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Coffee Beans and French Press - What You Should Know About

This mid-1800s means of brewing coffee is preferred by many coffee lovers today because of its simple aesthetics and exquisite taste. French press, as it is called, is composed of a cylindrical pot (the container) and a plunger with a bulit-in filter. The process is really simple: press the plunger down and serve. Even so, preparation takes precision and technique to make sure that the taste is rich and earthy.

French press relies on grind level, temperature range, ratio, and time in order to taste great. That's why practice is key.

Buying Whole Coffee Beans vs. Pre-Ground Coffee

This topic is quite popular among consumers of French press and other coffee brewing methods. Some think that whole coffee beans are the best because they stay fresh longer, while others believe that pre-ground is effective and less complicated.

Outlined below are some pros and cons of each:

Whole Beans:

Requires a burr grinder

Requires time and effort

Full control of grind size

Longer shelf life

Pre-Ground:

Widely available

No need to grind; quick preparation

Fixed grind size per pack sold

Begins to lose flavor after grinding

All things considered, whole coffee beans is definitely the superior choice. It may take time to learn how to grind, but having more control over making coffee also means having more grip on the outcome.

Grind Size for French Press

Some manufacturers of French press apparatus recommend medium grind, but many aficionados recommend coarse grind. Medium grind is smaller than coarse, and the coffee grounds tend to stick to the built-in filter or even go through it. This results in a bitter coffee with chunks in it.

Coarse grind is comparable to the size of a table salt. A good quality burr grinder should have the correct settings to produce a grind of that size.

Popular Coffee Beans for French Press

Now that the verdict is out, let's check out 5 of the best coffee beans for French press.

Kicking Horse Coffee, Kick Ass, Dark Roast, Whole Bean

Sweet and smoky flavor

Arabica variety

Dark roast

Sourced from Indonesia (Southeast Asia) and South America

Fair Trade certified

Kosher certified (Jewish dietary law)

Cafe Don Pablo Subtle Earth Organic Gourmet Coffee

Rich chocolaty flavor

Arabica variety

Medium-dark roast

Sourced from Honduras

Certified organic (CCOF)

Eight O’Clock Whole Bean Coffee, The Original

Sweet, fruity, balanced flavor

Arabica variety

Medium roast

Since 1859

Sourced from Latin America, East Africa

Death Wish Organic Whole Bean Coffee

High caffeine content

Robusta variety

Fair Trade certified

Kosher certified

Certified organic (USDA)

Koffee Kult Medium Roast Coffee Beans

Bold flavor with smooth finish

Sourced from Brazil and Colombia

Arabica variety

Medium roast

Supports direct trade sustainable farming

Want more options? Check out this guide on the best coffee beans for French press.

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Coffee Grounds and Coffee Percolators - What You Should Know About

Coffee is the third most consumed beverage in the world. Amazingly, it surpasses orange juice, soda, beer and other popular refreshments. Ever since its discovery in Ethiopia in the 1400's, coffee has been part and parcel of the developed world's morning fix.

The two most common types of coffee are Arabica and Robusta. The Arabica plant is delicate and needs more attention than Robusta. Because Robusta is more resilient and cheaper to grow, it is mostly used as instant coffee, where mass production is more beneficial. Robusta also has a much bitter taste due to its caffeine content. It almost has twice as much caffeine than Arabica.

More often than not, the ground coffee used in percolators, drip type coffee makers, Espresso machines and other coffee brewers is Arabica.

It's The Grind (Coffee Grind Levels)

The best tasting coffee is often ground just right before it is brewed. Even so, not everyone has the time nor the passion to grind and brew. That's why pre-ground coffee are very popular.

Coffee grounds are sold with a certain group of coffee brewers in mind. For instance, medium ground is compatible with drip type coffee makers while fine ground is used by Espresso machines. There are 7 types, each serving a particular group with a distinct brewing preferences:

Extra course - cold brew

Course - French press and percolators

Medium-course - Chemex

Medium - automatic drip coffee makers

Medium-fine - Aeropress

Fine - Espresso

Extra-fine - Turkish

If you want to know which brand or product you're likely to choose, check out this article with a chart on the best selling coffee grounds.

Roasting With Style (Roast Levels)

The grind type is generally not indicated in the package. The roast level, on the other hand, is prominently shown below the brand. The three levels are:

Light roast - raw, sour taste and dry, light brown beans

Medium roast - balanced taste and dry, medium brown beans

Dark roast - bitter taste and oily, dark brown beans

Medium and dark are the most frequently sold, while light roast does not have as much demand as the other two. When in doubt, medium roast is the ideal choice.

Where Coffee Beans Are From

Coffee is mostly grown in tropical countries. The plant requires a certain level of altitude and temperature for it to grow nicely. Well-known coffee producing countries include Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia and Vietnam. 70% of the coffee produced worldwide are of the Arabica variety. Alternatively, the top importers and consumers are Western nations.

Some consumers are also mindful of the health and ethical aspects of the coffee grounds that they buy. That's why several brands are putting labels into their packaging, such as Fair Trade Certified or 100% Organic. The Fair Trade Certification, in particular, guarantees that the coffee beans came from farms with sustainable practices and reasonably compensated farmers.

Percolators Through The Years

There are a handful of ways to brew coffee. The most common method is through a drip type coffee maker. This machine is widely available, easy to operate and very affordable. However, those who would like to take it to the next level make use of more sophisticated brewers, such as a coffee percolator or a French press coffee maker. We'll focus on coffee percolators in this article.

A coffee percolator is similar to a conventional coffee maker, except that the water reservoir of a percolator is the same one where the brewed coffee goes. In a typical coffee machine, the water goes to a water tank, passes through a filter and finally to the carafe. Percolators are either stovetop or electric.

Prior to the 1970's, when the coffee maker that we know today first came out of the market, percolators dominated the coffee drinker's household. The coffee percolator was a thing for more than a century, but the rise of instant coffee and more innovative machines eventually led to its decline. Nowadays, coffee percolators are still selling well, although not as good as their more advanced counterparts.

Many coffee drinkers swear by the taste that a coffee percolator creates. They often say that Grandma's coffee had always smelled and tasted best. Whether it's true or not rests on those who have experienced other coffee brewing methods.