Choosing beans that shine in immersion brewing

French press isn't picky. Almost any coffee will produce a drinkable cup. But some coffees genuinely excel in this method while others waste their potential.

Here's what to look for when choosing coffee specifically for French press brewing.

Why Bean Choice Matters for French Press

French press is an immersion method. Coffee steeps in water for 4 minutes, extracting thoroughly. The mesh filter allows oils and fine particles through, creating a full-bodied cup.

This brewing style:

• Amplifies body: Heavy, bold coffees get heavier and bolder
• Mutes subtlety: Delicate floral or fruity notes can get lost in the thickness
• Highlights richness: Chocolate, caramel, nutty notes shine

The best French press coffees work with these characteristics, not against them.

Roast Level: Medium to Dark

Generally, medium to dark roasts perform best in French press.

Why Darker Works

• Developed sugars create caramel, chocolate, roasted notes that complement the heavy body
• Lower acidity prevents the cup from becoming muddy-tasting
• Bold flavors hold up to the extraction intensity

Can You Use Light Roasts?

Yes, but the result is different. Light roasts in French press produce:

• More acidity (which can taste sharp in the heavy body)
• Muted origin characteristics (the clarity that makes light roasts special gets buried)
• Sometimes, an odd combination of body and brightness

If you love light roasts, try pour over instead—it's designed to highlight what makes them special.

Origin Profiles That Excel

Certain coffee origins have natural characteristics that French press amplifies well:

Brazilian

Chocolatey, nutty, low acidity. Brazilian coffees were practically designed for French press. The heavy body gets emphasized, the muted fruit notes aren't missed.

Sumatran / Indonesian

Earthy, full-bodied, sometimes funky. These already-heavy coffees become almost syrupy in French press. Distinctive, polarizing, but excellent if you like that profile.

Colombian

Balanced, sweet, medium body. Colombian coffees are versatile—they work in most methods. In French press, they produce a reliable, approachable cup.

Ethiopian (Natural Process)

Berry, wine, sometimes funky. Natural-processed Ethiopians have enough intensity to cut through French press's heavy body. The fruitiness survives better than with lighter roasts.

Blends vs. Single Origin

Case for Blends

Blends are often designed for balance and approachability. They tend to be:

• Consistent batch to batch
• Designed for multiple brewing methods
• Balanced to avoid any extreme characteristic

If you want a reliable, everyday French press coffee, a well-made blend is a safe choice.

Case for Single Origins

Single origins offer distinctiveness. For French press, look for single origins with:

• Bold, pronounced flavors (not delicate)
• Medium-dark roast levels
• Lower acidity origins (Brazil, Sumatra, Peru)

Freshness Still Matters

Whatever you choose, freshness matters.

Stale coffee in French press tastes flat and hollow. The method can't compensate for old beans. Fresh coffee—roasted within the last 2-3 weeks—will always outperform coffee that's been sitting for months.

Look for roast dates on bags, not just "best by" dates. If there's no roast date, the roaster may be hiding something.

Grind: Buy Whole Bean

French press requires coarse grinding. Pre-ground coffee is usually too fine for French press (it's optimized for drip machines).

Your options:

• Buy whole bean, grind at home: Best for freshness and correct grind size. Burr grinder recommended.
• Ask for coarse grind: When ordering, specify "French press grind" or "coarse." Use within 1-2 weeks.
• Use pre-ground anyway: It'll work, just expect more sediment and possibly over-extraction. Reduce steep time to compensate.

What We Recommend

At Spiritus, our offerings that work well for French press include:

• Signature Blend: Balanced, chocolatey, designed for versatility. Reliable French press performer.
• Aether Dark: Bold, smoky, full-bodied. Made for immersion brewing.
• Any medium-dark single origin: Check our current offerings for darker roasted options.

Our lighter roasts (Lilacia, seasonal single origins) can work in French press but show better in pour over.

Shop our current offerings →

Experiment

These are guidelines, not rules. Coffee taste is personal.

Maybe you love light roast Ethiopian in French press. Maybe you prefer Brazilian in pour over. The only way to know your preference is to try.

Buy a few different coffees. Brew them the same way. Taste them side by side. Notice what you like.

