light brown, and there is very little oil that comes out of the beans. Such beans have a very delicate flavor which makes them unsuitable for the french press. No one wants a weak coffee because the french press itself is not a hard brewing method; it totally depends on how the beans are. So, a light roast is what you should not be buying.
On the other side, medium and dark roasts are what people go for when using a french press. Medium roast coffee has more oil on it than light roast; the taste is pretty balanced and is one of the best roast types for the french press in general. And talking about the dark roast, it is also preferable for the french press because you will be able to see oil on the beans very easily. Their taste is very strong, and they even get a touch of bitterness. But dark roast would only be good for people who use a french press and want their coffee to be ultimately strong. So medium roast is what you should consider for the french press if you want regular coffee, and dark roast is what you should go for if you want a nice strong coffee using a french press.
How to Make French Press Coffee
Now that you have the best tasting coffee beans for the french press let’s see how to prepare coffee using it. It really is a simple method. As mentioned earlier, for a perfect cup of coffee using a french press, all you need is the proper coffee, hot water, and a french press itself. However, there is one thing which you should know about very closely, it is the proportion of water and coffee grounds. It always depends on you; if you make coffee for a longer period yourself, you will get the proportion right yourself. Because only you know how you like your coffee, strong or weak. But for starters, for a normal cup of water which is around 6 – 6.5 ounces, you should add 1 tablespoon of coffee, which roughly equals 6 – 7 grams. OK, let’s jump towards the method now.
- Hold your french press firmly and make sure to place it somewhere dry; this will stop it from slipping here and there. And then pull the plunger to the top.
- Add coffee grounds to the french press in proportion to how much water you will be adding.
- Now add hot water and stir it gently.
- Push the plunger to the level where the water starts; do not push through the water yet.
- After 3 – 4 minutes, steadily push the plunger right to the bottom.
- Your french press coffee is ready; make sure you always wash the plunger and pot after every use.
The Best Coffee for French Press in 2022
1. Death Wish Organic USDA Certified Whole Bean Coffee
Caffeinated coffee for french press
Coffee Properties
Double Caffeine than Usual, Dark Roast, Low Acidity
This coffee comes from either Arabica or Robusta beans, both of which are highly caffeinated in nature. It is well known for having almost twice the strength compared to an average cup of coffee. This helps you make one of the strongest cups of coffee using a french press. Besides, the beans are dark roast and perfectly roasted, making the beans dark for a more rich flavor. Even better is the fact that being highly strong, there is a very low level of acidity. Also, Death Wish Coffee is USDA Organic certified, which makes it even more favorable for people. It is available in both whole beans or pre-ground form. So, if you love to start your morning with strongly caffeinated coffee, this is what you need. It truly stays to be one of the best coffee brands for the french press.
2. Browny Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Roasted Coffee Whole Beans
Medium roast coffee
Coffee Properties
Medium Roast, Hand Roasted, Arabica Beans
At Browny’s, the beans are roasted freshly in New York. So if you are in the states, you will definitely get some good freshly roasted coffee beans. OK, so their beans are Ethiopia Yirgacheffe, one of the prominent beans for rich taste and flavor among Arabica beans. Their beans are carefully selected and then hand-roasted, which means the roast is perfect. Besides, they have some sort of artistic touch to the whole brand. Therefore they do everything carefully with utmost detail. And the roast for these whole coffee beans is medium, which makes them perfect for french press and for those who like not so strong coffee.
3. Subtle Earth Organic Whole Coffee Beans
Chocolaty flavored coffee
Coffee Properties
Medium-Dark Roast, Low Acidity, Chocolaty flavor, Arabica beans
These medium-dark roasted whole beans of Subtle Earth Organic Coffee by Don Pablo are from the Marcala region. These Arabica beans are 100% organic and certified by CCOF, which means that no chemicals are used in these beans. The beans are full-bodied and will give you rich chocolaty flavors. Additionally, Organic coffee comes with some notes of honey, caramel, and cocoa, which in return gives a pleasant taste. Since the beans are medium-dark roasted, so the acidity level is low. Plus, the beans are roasted in small batches, which ensures that you get the freshest beans. As these are whole beans, so you need to have a grinder in your kitchen. In case if you don’t have a grinder, you can ask the superstore or local coffee shop to grind it for you. Though these beans are medium-dark roasted, you can get them if you are looking for light or dark roasted beans.
