The Best Espresso Beans

Most often, for the preparation of espresso, not one type of coffee is used, but a mixture. This allows you to get more shades that will complement each other.

Pure arabica is used extremely rarely, a small addition of Robusta is useful for the mixture.

The combination of arabica and robusta (and even more so the inscription “100% arabica”) should not be the main criterion. The final taste still depends a lot on what factors. Only if caffeine is harmful to you, it is recommended to choose varieties with a small amount of robusta.

Roasting can also be different and not by chance. Moreover, it differs not only in the final degree, but also in duration and method of cooling. For espresso and, above all, for real espresso drinks (up to 60 ml of water per 8 g of coffee), roasting is usually dark or medium-dark.

The quality of the grain, blend (mixture), roasting and other “little things” depend on the manufacturer. Good coffee is not as easy as it seems; Many good coffee roasting companies are family-owned businesses, where coffee is roasted for more than one generation and has its own secrets. Or are these large coffee roasting plants with expensive robotic equipment.

The most delicious coffee for espresso number 1 –
Badilatti Gourmetto

Badilatti company (Switzerland, 1912);
Grade: Gourmetto

Arabica 100% different varieties: Mexico, Peru, North Sumatra;

Roasting – All varieties are “organic”, all purchases are based on the “Fair Trade” scheme roasting separate (not exactly), dark.

Aroma – strong, thin and deep, woody floral.

Taste – as in any Swiss coffee, there is no restrained palette, many diverse tastes: sharply bitter, sweetish, spicy, thin lemon-sour, slightly salty. The peculiarity of this variety is that these shades change significantly while you are drinking coffee, and, in general, a fairly balanced and very dense bouquet is created.

Truly gourmet. A pleasant bitterness of coffee remains a long aftertaste.

Someone seem this coffee overly bitter and sharp, but, at the same time, unforgettably tasty. Someone its seem soft.

In a Saeco coffee machine, Gourmetto loses its small sharpness and becomes quite calm without losing its complexity and “iridescence”.

But also important to say that In an unconfigured coffee machine (with coarse grinding, for example), coffee can lose almost all its beauty.

In a good carob espresso machine Gourmet is prepared quite easily, despite the composition (Arabica 100%) and cooked at a pressure of 8 to 11 bar. However, it is very likely that after the cup you will want water or sweetie.

The most delicious coffee for espresso number 2 –
ILLY Blend

Illy company (Italy, 1933);
Grade: “red stripe”, denoting the degree of roasting.

Arabica 100% different varieties: 9 varieties from 4 continents medium dark roasting.

Aroma – bright and tender, non-targeted, floral, even slightly fruity and caramel.

Taste – The best coffee, of course, is difficult to describe, because in the best coffee masters retain balance. It is the balance of bitter-sweet-sour, it is also the balance of brightness-restraint. The manufacturer, in his description, does not accidentally use the word “symphony”. It gives an idea of ​​the versatility of the mixture, the many shades that create taste. Of course, on a bad coffee maker, as on a bad audio system, some soloists will be singled out and others will not be visible. And Illy, believe me, is worth a good brew. The first time, on a coffee machine or a Saeco coffee maker, it seemed too soft to me, and later, on a semi-professional one, it seemed too sour. But even then, the first times, it was clear – this is a thing. The taste was complex and interesting from the start. I personally liked to distinguish fruit notes in it most of all – they are so often lacking Italian coffee for my taste.

And yet, I like Illy with a black stripe, no less, especially for pure espresso. But, as the majority prefers softer, wrote about it.

The most delicious coffee for espresso number 3 –
Arcaffe Mokacrema

Arcaffe company (Italy, 1895);
Grade: Mokacrema.

Arabica ….% (it’s not easy here… the producer indicates 100%, then 85%, then nothing, but in appearance and taste… it’s hard to say 100% or not) – varieties from El Salvador, Ethiopia, India and Brazil, some even Grand Cru level (selected from one farm).

Roasting – dark, long.

Aroma – full of malt-chocolate notes, sweet and tender, a little creamy and floral.

