What’s the Best Coffee for French Press?

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Everyone should try coffee from a French press at least once. Whether you are new to the coffee community or have been a coffee enthusiast for a long time you can agree there is something special about that simple cylinder with a plunger.

Did you know the former CEO of Starbucks endorsed the French press as the best coffee maker?

As a proud owner of one, I’m siding with Mr. Shultz on this one.

Once I had my French press skills up to par I decided to experiment with different beans to find which make the best coffee.

I tried a few beans and this one stood out the most:

The Best Coffee Beans for a French Press:

Bulletproof Medium Dark Roast Whole Bean Coffee

• Beans sourced from Brazil, Guatemala, and Columbia
• 100% Arabica coffee beans
• Flavor notes: Almond and Caramel
• Gluten-free

Before I give you the details on the beans, let’s make sure you’re using the press correctly first. Here are some elements to be aware of when making coffee with a French press.

• Always grind your coffee fresh at home. Instead of buying pre-ground coffee, get the whole bean instead and grind just enough to brew each time.
• Invest in a good quality burr coffee grinder. Do you know the difference between burr and blade coffee grinders?
• Make sure your French press is clean before each brewing. In some cases, it’s just as simple as popping the bad boy in the dishwasher after you’re done making coffee. Although, some French presses can only be cleaned by hand. Make sure to get all the old coffee grounds and sediment out of the nooks of the filter as well as the carafe so they don’t impact the flavor of your fresh batch.
• Use a simple coffee to water ratio when you are starting to experiment with a French press. I like to start with 2 tablespoons of coffee for every cup I’m brewing. Add more coffee for a stronger brew, alternatively do the opposite if you want your cup to be a little less bold.

If you stick to those simple tips next time your making coffee with a French press you’ll be well on your way to brewing a rich, flavorful cup of joe.

Here is a list of coffee beans you need to try in your French press. The reason these specific beans are suggested for the press and not a simple drip coffee maker is because of the full flavor they offer.

The Best Coffee Beans for a French Press

Bulletproof Medium Dark Roast Whole Bean Coffee

• Beans sourced from Brazil, Guatemala, and Columbia
• 100% Arabica coffee beans
• Flavor notes: Almond and Caramel
• Gluten-free

These coffee beans have been hand-picked by experts in the famous mountain ranges of Central and South America to guarantee the highest quality coffee.

Bulletproof calls this medium-dark roast The Mentalist. It’s perfect for a morning wake-up call or an after-lunch pick-me-up. Dark cocoa and vanilla aromatics open up to a rich, full-bodied coffee with cherry sweetness.

When made in a French press this coffee is bold, flavorful, and smooth. What makes it unique is that it’s not as oily as most other dark roasts. Bulletproof offers a perfect mix of flavor and kick you need to try in your French press.

Volcanica Medium Roast Costa Rica Peaberry Whole Bean Coffee

• Beans sourced from Costa Rica
• 100% Arabica coffee beans
• Flavor Notes: Honey, Lemon, & Almond
• Washed

These beans are a perfect choice for people looking for a healthy coffee. Volcanica takes great pride in the quality of the coffee they provide.

What I specifically enjoyed about this coffee is its balanced flavor. The tones of honey and lemon didn’t linger or disappoint. I think the medium roast is a perfect choice for brewing in a French press.

These coffee roasters hit it out of the park with this batch. I can’t say enough good things about the smooth taste of the coffee, low acidity, and a pleasant chocolaty and nutty aroma.

Mayorga Dark Roast Café Cubano Whole Bean Coffee

• Beans sourced from small farmers and cooperatives throughout Latin America
• 100% organic, non-GMO, kosher Arabica coffee beans
• Flavor Notes: Hints of Vanilla & Sweet, Syrupy Smokiness
• Shade-grown and slow-roasted

Café Cubano uses a signature slow-roasting process to provide a distinctly bold cup, with a sweet flavor, and smooth finish. What more can you ask for from a cup of Joe?

The whole company has a good feel to it as it works directly with farmers trying to eliminate systemic poverty in Latin American. That’s a company we can all get behind.

When you prepare these beans in a French press you bring out their natural boldness and rich flavor profile. They are bright, well balanced with notes of chocolate and sweet berry undertones.

Café Britt Dark Roast Costa Rican Whole Bean Coffee

• Coffee beans sourced from Costa Rica’s central and western valley
• 100% gourmet Arabica coffee beans
• Flavor Notes: Chocolate, Dried fruits, & Figs
• Kosher and Gluten-free

One of the reasons this coffee is so delicious is that the combination of climate and soil in Costa Rica produces some of the best coffee in the world.

There’s a reason coffee enthusiasts refer to café britt as the best Costa Rican coffee available in the USA. Expect a wonderful aroma of chocolate and dried fruits when you make your cup of java.

What really made me buy into the vibe of the coffee is the smooth flavor with no bitter aftertaste. These coffee roasters deserve a round of applause for blessing us with this gem. If you’re looking for the true coffee flavor you need to try Café Britt Dark Roast Costa Rican Whole Bean Coffee.

Kicking Horse Dark Roast Grizzly Claw Whole Bean Coffee

• Beans sourced from Central and South America
• 100% Arabica coffee beans
• Flavor Notes: Dark Chocolate, & Roasted Hazelnuts.
• Roasted in Canadian Rocky Mountains

Kicking Horse makes exceptional quality organic, shade-grown Arabica, Canadian Rocky Mountain-roasted coffee worth noticing by coffee novice and expert alike.

If you’re anything like me you’ll enjoy the chocolaty aroma of the coffee while it brews in your French press. I was delighted by the rich flavors of brown sugar and roasted hazelnuts as I gulped down my coffee.

This coffee needs to be on your list of must-try beans simply because it’s all-organic roasted right in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. As Canadas number 1 selling whole bean coffee company they offer top-notch quality coupled with unrivaled service.

How to Make Perfect French Press Coffee Every Time?

I put together a simple guide with step-by-step instructions on how to make the perfect coffee when using a French press.

I broke it down into a few jot notes for you.

To make a perfect French press you’ll want to:

• Boil water. Preferably filtered.
• Let the water sit for 30 seconds after boiling.
• Pour freshly ground beans into French Press.
• Add water to French Press.
• Allow the coffee to bloom.
• Stir the coffee in the beginning.
• Brew for 4 minutes.
• Plunge the press only once and keep the filter at the bottom.
• Ready to serve the coffee.

If you don’t already have a French press, now would be a good time to see the best French presses on the market.

Summary

A French press gives you more control over the finished product. If used successfully French press coffee can be brewed to your specific liking each time. The coffee you get from a French press is bright and flavorful. It’s ideal for anyone who enjoys the real taste of coffee beans.

The coffee beans I covered here are all exceptional in a French press and I would recommend you try each batch. I suggest starting out with the Bulletproof Mentalist as it stood out the most.

For best results from your French press make sure you buy whole bean coffee instead of the pre-ground stuff. Grinding the beans yourself before each brew makes all the difference.

What Grind Size Should I Use for the French Press?

To get the most out of your French Press you want to use coffee ground coarsely. That’s because the flavor extraction process needs maximum water surface area to be fully effective. This also enables better carbon dioxide release from the coffee grounds during steeping, enhancing the flavor of the finished brew.

References

Starbucks CEO on the French press: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2012-04-12/how-to-make-coffee-at-home-howard-schultz