Top 10 Best Type Of Coffee For French Press To Blow Your Taste Buds!

Last updated on October 25th, 2023 at 13:26

Finding the best type of coffee for French press will allow you to brew the best cup of coffee with your French press coffee maker. With the best beans, the best equipment and good home barista skills, even an average coffee drinker will make great coffee with all the right ingredients and skills.

By the time you have finished reading this article, you will not only have a list of 10 of the best types of coffee for French press brewing, and what constitutes the best type of coffee for this brewing method.

If you are in a rush, I’ll tell you straight away what we consider to be the best coffee beans for brewing coffee with your French press.

It’s Cocarive By Onda Origins.

It is a Brazilian lighter medium roast that comes from a coffee co-operative with a nutty and mild flavor profile, light and perfect daily breakfast coffee. It’s natural processed with pecan pie notes and hints of peach and flan.

Keep reading as we dig down and dig deep into this topic.

What Is The Best Type Of Coffee For French Press?

There are no set rules and specific requirements as per what the very best type of coffee for French press is. You simply must ensure that you are buying high-quality coffee beans that are of a flavor profile that you love. Buy them fresh and use a professional coffee canister to store them in perfect conditions to keep them as fresh as possible.

The French press brewing method is a brewing technique that is very forgiving. As long as you follow the general rules for brewing a coffee using this technique and avoid the most common French press mistakes, like using the wrong grind size, too long an extraction time, not adhering to the coffee to water ratio and forgetting to decant any excess coffee to a carafe or similar container.

There is nothing difficult to making a French press coffee it’s easy, a piece of cake, really. It is one of the few brewing methods where you have full control over all the variables that affect the flavor of your coffee.

Due to the versatility of the French press brew method, there are a lot of different types of coffee beans that will result in a delicious cup of coffee.

The following sections will guide you in what to look for when considering the best type of coffee for French press brewing.

Read: Best roast for French press.

Pre-Ground Coffee Or Whole Bean?

Buying whole beans is much better as ground coffee will go stale quicker than whole beans. When you buy and use whole bean coffee, grind your beans immediately before you brew to get the freshest, most flavorful cup of coffee.

Fresh coffee beans will always produce better results.

Naturally, you will need a coffee grinder, and it is worth investing in a high quality one as it will last you at least 10 years, more if you take good care of it.

A blade grinder is a no-go. Too much of an inconsistent grind size and heat dissipation is an issue with blade grinders. By far, the best type is a ceramic conical grinder.

When you buy pre-ground coffee, the problem is a set grind size for the whole bag. The size is usually predetermined by the seller and more suitable for a drip brewer than a French press.

The size difference is very slight. A French press requires coarse ground coffee. It’s not a big deal, but you will need to alter brew times to compensate and avoid over extraction and an overtly bitter cup of coffee.

Some top coffee roasters like Volcanica and Peet’s allow you to choose a grind size based on a brewing method, and they then prepare your coffee grounds. If you are looking for pre-ground coffee, look for this option.

Does The Origin Matter?

No,

the origin does not matter as any coffee producing region has the ability to cultivate and grow great coffee beans that can be used for French press coffee brewing. Some regions, like wine, are known for producing a certain flavor profile and characteristics and cultivating coffee with a particular flavor more consistently high quality coffee beans.

Also,

each region may have different processing methods which influence the flavor of the coffee beans. In Africa, the coffee is predominantly naturally processed while Colombian beans are washed processed. In Nicaragua, they like to process them with spring water. In Brazil and Costa Rica, honey processing is common.

Experimenting with your coffee and trying single origin beans from different countries is an enjoyable way of discovering coffee and finding a new favorite coffee.

In short, no, any coffee-growing region can produce delicious coffee beans for French Press brewing.

However,

some regions are known for specific flavor characteristics and more consistently high-quality coffee beans. So, if you don’t know where to start, looking for a particular origin might be an excellent way to discover a new favorite coffee.

Coffee from East Africa is very floral, and known for its fruity notes, a wine-like acidity and tea flavors. They can be dry or wet precessed and have some very subtle flavors that are more suited for medium or light roasts. Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia are the popular countries of origin.

