How to Choose the Right Coffee Beans for Your Brew Method
Not all beans are created equal. Learn how to read a coffee bag and choose the perfect roast for your favorite brewing style.
Walking into a specialty coffee shop or browsing online can be overwhelming. With terms like "washed process," "altitude," and "tasting notes," how do you know what will taste good in your French Press?
To fully understand what you're buying, start with our complete guide to understanding coffee roast levels. And once you have your beans, you'll need a quality grinder—our burr vs. blade grinder comparison explains why grind consistency is crucial for extracting the best flavors.
1. Match the Roast to the Method
- Light Roast: Best for Pour-over and Aeropress. These beans retain their origin characteristics and acidity.
- Medium Roast: The most versatile. Great for Drip coffee and French Press.
- Dark Roast: Ideal for Espresso and Moka Pot. The oils and bold flavors stand up well to pressure and milk.
2. Process Matters
- Washed: Clean, bright, and acidic.
- Natural: Fruity, sweet, and sometimes "funky."
- Honey: A middle ground between washed and natural.
3. Freshness is Key
Always look for a "Roasted On" date. Ideally, you want to use beans between 7 and 30 days after roasting.
Who This Is For
This guide is for the coffee drinker who wants to move beyond "supermarket coffee" and understand the nuances of specialty beans. To dive deeper into roast levels, read our complete guide to understanding coffee roast levels. And once you have your beans, learn which brewing method suits them best in our French Press vs. AeroPress comparison.
Want to learn more? Explore all our coffee education guides for more brewing knowledge.