Your palate is the final authority.

Sip in the moment.

Spiritus Coffee Co.
Consciously crafted. Roasted with intention.

The simple, forgiving method for a rich, full-bodied cup

French press is the most approachable brewing method. No special technique required. No precise pouring. Just coffee, water, time, and a plunger.

The result is different from pour over—fuller body, more oils, a thicker mouthfeel. Some prefer it. Some don't. Worth trying to know which camp you're in.

Why French Press

French press is an immersion method. Coffee grounds steep fully in water, then get separated by pressing a mesh filter down. Nothing paper-filtered out.

This produces:

• Full body: Oils and fine particles pass through the mesh, creating a heavier, richer texture
• Bold flavor: Extended contact time extracts thoroughly
• Forgiveness: The method is harder to mess up than pour over

The trade-offs: some sediment in the cup, less clarity than filtered methods, can become bitter if brewed too long.

Equipment

Essential

• French press: Any size. Glass or stainless steel. Bodum and Espro are popular brands.
• Kettle: Any kettle works. No gooseneck required.
• Fresh coffee: Coarse-ground. This matters more than the press itself.
• Timer: Phone timer is fine.

Helpful

• Scale: For consistent ratios
• Burr grinder: For consistent coarse grind (blade grinders struggle here)

The Basic Recipe

Ratio: 1:15 (coffee to water by weight)
Example: 30g coffee, 450g water (makes about 2 cups)

Grind: Coarse (like sea salt or raw sugar)

Water temperature: 195-205°F (just off boiling)

Steep time: 4 minutes

Step-by-Step

1. Preheat

Fill French press with hot water to preheat. Let sit a minute. Discard water.

2. Add Coffee

Add coarse-ground coffee to the empty press. Shake gently to level.

3. Add Water

Start timer. Pour hot water over grounds, saturating all of them. Fill to desired level. Don't stir yet.

4. Wait

Let it sit for 4 minutes. At about 1 minute, you can gently stir to ensure all grounds are saturated. Then leave it alone.

This is your pause. Four minutes of nothing. Resist the urge to rush.

5. Plunge

At 4 minutes, press the plunger down slowly and steadily. Don't force it. If there's major resistance, your grind may be too fine.

6. Pour Immediately

Important: pour all the coffee out right away. If it sits in the press, it continues extracting and becomes bitter.

Pour into cups or a carafe. Serve.

Troubleshooting

Bitter or Over-Extracted

• Grind coarser
• Steep for less time (try 3:30)
• Use slightly cooler water
• Pour immediately after plunging (don't let it sit)

Weak or Under-Extracted

• Grind finer (but still coarse-ish)
• Steep longer (try 4:30)
• Use more coffee
• Ensure water is hot enough

Too Much Sediment

• Grind coarser—fine particles slip through the mesh
• Let brewed coffee settle a moment before drinking the last sips
• Consider an Espro press (double micro-filter reduces sediment)

Hard to Press

• Grind is too fine. The mesh clogs with fine particles. Coarsen significantly.

The 4-Minute Ritual

French press has a built-in pause: the 4-minute steep.

You can fill this time however you want. Check your phone. Prep breakfast. Zone out.

Or: use it intentionally. Four minutes of nothing. Standing in your kitchen, waiting. Noticing the steam, the smell, the quiet.

The coffee will be the same either way. You might not be.

Coffee for French Press

French press handles a range of roasts well:

• Medium to dark roasts: The full body complements these roasts' chocolate, caramel, nutty notes
• Bold, earthy coffees: Indonesian, Brazilian, darker blends
• Any fresh coffee: Freshness matters more than roast level

Lighter roasts work too—they'll taste different than in pour over, with more body and less clarity. Some people prefer this.

Shop our coffees →

Cleaning Your French Press

Don't skip this. Old coffee oils go rancid and affect taste.

1. Empty grounds (compost or trash, not down the drain)
2. Disassemble the plunger (most have multiple parts)
3. Wash all parts with soap and water
4. Let dry completely before reassembling

Deep clean weekly if you use it daily. Coffee oils build up invisibly.