Coffee beans from the Americas, Central America, South America and American coffee from Hawaii are predominantly wet processed which produces a very clean-tasting coffee and notes of nuts, fruits and flavors of chocolate come through. Guatemala, Honduras, Peru, Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil, Hawaii, and Panama produce coffee that is consistently high-quality coffee.

Coffee beans from Indonesia tend to be very specific and named after their islands, like Sumatra and Java. Sumatra, a volcanic coffee, produces an earthy coffee with a heavy body. They work well for both medium and dark roasts.

Sumatran beans often make their way into coffee blends and as a very good component of blends due to the richness and earthy flavors fairing well in both espresso machines and a French press.

Roast Levels And Their Flavors

The French press is a very popular brewing method due to you having control over all the variables associated with coffee brewing, giving you full control of how your coffee ends up tasting. Due to this, the French press works incredibly well for all coffee roasts.

Arabica beans are popular with coffee lovers due to their better and sweeter taste, with medium and darker roasts being the more popular choices. Even though these are the more popular choices, you can still get an excellent coffee using light roasts and blond roasts.

The French press is a full immersion brewing method, and with this immersion brewer you will, unfortunately, likely lose some complexity of the flavors that make a lighter roast enjoyable.

Light roasts have a citrus acidity with floral flavors and bright fruits. A much better brewing method for light roasts is drip coffee brewing.

Medium roasts are lower in acidity and have a heavier body and come with caramel, nutty and chocolate flavors with touches of fruit. There is a very nice sweetness to them with a good body.

Darker roasts have a heavier body and creamier texture, both of which are enhanced by French press brewing. Expect a cup of coffee that is full of bold flavors, thick, heavy and full of dark chocolate flavors, earthiness, smokey and slightly nutty.

The Top 10 Best Type Of Coffee For French Press To Buy Today

If you are looking to find out what the best type of coffee for French press coffee, below you will find our top 10 options for great coffee producing nations and fabulous roasters.

#1 Cocarive Onda Origins

Roast Profile: Medium Roast.

Flavor Profile: Pecan pie, flan, peach fruit cup.

Whole beans or Pre-ground: Whole bean Or Pre-ground.

Country Of Origin(s): Brazil

This is a great coffee from a very ethical Co-operative of coffee farmers that banded together to get high-end equipment warehouse facility which helped them to produce high quality coffee which has a fruity peach-like taste with notes of pecan pie and flan with light hints of chocolate. It is a very drinkable perfect breakfast coffee that is not as intense as higher roasts.

#2 Koa Estate 100% Kona Coffee – Runner-Up!

Roast Profile: Dark Roast

Flavor Profile: Tropical fruit, chocolate and nuts.

Whole Bean Or Pre-Ground: Whole Bean

Origin(s): Hawaii

Kona Coffee is one of the most expensive coffee beans in the world and one of the best known American coffees. Grown on Hawaii’s Big Island. The unique microclimate of the mid-Pacific and volcanic soil make it ideal for growing high-end Arabica coffee beans that coffee drinkers love.

As a coffee enthusiast, these are a must-try treat. Koa Estate is the top brand of Kona coffee. They are ultra-smooth with notes of tropical fruit, even touches of coconut and a chocolate taste too. A complex flavor profile for a dark roast.

Notably, and importantly, Koa sells only 100% Kona coffee and not a blend. A Kona coffee blend, as per the legal definition, can have as little as 10% to be classed as a Kona coffee.

If you are going to splurge on expensive, top-notch coffee, you might as well ensure you are getting the real deal and 100% Kona coffee, and Koa, their beans are 100% sourced from the same coffee farm.

#3 Huckleberry Roasters Flores Belas

Roast Level: Medium Roast

Flavor Profile: Sweet, smooth, with milk chocolate, sweet vanilla and nutty tastes.

Whole Bean Or Pre-Ground: Whole Bean

Origin(s): Latin America, (exact nation not specified).

