The Best Coffee Beans for a French Press, According to Baristas
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You’d think any recipe with just two ingredients would be simple, but the equipment used to prepare, combine, and eventually separate coffee and water can get really freaking complicated. Espresso machines and pour-over methods are fun for true coffee nerds, but if a solid cup of coffee is the baseline goal, a French press is the way to go.
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However, choosing the best coffee for a French press can be a bit of a challenge. Although any coffee technically works, here, the particular brewing method lends itself to helping certain flavors come out of the bean. A good first step is to avoid big supermarket brands — these tend to be lower-quality beans ground for automatic drip machines. (Pro tip: a finer grind can clog the plunger in a French press and make for a bitter cup of coffee.) But beyond that, there are still so many options on the market, so SPY tapped coffee experts to advise on where to start (and to help narrow the playing field).
What the Experts Say
The only real rule for a French press is that the coffee beans on hand need to be coarsely ground. Barista and food science expert Jennifer Paillan explains that the French press method “involves immersing the grounds in hot water for a longer period of time, which can extract more of the coffee’s natural oils and flavors. Using beans that are too finely ground can result in a sludgy cup with a bitter taste.” That means that buying whole bean coffee and grinding it coarsely yourself, either at home or at the store, is your best bet.
Conventional wisdom says that dark roasts belong in French presses, but there’s reason to question that. Jessa Winn, owner of Procreate Coffee in Brooklyn, says that “you can’t expect that you’ll enjoy a dark roasted coffee in a French press just because people say it works best in a French press. The best beans to use are going to be the coffee you like.” And so, knowing your personal taste — roast level, flavor notes, acidity, et cetera — is the most important factor to consider when buying coffee for a French press. Use dark roast coffee only if you like dark roast coffee.
What is certain is that brewing beans in a French press will yield different results than brewing those same beans via other methods. Lily Blackburn of Kitchen Ambition says that French press brewing can exacerbate the acidic flavor in coffee that’s more present in lighter roasts. That might mean most people should stick with medium or dark roast coffee in their French press, but if you’re someone who likes an acidic cup of coffee, a light roast might actually be perfect.
BEST OVERALL
Stumptown Coffee Roasters Holler Mountain
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This is the well-balanced, medium roast coffee to keep in the pantry at all times. With flavors of citrus zest, caramel, and hazelnut, it will appeal to those who like fruity, sweet, and nutty coffees — a real plus if your French press is big enough to serve a group.
BEST FOR A CLASSIC FRENCH PRESS BREW
Partners Coffee Brooklyn Blend
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If you’re looking for a flavor profile more traditionally associated with French press coffee, the chocolate, toffee, and dried fruit notes in this Brooklyn-roasted variety are for you. Bonus: when you order directly from Partners, you can choose a French press grind so your beans arrive ready to brew.
BEST DARK ROAST
Alma Coffee Ember
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Canton, Georgia-based roastery Alma Coffee actually describes its Ember coffee as “extra dark.” That means it’s an exceptionally deep and complex brew that’s dominated by dark chocolate flavors that pairs nicely with sweet and nutty breakfast pastries.
BEST LIGHT ROAST
Blue Bottle Kenya Nyeri Thunguri Natural
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Light roast might be a less traditional choice for a French press, but if you like some acidity in your coffee, it actually works pretty well — particularly when it’s this naturally processed Kenyan coffee with notable sweet, citrus, and cranberry notes.
BEST VALUE
Tim Horton's Whole Bean Original Blend Coffee
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Sometimes a diner-quality cup of coffee is all you need, and this whole-bean bag from Tim Horton’s does the trick. Leave it in the French press for a bit longer for a thicker cup of coffee that you can balance out with two creams and two sugars for a DIY version of Timmy Ho’s signature “Double Double.”
BEST FOR CAFFEINE JUNKIES
Death Wish Colombian Blend
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The aggressively named Death Wish Coffee uses a blend of arabica beans (for flavor) and robusta beans (for caffeine). This Colombian blend is at the higher end of the brand’s offerings, and it’s a great cup for those mornings that require an extra jump-start.
BEST DECAF
No Fun Jo Decaf Coffee
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On the other end of the spectrum, those who like the taste but not the stimulation of coffee can have it all with this fair-trade, organic, and 100% Arabica offering. It’s decaffeinated using the Swiss water process, which the brand says removes 99.9% of caffeine gently and without chemicals.
BEST COLD BREW
Irving Farm Cold Brew Blend
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A French press is a sneaky, clever way to make cold brew coffee at home because it’s an immersion brewer. Instead of waiting a few minutes for the grounds to steep in hot water, wait a few hours for a batch of cold brew concentrate. This blend from Irving Farm tastes of chocolate, caramel, and berries, a combination that makes for a smooth cup of cold coffee.
Frequently Asked Questions About French Press Coffee
What’s so special about French press coffee?
Immersion brewing gives the water more time to extract more nuanced flavors from the coffee beans, resulting in a more robust and richer cup than filter methods that simply pass water through the grounds.
What’s the best coffee for a French press?
Conventional wisdom says that medium to dark roast coffees are best suited to a French press, but the experts we talked to said that you shouldn’t be afraid to try a light roast if that’s the kind of coffee you prefer to drink.
How long should you let a French press steep?
Most experts seem to agree that around four minutes is the ideal steeping time for a French press, but you should feel free to experiment with more or less time to find the duration that makes your ideal cup of coffee.
Will people know that I’m a fancy boy if I use a French press?
Yes, yes they will.
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