French Press vs. Pour Over

Neither is better. They're different.

Try both. See what your palate prefers.

Sip in the moment.

Spiritus Coffee Co.
Consciously crafted. Roasted with intention.

Master the pour over method for a cleaner, brighter cup

Pour over is the method that made specialty coffee mainstream. It's simple in concept—pour hot water over ground coffee—but the details matter. This guide covers everything you need to make excellent pour over coffee at home.

What Makes Pour Over Special

Pour over produces a clean, bright cup that highlights a coffee's distinct characteristics. Unlike immersion methods (French press, cold brew), pour over continuously filters the coffee as it brews, removing oils and fine particles that can muddy the flavor.

The result: clarity. You taste the coffee itself, not just "coffee flavor." Origin characteristics shine through. Fruit notes, floral hints, subtle sweetness—pour over reveals what's actually in the bean.

The trade-off: pour over requires attention. It's not a set-and-forget method. But that attention becomes part of the ritual.

Equipment You Need

Essential

• Pour over dripper: Hario V60, Kalita Wave, Chemex, or similar. Each produces slightly different results, but all work well.
• Paper filters: Matched to your dripper. Unbleached or bleached both work.
• Kettle: Ideally gooseneck for control. Standard kettle works but makes precision harder.
• Fresh coffee: This matters most. No method compensates for stale beans.
• Grinder: Burr grinder strongly recommended. Blade grinders produce inconsistent particle size.

Helpful but Optional

• Scale: For consistent ratios. Measuring by weight beats measuring by volume.
• Timer: To track brew time. Phone timer works fine.
• Thermometer: To check water temperature. Less critical than other variables.

The Basic Recipe

Start here. Adjust based on taste.

Ratio: 1:16 (coffee to water by weight)
Example: 20g coffee, 320g water

Grind: Medium-fine (like table salt)

Water temperature: 195-205°F (90-96°C). Just off boiling works if you don't have a thermometer.

Total brew time: 2:30-3:30 minutes

Step-by-Step Process

1. Prep

Heat your water. Place filter in dripper. Rinse filter with hot water—this removes paper taste and preheats your vessel. Discard rinse water.

2. Grind and Dose

Grind your coffee fresh, right before brewing. Weigh it (or use approximately 2 tablespoons per 6 oz water). Place grounds in filter. Shake gently to level the bed.

3. Bloom

Start your timer. Pour just enough water to saturate all grounds—about 2x the coffee weight (40g water for 20g coffee). The coffee will bubble and expand as CO2 escapes. This is the bloom.

Wait 30-45 seconds. This degassing allows for more even extraction in the main pour.

4. Main Pour

Begin pouring in slow, steady circles from the center outward. Avoid pouring directly on the filter. Keep the water level relatively consistent—don't let it drain completely between pours, but don't flood it either.

Pour until you've reached your target water weight. Total pour time should be about 2-2:30 minutes.

5. Drawdown

Let the remaining water drain through. Total time from first pour to final drip should be 2:30-3:30 minutes. Longer suggests grind is too fine. Shorter suggests too coarse.

6. Serve

Remove dripper. Swirl the coffee to integrate. Let it cool slightly—flavor develops as temperature drops. Taste.

Troubleshooting

Too Bitter or Harsh

Likely over-extracted. Try:

• Coarser grind
• Lower water temperature
• Faster pour (less contact time)

Too Sour or Weak

Likely under-extracted. Try:

• Finer grind
• Higher water temperature
• Slower pour (more contact time)

Drain Time Too Long

Grind is too fine, or you're pouring too aggressively (causing "fines migration" that clogs the filter). Coarsen the grind.

Drain Time Too Short

Grind is too coarse. The water rushes through without extracting properly. Fine up the grind.

Variables to Experiment With

Once you have the basics, play with:

• Ratio: Try 1:15 for stronger, 1:17 for lighter
• Grind size: Small changes have big effects
• Pour pattern: Continuous pour vs. pulse pouring (multiple pours with pauses)
• Water: Filtered vs. tap can make noticeable difference

Change one variable at a time. Take notes. Find your preference.

Coffee for Pour Over

Pour over excels with light to medium roasts. The clarity of the method reveals origin characteristics that darker roasts mask.