These beans are naturally processed and then expertly roasted by the 2019 US Coffee roasting champion. The name of this coffee has the translation into English as “Beautiful Flowers”. Expect a sweet and smooth coffee with notes of milk chocolate, and touches of vanilla and nutty tastes and hints of caramel that linger on your tongue.

#4  Kenya AA Nyeri Ichamara Coffee Beans

Roast Profile: Medium-Dark Roast

Flavor Profile: Fruity with notes of Orange Zest, Peach Blossom and Black Tea

Whole Bean Or Pre-Ground: Whole Bean

Origin(s): Kenya.

This is a great single origin coffee that you will enjoy in your French press. The resulting coffee that you brew will be rich, smooth and with a full body. Hints of peaches and orange zest and a hint of black tea come through.

There is a lot of flavor in this coffee.

#5 Lifeboost Medium Roast – Best Organic Option!

Roast Profile: Medium

Flavor Profile: Nutty, smooth and balanced

Whole Bean or Pre-ground: Both Pre-ground and Whole Bean are available.

Origin(s): Nicaragua

The mountain ranges of Central America have been providing coffee enthusiasts with top-quality Arabica coffee. The soil quality is rich in nutrients and has an ideal climate for cultivating coffee.

High in the mountains of Nicaragua, Lifeboost grows their beans in the shade, free from any pesticides or insecticides or any other chemicals. They pride themselves on being organic and fair trade and hand select their coffee beans for purity, and they are then hand washed to ensure the highest of quality.

You can expect an earthy body with low acidity with lovely lingering nutty tones and chocolates.

#6 Ivonne Herrera Onda Origins – Best Light Roast!

Roast Profile: Light-Medium.

Flavor Profile: Ginger snap, red apple and with hints of almonds and milk chocolate.

Whole Bean or Pre-ground: Both Pre-ground and Whole Bean.

Origin(s): Guatemala

Ivonne Herrera, Coffee cultivating hero! She’s a single mother that works hard to produce great coffee and helps her seasonal workers to get bank accounts in her native Guatemala.

The coffee has touches of fruitiness, red apple, almonds and hints of ginger and almonds. There are touches of Milk Chocolate notes.

This light medium roast is something that you will love.

#7 Peet’s Coffee, Major Dickason’s Blend

Roast Profile: Dark Roast.

Flavor Profile: Bittersweet Chocolate, Smoky carbon, Nutty and Velvet like

Whole Bean or Pre-ground: Both Whole Bean And Pre-ground.

Origin(s): Americas, Indo-Pacific (Specific countries not mentioned).

Peet’s is a massive player in the specialty coffee world having been established in 1969. The most beloved batches of their coffee beans is the legendary Major Dickason’s blend, which is a blend of the very best coffees from the premier coffee cultivating regions.

Expect a smooth, dark cup of coffee with bittersweet chocolate tones with hints of nuts and a velvet-like taste. Making a French press coffee with this will draw out the complex and rich yet smooth flavors from this blend.

The French press is the perfect brewing method for this coffee.

#8 Volcanica Coffee Ethiopia Yirgacheffe – Best Volcanic Coffee!

Roast Profile: Light-Medium Roast

Flavor Profile: Lemon, Blackberry and Blueberry.

Whole Bean or Pre-Ground: Both

Origin(s): Ethiopia

A coffee from the very birthplace of coffee and to this very day, Ethiopian coffee is still excellent with beautiful bright acidity, floral flavors and fruit tones.

This volcanic coffee tastes like no other coffee that you will not find anywhere else. The coffee grown in this area is so rare they don’t have a name and are referred to as heirloom varieties.

The classic tastes of coffee from this part of the world you can expect are blackberry, blueberry and lemon. With the immersion brew technique in hot water of 92C to 96C (195F to 205F) you will love the creamy mouthfeel of the texture and juiciness of the coffee.

You can also make and enjoy an excellent cold brew.

#9 Coffee Cold Brew Coarsely Ground Coffee By Stone Street – The Best Ground Coffee For A French Press

Roast Profile: Dark-Roasted

Flavor Profile: Bold, smooth, chocolate note and low acidity.

