5 Best Coarsely Ground Coffee for French press (2024)

For any brewing method, choosing the right ground size for the coffee is very important. And especially when it comes to the French press, it is important to use the best quality of coarsely ground coffee beans, and you just can't take any chances with random coffee grounds. You need to use the best quality coarsely ground coffee.

I've compiled a list of the best coarsely ground coffee beans for brewing French press.

But before I start listing them, I will tell you how I have chosen this ground coffee and what factors you need to check before buying any coarsely ground coffee.

Let's start.

How to choose the right coarsely ground coffee beans?

When it comes to buying coarsely ground coffee, choosing the right one is crucial. Here, I am listing down the factors that you can consider to buy the best coarsely ground coffee for French press coffee.

1) Ensure it is coarsely ground

Since there are various grinds available in the United States market such as fine ground, medium ground, etc, you need to first check whether the coffee grounds are coarsely ground or not.

And to do so, you need to ensure that it is labeled with “Coarsely ground”.

2) Consider the origin of the coffee beans

Different regions of the world produce coffee beans with different flavor profiles. For example, coffee beans grown in Ethiopia have a fruity and floral flavor, whereas coffee beans grown in Colombia have a nutty and chocolatey taste.

Now, it depends on what flavor of coffee you prefer, and you need to choose coarsely ground coffee according to your taste preferences.

3) Check the roast level

Below I have given an in-depth reason for choosing the dark roast coffee ground for brewing the French press coffee for a variety of reasons. But just for now, remember that dark-roasted coffee grounds are always a good choice to brew French press coffee.

However, choosing the roast level is an individual's choice and subject to lots of experiments to get your best choice. But if you are a novice to home brewing and want to start with the French press with coarsely ground coffee, choosing the dark roast beans will be worth it.

5 Best coarsely ground coffee for French press

Now, we will start listing the best coarsely ground coffee brands available in the USA market.

Let’s start.

1) Gevalia French roast dark ground coffee

This product contains 20 oz of Gevalia dark French roast ground coffee. Each bag of this coffee ground is crafted from 100% Arabica coffee beans. The coffee beans used in this product have been sourced from all around the world.

This aroma loaded in this product can fill your entire home with aroma.

The roasted coffee beans used in this product are slowly roasted (dark roasted) and quickly cooled so that more aroma and flavor can be stored in the end product. 

If you are looking for coarsely ground coffee that is kosher-friendly, then Gevalia Coffee Ground can be your best buy because it is 100% kosher-friendly.

Aside from that, these grounds are suitable for all coffee brewing methods. The company suggests we store these grounds in a cool and darker environment to store the ground properly.

2) Starbucks coarsely ground coffee

These French press coffee grounds are the secret behind Starbucks' wonderful French press coffee. This product contains 28 ounces of dark roasted French press coffee grounds.

These coarsely ground coffee beans have notes of dark caramel and sweet smoke, as well as an intense and toasty flavor. The coffee beans used in this product are dark roasted and 100% arabica.

Apart from the French press, these coffee grounds are also compatible with other coffee brewing methods such as the drip brewer, coffee press, pour-over, Moka pot, etc.

3) Eight O'Clock coarsely ground coffee

Eight O'Clock is one of the top-rated coarsely ground coffees sold in the USA. It has self-owned roasting plants in Maryland. Eight O'Clock has been providing rich and winey notes in coffee grounds since 1859.

This coffee's grounds have an elegant aroma and a full-bodied taste. The coffee beans used in the Eight O'Clock coffee ground are dark roasted and have a strong, bold taste.

You will also receive the date on which the beans were roasted, allowing you to determine whether these coffee grounds are fresh or not.

The beans used in these coffee grounds are 100% Arabica, having a premium taste and quality. These beans are also kosher-certified.

4) Peet’s coarsely ground dark-roasted coffee

This one packet of Peet's coffee grounds contains 18 ounces of 100% Arabica coffee bean ground.

The beans used in this blend are dark roasted, flavorful, and have a robust, full-bodied taste. Though this coffee ground is more suitable for drip or pour-over in a Chemex, you can very well use it to brew French press.

Peet's Coffee also makes sure that the coffee beans used in their coffee grounds are purchased according to Enveritas standards.

5) Kicking Horse coarsely ground coffee

This is Kicking Horse Coffee dark-roasted, coarsely ground coffee beans, which have a combination of sweet and smoky flavors.

This signature coffee ground has notes of chocolate malt, molasses, licorice, and an earthy finish. This coarsely ground coffee is compatible with other coffee brewing methods such as drip machines, pour-overs, or cold brew methods.

The coffee beans used in this product have been sourced from sustainable businesses operated by socially and environmentally responsible farmers in Indonesia and South America. Apart from this, these coffee beans are 100% kosher-friendly.