Look for coffees described as:

• Bright, fruity, floral
• Complex, layered
• Light or medium roast
• Single origin

At Spiritus, our lighter roasts and single origins shine in pour over. The method shows off what we're trying to highlight.

Explore our current coffees →

The Ritual of Pour Over

Beyond technique, pour over offers something valuable: enforced presence.

You can't walk away. The process requires 3-4 minutes of attention. No scrolling, no multitasking. Just you, water, coffee.

For some, this is inconvenient. For others, it's the point.

Those few minutes become a pause in the day. A small ritual of attention. The cup you end up with is almost secondary to the practice of making it.

Sip in the moment.

Spiritus Coffee Co.
Consciously crafted. Roasted with intention.

At Spiritus Coffee, we’re proud to be the go-to choice for freshly roasted espresso in the area. With more and more customers reaching out, particularly about the Breville Barista Express, I wanted to share some insights based on my personal experience using the machine for over ten years. (Shout out to Breville for replacing mine twice due to heavy use!) Whether you're an espresso aficionado or just getting started, here are some helpful tips for dialing in the perfect shot.

Step-by-Step Guide to Dialing in Your Breville Barista Express

1. Understanding Your Shot

When pulling espresso, focus on two key things: the amount of espresso extracted and how long the extraction takes. A good shot should land in the "espresso range" on the machine’s pressure gauge (about the 12 o’clock mark). Here’s how to get that dialed in:

2. Tools You’ll Need:

• Digital Scale – You need precise measurements, so grab a small scale like this one.
• Dosing Cup & Tamper Leveler – Up your espresso game with a dosing cup to evenly distribute grounds and a tamper leveler for consistent tamping.

3. Grind & Dose:

• Set your grind size to 8 and use the double shot grind option.
• For precision, weigh out 19 grams of beans. Grind only that amount using the double shot grind button.
• Once all the grounds are in the hopper, use the dosing cup and tamper leveler to evenly tamp the espresso into the portafilter.

4. Pull the Shot:

• Place your cup on the scale and hit the double shot button.
• Start a timer as soon as espresso begins to flow (it might take 10 seconds before the flow starts).
• Aim to get 36 grams of espresso in 20-30 seconds.

Adjustments:

If your shot takes longer than 30 seconds, make your grind coarser. If it takes less than 20 seconds, make the grind finer. If you’re consistently running too fast or too slow, adjust your dose: lower from 19g to 17g if it’s too slow, or raise to 21g if too fast.

Why Fresh Beans Matter

A crucial element to espresso (and one Breville’s troubleshooting team often recommends) is using freshly roasted beans. This is where Spiritus Coffee comes in! We roast our beans fresh every week to ensure the best flavor, aroma, and extraction. In fact, you can subscribe to have a fresh bag of beans delivered right to your door weekly, ensuring you’re always stocked with premium local espresso.

Spiritus Coffee’s Classic Espresso Blend

Our Harmony Espresso Blend is meticulously crafted from beans sourced from the finest coffee regions—perfect for your espresso machine at home. This blend strikes a balance between sweetness, body, and acidity, making it approachable for all espresso lovers.

• Brazil: Sweet, nutty, with low acidity and rich chocolate notes.
• Colombia: Balanced acidity with caramel sweetness and fruity undertones.
• Guatemala: Cocoa flavors, velvety mouthfeel, and bright acidity.

Tasting Notes:

• Flavor: Rich chocolate, sweet caramel, roasted nuts, and a hint of fruity brightness.
• Aroma: Cocoa and toasted almonds.
• Body: Smooth, full-bodied with a creamy texture.
• Finish: Lingering sweetness with a satisfying aftertaste.

Whether you’re enjoying a straight shot or crafting a latte, the Harmony Espresso Blend offers a delightful experience in every cup.

Try Our Fresh, Locally Roasted Espresso

Spiritus Coffee is your go-to source for fresh, locally roasted espresso in the Lombard area. Experience the difference that freshly roasted beans can make in your espresso routine. Sign up for our subscription service today, and you’ll never run out of the freshest espresso beans for your home brewing setup.