Whole Bean or Pre-Ground: Both

Origin(s): Colombia

Although this is marked as a coffee to be used to make cold brew, you can also use it to make French press coffee. It’s a fresh tasting, bright coffee that is low in acidic, 100% Arabic coffee from Colombia. It’s bold, smooth and expect some lovely hints of chocolate and a low acidity.

A fantastic single origin from one of the coffee cultivating regions that are well respected for decades for their high quality coffee – Colombia.

#10. Volcanica Bolivia Peaberry

Roast Profile: Medium Roast.

Tasting Flavor Profile: Cocoa, sweet and smooth.

Whole Bean Or Ground: Both

Origin(s): Bolivia

This coffee is everything that you would expect from a volcanic coffee and a medium roast. It is smooth, sweet and has a very rich cocoa flavor. French press brewing enhances and brings out the body, really making it feel like it is a hot chocolate and more so if you make it with cream and sugar.

Peaberry coffee is a mutation that occurs in 1 in 20 coffee cherries. Instead of growing two coffee beans, it produces just one single coffee bean, which is known as the Peaberry. This single Peaberry coffee bean gets all the nutrients instead of them being split between two coffee beans.

The result is a more flavorful, more intense coffee. Peaberry is more expensive due to this type of coffee needing to be hand-harvested.

What Kind Of Coffee For French Press Should I Use?

The best kind of coffee for French press that you should use is a medium or dark roast as they have a slower extraction of flavor, oils and the flavors from the origin. Most importantly, you should seek coffee beans that you love the flavor profiles that you enjoy.

Frequently Asked Questions About Best Type Of Coffee For French Press

What Type Of Coffee Do You Use In A French Press?

Most French coffee enthusiasts insist that medium and dark roasts as well as medium-dark roasts make for great roast profiles for French press coffee. These profiles have a good extraction rate of the coffee oils and flavor characteristics.

If you love single origin coffees, French press is a great method to get the best out of your beans.

Which Roast Is Best For French Press?

Medium and dark roasts are the best choice for French press coffee brewing. These roast profiles ensure that you are getting the light floral notes and the rich chocolate notes in your coffee.

Can I Use Regular Ground Coffee In French Press?

Regular ground coffee will not work very well in a French press as you will need a coarse grind size due to the full immersion process, you will end up with over extraction of grinds that are of a smaller size.

As far as regular or average coffee is concerned, sure, you can use that, but there is no reason why, because the French press is a method for extracting the best flavors from top quality coffee beans.

Is French Press Better Than Drip?

Yes,

but it depends on your coffee beans. The French press extracts the coffee oils and flavor compounds from your bean and is excellent for the best of coffee beans. If you are hoping to get the best out of light roasts, you are best to use a drip coffee maker as a drip coffee machine extracts the flavor compounds better than a French press will for light roasts.

Can You Use Any Coffee For French Press?

Yes, you can use any coffee in a French press. It doesn’t need to be premium quality or specialty coffee as long as it is of a coarse grind size. When brewing, use a brew time of 4 to 5 minutes.

What Is The Best Ground Coffee For Cafetière?

The cafetière, also known as a French press, the best results are achieved with a coarse grind size.

Is French Press Only For Black Coffee?

No, you can brew all types of coffee using your French press, both with and without milk. Your French press can be used to froth milk also.

Can I Use Extra Fine Coffee In A French Press?

No, a French press coffee when you brew it with too fine a grind size you will end up with a coffee that is too strong and bitter with some of the grinds getting caught in the filter.

Final Thoughts, Frappé-Ing It All Up – Best Type Of Coffee For French Press

If you have read this far, you know exactly what the best type of coffee for French press is and got a low down on what we consider to be our top 10 coffee beans for making a cup for coffee that you will absolutely enjoy with this brewing method.

If you have skipped and scanned down this far, I’ll emphasize the best coffee to use is of a medium to dark roast. I also advise in getting the best beans, the ones that you will enjoy the most, as a French press will get the best out of them.

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