Here, I have discussed which coarsely ground coffee beans are best to brew a perfect cup of French press coffee. Now, I will discuss why only coarsely ground coffee is preferred for the French press and not the other one.

Let’s start.

Why do you need coarsely ground coffee for French press?

One of the major reasons why coarsely ground coffee is necessary for French press coffee is that it indirectly slows down the extraction process, which helps you brew a better-tasting French press coffee.

Let's understand the reason behind this.

While brewing the French press coffee, we let the coffee grounds steep for a few minutes in the hot water. Then we press a plunger to separate the grounds from the liquid. This is a slow extraction process.

In this process, if we use finely ground coffee, it will result in over-extraction of the coffee, and eventually, it will taste bitter. In the case of coarsely ground coffee, the large particles of coarsely ground coffee will slow and steady the extraction process. And that's the reason why I prefer coarsely ground coffee over fine or medium ground.

Aside from this, the large particles present in the coarsely ground coffee will not slip through the plunger and prevent your French press coffee from becoming muddy and gritty in texture. Also, using coarsely ground coffee beans in the French press can help you achieve the ideal pressure needed for the plunger to work effectively.

The large particles of the coarsely ground coffee slow down the rate of extraction, which can lead to a more balanced and flavorful cup of coffee. Additionally, the coarser grind size can help prevent the small particles from slipping through the plunger and ending up in the final cup, which can create a muddy and gritty texture.

In addition to the slower and more balanced extraction process, using coarsely ground coffee for the French press can also help you achieve the ideal pressure needed for the plunger to work effectively.

Why prefer dark roasted coffee bean grounds for French press coffee?

Generally, I recommend using dark-roasted coffee beans. There are two reasons behind this recommendation.

The first reason is that the French press is an immersion brewing method in which the coffee grounds retain all their oils, acids, and sugar. And it is the only reason behind the deep, rich, and full-bodied flavor of the French press.

If the oils and other things are the main reason behind the actual taste of the French press, then we also need to use the coffee grounds, which contain more oils.

And you will be happy to hear that dark-roasted coffee beans have more oils than the other types of roasted beans.

This is the primary reason for using and recommending dark-roasted coffee grounds for the French press.

The care you need to take while brewing French press coffee using coarsely ground coffee

Till now we understood that coarsely ground coffee is the best choice while brewing French press coffee. Now, I will discuss the care that you should be taking while preparing it. (Apart from using the French press correctly)

Let's start.

1) Use the right amount of coffee

The water-to-coffee ratio of 1:15 is considered a standard ratio for French press coffee. However, you can change this ratio as per your preferences. But ideally, you should start with 1 tbsp of coarsely ground coffee and 4 ounces of water and then you should start adjusting the ratio.

2) Use fresh coarsely ground coffee

If you store the coffee grounds for a long time, they will start losing their taste and aroma. Using freshly ground coffee is necessary to enjoy the real flavor and aroma of the coffee. You can electric or manual burr coffee grinders and start grinding the coffee beans at your home.

3) Preheat the French press

Preheat the French press by filling it with hot water and letting it sit for a while. This will help you keep the French press coffee hot for a longer period.

4) Stir the coffee

Once the coffee and water are added to the French press coffee maker, stir your coffee to ensure that all the coarsely ground coffee beans are fully immersed in the water.

5) Use the right water temperature

The right temperature of the water is necessary for proper extraction. Generally, the temperature between 195°F and 205°F (90°C to 96°C) is considered to be the ideal temperature. However, it will still depend on your taste preferences. However, using too hot water might burn the coarsely ground coffee beans. For brewing a perfect French press, many French press lovers also used thermometers.

6) Ensure the right steeping time

Steeping and plunging both are extremely important steps in brewing French press coffee. For a perfect cup of French press coffee, it is considered much better to steep the coffee for 4-5 minutes.

However, If you prefer a stronger cup, you can steep it for longer. But here you need to be very careful that you don't over-extract the coffee grounds otherwise your coffee will become much more bitter.

This is the reason why many French press lovers use a timer to track the steeping period. You can go to The App Barista application and use our time feature.

7) Plunge slowly

Once the coffee has stepped well, it's time to press the plunger down. But here, you need to keep the movement slow and steady. If you plunge too quickly, you might end up getting a gritty cup of coffee.

If you keep these points in mind while brewing the French press coffee using coarsely ground coffee, you will be able to brew a wonderful French press.

Wrapping up

Here, I have got you covered with the best coarsely ground coffee beans that you can use to brew the perfect cup of French press coffee.

Though here I am recommending dark roast ground coffee for French press, you also should experiment with other roasts and determine which roast works the best for you.

Also, if you want to learn different coffee brewing methods, I recommend you to download “The App Barista” mobile application and become a smart home barista.