The cafetière is one of the most forgiving brew methods available - and one of the most rewarding when you use the right coffee. It is full-immersion brewing: the grounds sit in hot water for four minutes, extracting oils and flavour compounds that paper filters would remove. That process rewards certain coffees and exposes others. This guide explains what to look for. For the complete guide to choosing coffee based on taste and brew method, read How to Choose Coffee Beans: The Complete Buying Guide.
What type of coffee beans are best for a cafetière?
Cafetière brewing suits full-bodied, naturally processed coffees best. The full-immersion method - where grounds sit in water for four minutes before pressing - extracts more oils and produces a heavier, richer cup than filter methods.
Naturally processed coffees, where the whole coffee cherry dries around the bean, tend toward deep fruit, chocolate and wine-like complexity that holds up well in a cafetière. Washed coffees can work too, but their more delicate and acidic character can be partially lost in immersion brewing.
Single-origin beans from Yemen, Ethiopia or Brazil tend to produce the most satisfying cafetière results. Medium-to-dark roasts are generally a stronger match than very light roasts, which can taste underdeveloped at coarser grinds.
What grind size should I use for a cafetière?
Use a coarse grind. The grounds should look similar to coarse sea salt - rough and irregular in texture. This is essential because the grounds sit in water for around four minutes: too fine and the coffee will over-extract and taste bitter or muddy.
"We try to focus not only on different regions, but from a traditional lens - a historical lens. The origin method, the origin of making. We try to make the coffee simple as it is."
- Ameen, Founder, Hamdan Coffee
The right ratio is approximately 1 gram of coffee to every 15 to 16 grams of water. For a standard four-cup cafetière, that works out to around 28 to 30 grams of coffee. If the cup tastes weak, use more coffee rather than grinding finer or extending the brew time.
Should I use light, medium or dark roast in a cafetière?
Medium roast is the most versatile and reliable starting point for cafetière brewing. It produces a balanced cup with enough body to suit the immersion method while still preserving some of the origin's natural character.
A medium-to-dark roast gives more chocolate and roasted notes with heavier body - well suited to cafetière if you drink your coffee black or with a small amount of milk. Very dark roasts can taste harsh and bitter in a cafetière because immersion brewing extracts more aggressively than pour over. Light roasts are possible but can taste thin at a coarse grind.
If you want to try a naturally processed Yemeni coffee in a cafetière, a medium roast is the ideal starting point.
What water temperature should I use for a cafetière?
Use water between 90 and 96 degrees Celsius - just off the boil. If your kettle has no temperature setting, bring the water to the boil and allow it to rest for 30 to 45 seconds before pouring.
Boiling water at 100 degrees Celsius will over-extract the coffee and produce bitterness. Water below 85 degrees Celsius will under-extract and the result will taste flat and weak. A short rest after boiling is all that is required - no specialist equipment needed.
How long should I let cafetière coffee brew?
Four minutes is the standard brew time. Add your coarsely ground coffee, pour the hot water and stir gently to ensure all grounds are saturated. Place the lid on but do not press the plunger yet. After four minutes, press slowly and steadily - without forcing it.
Pour immediately and do not leave the brewed coffee sitting on the grounds, as it will continue to extract and become bitter. If the coffee tastes bitter, reduce the brew time slightly and consider a fractionally coarser grind. If it tastes weak or flat, use a little more coffee rather than grinding finer.
Which Hamdan Coffee is best for cafetière brewing?
Royal Haraaz is Hamdan Coffee's most recommended option for cafetière. It is a naturally processed Yemeni single origin from the Haraaz highlands - grown at altitude on ancient terraced hillsides and dried on rooftops using traditional methods. The result is a coffee with deep berry sweetness, a thick syrupy body and a long, wine-like finish. All of these characteristics come through clearly in a cafetière, where full immersion extracts the rich fruit character without washing it away.
For drinkers who prefer something a little more accessible, the Yemen Mocha is another filter-forward option with a rounder, more approachable profile. Both are available on the Hamdan Coffee website, roasted to order and dispatched fresh.
Browse filter-forward coffees from Hamdan Coffee →
