coffeeflavor
I'm no coffee expert – I can't describe flavours well, but I know what I like. And I'd like to learn to describe tastes better.
Illy is my favourite coffee (for French press use) – it seems a lot lighter than other brands. For example, Douwe Egberts seems too thick, and impossible to drink black.
How would you describe the main qualities of Illy? And if I want to get more in depth and buy fresh beans, what types might share some of these qualities?
You do want a coarse grind for french press coffee. The key is letting the coffee steep for long enough to make a strong brew. I have good results with a 5 minute steep time. Be sure to use a timer, and compare different times to find the optimal brew. As a general rule, if you are at altitude, then you need to add time because boiling water is cooler. (Note that I am at 5000ft, so 5 minutes may be too long for you.)
Below is a picture of the coffee chunks in a coarse grind on top of a US 5 cent coin (21.21 mm in diameter).
The picture is from this article.
EDIT: The reason to use a coarse grind for a french press is that finer grinds will get stuck in the filter and/or push their way through. This has three potential problems: 1) it will be harder to press down the filter, possibly leading to spillage or breakage; 2) your coffee will have grinds in it; 3) the coffee may become bitter, as the finer grinds that passed through the filter remain in contact with the coffee for too long.
Its possible that when you drink a hot liquid, you swish it around your mouth a lot less than when you drink a cold liquid, and thus fewer of the taste buds on your tongue are exposed to it. This wouldn't be surprising: it's hot after all.
Another possibility is that if you're starting with hot coffee, and adding sugar to it, that the sugar isn't fully dissolved when you drink it hot (it takes time, especially if you don't stir it much), but has dissolved by the time the coffee cools. With more dissolved sugar, it is sweeter.
Best Answer
I don't know anything about Illy coffe but you may find these can answer the question I think you are asking. Here is a flavor wheel for coffee: http://www.flickr.com/photos/visualthinkmap/2741624371/ and here is a link and a great website for pretty much everything coffee: http://www.wholelattelove.com/articles/coffee_tasting.cfm.
Also just to be complete here is a direct quote from the site above, Whole Latte Love, about Illy coffee: