Coffee Buying Guide: Beans, Ground Coffee & Roast
A good coffee choice starts with two questions: how do you brew, and what flavours do you enjoy? Use this guide to choose between whole beans and ground coffee, compare our roasts and find a coffee you will look forward to brewing.
Whole beans or ground coffee?
Choose whole beans if you have a grinder. Grinding just before brewing lets you adjust the grind for your equipment. Espresso machines need a fine, carefully adjusted grind; cafetières need a coarser grind.
Choose ground coffee if you use a manual brewer without a grinder. Our general-purpose ground coffee is intended for cafetière, drip filter, V60 and AeroPress brewing. Different brewers still need different recipes, and you can adjust your dose and brew time to taste. Our standard ground coffee is not recommended for espresso machines.
Which Flying Coffee blend should I choose?
| Coffee | Roast and character | Tasting notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lancaster | Full-bodied dark roast | Milk chocolate, toasted nuts and caramel |
| Concorde | Smooth medium-dark roast | Toffee apple, light citrus, milk chocolate and blackcurrant |
| Spitfire | Bold dark roast with a smoky finish | Dark chocolate, earthy and smoky notes |
| DC-3 Decaf | Medium-dark decaf with a creamy character | Walnut and dark cocoa |
For rich everyday coffee, start with Lancaster. For chocolate and fruit notes with less smoky character, consider Concorde. If you enjoy an assertive, smoky dark roast, Spitfire is your next coffee stop. Choose DC-3 when you want to cut back on caffeine; decaf still contains a small amount.
Coffee for espresso, cafetière and filter
For an espresso machine, choose whole beans and adjust your grinder to the machine and basket. Lancaster and Spitfire are options for a rich, strong-tasting cup; Concorde is worth exploring if you prefer a smoother medium-dark direction.
For cafetière or filter coffee, choose whole beans if you grind at home, or ground coffee if you do not. Roast preference is personal: a darker roast generally gives a more developed, roasty character, while the tasting notes help you compare the coffees within our range. Strong taste is not a measurement of caffeine content.
How much coffee should I buy?
Our individual coffee bags contain 500g. At an 18g dose, that is about 27 brews, with a little coffee left over. How long a bag lasts depends on your dose and how many coffees your household makes.
Want to explore the range or stock up? A Flying Legends Box contains three 500g bags, totalling 1.5kg. Choose Lancaster, Concorde, Spitfire or DC-3 Decaf for each bag. You can repeat the same blend or mix your selection. Choose the whole bean bundle or the ground coffee bundle to match your brewer.
Simple brewing starting points
- Espresso: try 18g of ground coffee to 36g of liquid espresso in the cup. Adjust the grind and extraction to taste and to your machine.
- V60 or filter: try 16g of coffee to 240g of water, then adjust to taste.
- Cafetière: start around 60g of coffee per litre of water; scale both amounts to your cafetière.
These are starting recipes rather than fixed rules. If your coffee tastes too strong, adjust the coffee-to-water ratio. If it tastes bitter or sour, consider grind size and brew time as well as the recipe. Change one thing at a time so you can tell what helps.
Keep your coffee fresh
Reseal the bag after use and store it in a cool, dry place, away from direct light and strong smells. If you choose whole beans, grind the amount you need just before brewing.
Ready for your next brew? Shop coffee beans and ground coffee or build your Flying Legends Box.