Stumped on what kind of coffee goes in a cafetière? We’ll guide you through the best coffee for cafetière.
Finding the best coffee for a cafetière, also known as a French press, can be tricky. There are so many different roasts, grinds, and ways to grind it that it can feel impossible to know the right one. But, fear not, we’ll guide you through everything you need to know.
I primarily use a cafetière to brew my coffee. It’s quick, easy, and still makes a great cup of coffee. It can be very hit or miss, but over the years, I’ve managed to figure out what works and what doesn’t.
Best Coffee For First Timers: Pre-ground Coarse Coffee
Pre-ground coffee is the best option for those inexperienced with a cafetière. As far as at-home coffee makers go, a French press is one of the most affordable options, so you might not want to fork out on a coffee bean grinder and top-notch whole beans too.
Making good coffee is more than picking up some good quality beans and deciding if you like dark, medium, or light roast the best. Cafetières are very specific about how finely the beans should be ground.
The best coffee for a cafetière will be coarsely grounded beans. If they’re too fine, the coffee will become too strong. This is because the coffee grounds are submerged in water for a period of time, so only so much of the coffee should be extracted.
On the other hand, if the grounds are too coarse, you’ll notice your coffee ends up far too weak as it can’t brew properly. If you don’t have a coffee bean grinder or feel you’re not quite there yet when it comes to grinding beans yourself, you’ll get a solid cup of coffee using pre-ground beans of the right consistency.
Pros
- Right ground size every time
- Quick & easy to make
Cons
- Not as fresh as the whole bean
- Less flavorful and aromatic than the whole bean
Best Coffee For Experienced Drinkers: Freshly Ground Whole Bean
Fresh coffee is always the best option. So, if you have a coffee bean grinder and know what you’re doing, then buy some whole beans and grind them to the right consistency.
Although pre-ground beans are convenient, the coffee tastes and smells much smoother and stronger when grinding it fresh right before brewing. Once you get used to using fresh beans, you’ll notice how pre-ground beans can often taste weaker in comparison.
Pros
- More potent flavors and aromas
Cons
- It’s easy to grind them wrong
- It takes a little bit more time and work
Best Roast For A Cafetière: Medium to Dark
Technically, you can use any roast in a cafetière. If you love light roasts, there’s no reason why you can’t brew it in a cafetière. With that said, you might notice that many of the pre-ground coffee in grocery stores designed for a cafetière are almost always darker roasts like medium, medium-dark, and dark roast.
There’s a good reason for this. These roasts tend to be quite bitter. However, they don’t taste as bitter in a french press because the beans extract less acid.
If you; do notice that a darker roast is still bitter using this method, it could be over-extracted due to grounds being too fine.
Pros
- It tastes smooth and rich
Cons
- Oily beans can be hard to clean from your equipment
