On the left of the photo above is a 14 oz. bag of our Guatemalan Organic coffee roasted to a nice, medium brown. On the right is a 14 oz. bag of our French Roast, which is made from our Guatemalan Organic coffee. Notice the difference in size.
I liken coffee to steaks: if you want a juicy steak, you don’t order it well done. It’s the same with coffee, French Roast is the “well done” of the coffee world, most of the “juiciness” has been roasted out of the bean, the caffeine level is lower (surprise!), and there are fewer of the flavors that you’ll find in a lighter roasted bean. Some people want the dark flavor of a French Roast, and that’s just fine and dandy. Personally, I’m not a fan.
If you notice the extreme difference in the volume of the two 14 oz. bags shown above, you should come to the conclusion that relying on the old “scoop” method of brewing will not give you the same amount of coffee from each bag. This idea holds true throughout the coffee world: different beans have different densities, some, like Tanzanian Peaberry, are less dense, others, like Costa Rican, are more so — even if they’re roasted to exactly the same color.
Your best bet is to weigh your coffee before brewing. This will take a bit of experimentation on your part in order to find the weight that brews a cup that you enjoy. Once you find it, lock it in and use it for all the coffees you may try. A common kitchen scale will do the job nicely. Give it a try, and you’ll get a more consistent cup.