4. Two Volcanoes Ground Coffee – Dark Roast Espresso Blend
French press coffee with fruity notes
Coffee Properties
Fruity/Wooden Notes, Dark Roast, All Processing in Origin
This pre-ground coffee comes straight from Guatemala, where it is cultivated, processed and packed all in one place. This definitely ensures the quality and freshness because everything happening at the origin is simply amazing, making it one of the best pre-ground coffee for the french press. The coffee is a dark roast, which makes it preferable for the french press. Along the way, experiencing this coffee, you will come across fruity and wooden notes that give it a somewhat sweetish side. Now, the thing is that the taste is all OK for being used in a french press, but this coffee is specifically an espresso blend which means it is a fine grind. This should worry you a little because too fine grind can sometimes flow through the plunge mesh of your french press and get mixed up with your coffee. Anyway, if you are OK with a little trace of coffee grounds in your coffee, then you should be good to go with this one.
5. Koffee Kult Dark Roast Coffee Beans
Low acidity coffee beans
Coffee Properties
Dark Roast, Roasted in Small Batches, Low Acidity
Koffee Kult dark roasted beans come from Colombia, Guatemala, and Sumatra, making it an excellent quality supply. They are roasted in small batches about their roasting, which ensures that each and every bean is ideally and consistently roasted. Every time you use this coffee in a french press, the taste will be consistently bold and strong yet not bitter and has low acidity. A unique thing here is that dark roast beans always come with plenty of oil; however, this should be the perfect option if you want dark roast but no access to oil. Because the roasting process is a bit different, which removes access to oil, giving plain dark roast coffee beans without any additional flavors.
6. Community Coffee Signature Blend Dark Roast Premium Ground
Best pre-ground coffee for french press
Coffee Properties
Dark Roast, Optimal Grind for French Press, Multiple Blends
Community Coffee Signature Blend is a dark roast ground coffee that has been a family business for 4 generations. It is one of the most loved coffee among the pre-ground form. The taste of this coffee is bold, and the beans are roasted dark to perfection. What makes it the best coffee for the french press is that the grind is not too fine to easily mix up with water inside it. Besides, they offer it in different varieties like the breakfast blend, signature blend, and the cafe special. So you could buy it as per your use and occasions. But the signature blend is the most prominent one, which many people around will be using for sure.
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7. Peet’s Coffee Major Dickason’s Blend Dark Roast Whole Bean Coffee
Hand roasted coffee beans
Coffee Properties
Dark Roast, Best Seller from Peet’s, Hand Roasted
Major Dickason used to be a loyal customer of Peet’s and came up with an idea for a perfect blend. They together came up with something truly remarkable. Major Dickason’s Blend Dark Roast is now their all-time best seller. It is a dark roast coffee, rich with taste and flavor, and is perfect for drip or french press coffee. This blend comes from some of the finest quality coffee beans. The roasting process is enjoyable; the beans are hand-roasted in small batches ensuring each bean is roasted to perfection. And what makes these beans and this specific blend one of the best coffee for the french press is that the roasting level is medium-dark.
8. Fresh Roasted Coffee LLC Kenya AA
AA grade Kenya coffee
Coffee Properties
Kenya AA Grade, Caffeinated
The 2-pound bag of medium-dark roast coffee offered by Fresh Roasted Coffee LLC comes straight from Kenya and is AA level. This means it is not some specific type of coffee, instead of the best grade coffee you can get in Kenya. The beans are graded when still on the plant, and so the AA grade is the best grade among almost 8 different grades. To be graded AA, each bean has to be at the standards of the great. Thus resulting in a sweet and balanced flavor that will be the best coffee for the french press. Besides, after the excellent grade, these beans are further treated on raised beds and standard roasters, further bringing out the flavor and smell of these beans.
What is the best coffee for French press?
For a best French press taste there are some properties that a coffee beans must holds. First of all it should be dark and low acidic. More, the authentic brand like real French roast & extra dark whole coffee beans are preferrable choice here.
How to balance the French press coffee ratio?
It is one of the most demanding questions from the French press lovers, and the answer is very simple. It adjusts best with 1:12 coffee to water ratio. Let’s dig into more explanation. If you are using 350 grams of water then 30 grams of coffee will works efficiently in it to throw the perfect french press in your cup. Besides, this expert’s suggestion you can also adjust it according to your personal preferences.
Zeeshan Ayaz
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