As far as coffee makers go, it rarely gets any simpler than the French press. With this machine, all you’re required to do is grind coffee beans, pour hot water, wait a couple of minutes, and then drive the plunger. Sounds simple enough, right?
Yet, there’s still one important step you’re forgetting: picking the right beans. With the wrong kind of beans, you’ll end up sipping something chewy and mud-like, instead of the classic, aromatic brew you were expecting.
With that said, what type of coffee beans produces the most ideal French press coffee? Let’s go over the inner workings of the French press to understand how the coffee beans selection process works for it.
Your French Press’ Full Potential
The key to great-tasting French press coffee always starts with good coffee beans. Due to the French press’ structure, specifically the presence of the stainless steel mesh filter, a good amount of the delicious bits and oils from the coffee beans get mixed in with the brew. In turn, this produces a “chewy” texture that few coffee drinkers are a fan of.
While there are ways to reduce this muddy consistency, soaking the grounds in water and driving down on them using a mesh filter is essentially going to leave sediments in your cup. For this reason, coarse ground coffee is what’s traditionally used on French press machines. Aside from minimizing the presence of particles in your coffee, coarse coffee grounds have the tendency to sweeten the taste of your brew.
Typically, French press users opt for a medium or dark roast when shopping for coffee beans. With dark roast, in particular, the French press method is able to diminish the bitter flavor that most people perceive and object to when it comes to this type of coffee beans.
How to Brew Great Coffee With Your French Press
For the most part, what works for brewing great coffee with other methods also works for the French press.
- Get a good-quality French press.
- Steer clear of pre-ground coffee since it loses freshness quickly. Aim for great-quality whole beans, which you should grind just before the brewing process.
- Go for a burr coffee grinder.
- Clean your French press after every use.
- Buy your beans from reliable coffee roasters.
In addition to these common denominators for creating delicious coffee, a higher ratio of coffee to water is usually required for the French press to brew a rich and flavorful cup.
The Best Coffee Beans for French Press
Here are our top three recommendations for the best coffee beans for making French press coffee:
1. Peet’s Coffee Major Dickason’s Blend
If you aren’t too fond of the French Roast’s smokiness, there’s a vast array of dark roast coffee options to select from. One of the best comes in the form of Peet’s Coffee Major Dickason’s Blend.
Peet’s Coffee has been specializing and perfecting their dark roast for years, making sure their products are as fresh as possible when they reach your doorstep. With this particular blend, you get a rich-tasting cup of brew that makes the perfect everyday drink. It’s equally impressive in both drip coffee and pour-over methods.
Still, it’s when you use these beans in a French press that you’re able to taste true magic. You get a full-body blend that’s a touch spicy, with complex notes that will leave you with a buzzing experience.
2. Stone Street Colombian Supremo
These extremely popular Arabica beans come from one of the most highly-regarded growing regions in the world. Here, you’ll find what most avid coffee drinkers consider as the best coffee that exists.
Although the Stone Street Colombian Supremo is something we usually recommend for cold brew, it’s still able to produce brilliance with the French press.
These exceptional dark roast beans produce a smooth, bold, and balanced coffee flavor that’s just a touch sweet. When paired with the French press, the Colombian Supremo by Stone Street creates a deep and rich outcome made unique by its undertones of caramel, chocolate, and fruit.
3. Lifeboost Medium Roast
Central America has mountain ranges known for producing top-notch Arabica beans. Lifeboost sources their beans from the Nicaraguan mountains, where they are grown under the shade without the interference of chemicals.
If you’re looking for high-quality, healthy coffee, then Lifeboost’s medium roast has got you covered. These beans are carefully roasted to obtain a well-balanced medium roast that’s ideal for French press brewing. The process of harvesting them also involves hand-selection and handwashing to ensure purity and complete removal of unwanted moisture.
The Medium Roast by Lifeboost gives you a smooth, balanced, and earthy liquid that’s deliciously aromatic and perfect for everyday consumption.
Final Thoughts
At coffeebreakessentials.com, we believe that the best coffee beans for French Press will ultimately depend on personal preference. Still, we stand by our list of recommended beans that would make superior French Press brews.
Go for the Medium Roast by Lifeboost if you’re looking for a guilt-free, well-balanced cup of coffee. On the other hand, if you’re big on smooth and bold flavors with undertones of sweetness, Stone Street’s Colombian Supremo should be able to produce a cup that’s right up your alley.