Taste – varieties for the blend were selected the most chocolate: bittersweet, the name of Mokakrem was not accidental. “Chocolate” in Arcaffe turned out very gentle, milky, and very diverse. Acid in the mixture (as in any expensive), of course there is, it is soft, more like the acid of ripe peach or white grapes. Caramel notes are also present, partly due to the selected varieties, but not only – with really long roasting, these shades of taste appear; it is also visible in the color of the grain — dark golden with specks of oil. The overall balance of taste is chocolate velvety and creamy soft, deep and rich. Long aftertaste.

Great for any cooking method. For versatility, you can put the maximum points.

The most delicious coffee for espresso number 4 –
Blasercafe Lilla e Rose

Blaser Café (Switzerland);
Grade: Lilla e Rose

Arabica 80% varieties from 4 continents: Brazil, Ethiopia, Colombia, Indonesia, Haiti, India;
Robusta 20% with about. Java (Indonesia) and India medium dark roasting.

Aroma – fruit-nut-chocolate, complex, strong.

Taste – very bright, with fruit sourness, turning into saturated with hints of hazelnuts; when preparing an espresso and adding sugar, the overall bouquet can very much resemble a good chocolate candy.

This mixture is suitable for cezve and for any espresso machine. It is noteworthy that this coffee is quite easily obtained in a wide range of settings and the result is a good cream; but it will be tasty in different ways. The drink can be both soft and strong, but in any case it remains special. In general, the taste is very rich, but not harsh and, even, not bitter.

Four-time winner of world barista championships.

The most delicious coffee for espresso number 5 –
Caffe Vergnano Cristal

Vergnano (Italy, 1882);
Grade: Cristal in a can of 3 kg

Arabica 90-95% from Ethiopia, Brazil, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Santa Domingo, variety Maragogype (Nicaragua) and 5% Asian scrubbed robusta. By the way, Maragodzhip beans – these are large, large beans – stand out noticeably among other types of coffee.

Roasting is dark.

Aroma – thin and rich, light floral-caramel shades (here I can lie, I drank it a little).

Taste – rather gentle and reserved, however, at the same time, very rich and pronounced; not a single shade of taste stands out stronger than the others and it is difficult to call this coffee in one word. Present and chocolate, and nut, and caramel, and wine, and citrus notes. Long aftertaste. Special coffee.

Medium cream.

Sounds like a great espresso. Maybe short, maybe a little long, but espresso.

The most delicious coffee for espresso number 6 –
Bristot Tiziano

Bristot company (Italy, 1919);
Grade: Tiziano

Arabica 85%.

Dark roast.

I have long wanted to write about this coffee. And… a strange thing happened: the manufacturer changed the mixture slightly. Previously, it was one coffee, and, one of my favorites, now it has become a little different, and I loved it even more. So what has changed? Delicate taste with a small but very tangible fruit and wine sourness, characteristic of expensive restaurant varieties was replaced by a more balanced and complex. What is left? Remained saturation, density and wonderful aroma, all the most important things that should be in coffee.

Aroma – complex, intense; and that’s all I can (yet) write.

Taste – Strong, citrus, wine and bread sour notes are present, but it is almost impossible to see them, the coffee is bitter and complex; soft but not gentle; strong but not tart. The taste is so complex that it is impossible to distinguish any specific flavor. The balance is so wonderful that you can drink it without anything, not even eating a sweet, and not washing down the espresso with water (my feeling).

Feature of the mixture is its stable taste and versatility. The coffee from it, brewed in different-looking machines, was surprisingly similar to each other. Also, the mixture was perfectly cooked at different pressures (from 8 to 12 bar), largely maintaining its balance.

Perfect for any espresso-based Italian drink.

The most delicious coffee for espresso number 7 –
Julius Meinl Poesia

Julius Meinl (Austria, 1862);
Grade: Poesia

Arabica 100%, excellent quality.

Roasting branded: long, medium-dark.

Grain 1 kg, comes in an additional cardboard box (inside a pack of red). Mix for restaurants.

The aroma is complex, caramel and fruity.

The taste is bitter-soft, very complex composition, it is difficult to isolate any particular shades (especially since I tasted it only 1 kilogram 5 months ago), something like the following: chocolate, almond, caramel, candied fruits.
If some coffee and drink without sugar, then exactly this one. It is not that very soft, but there is not a “drop” in it either of excessive roast hot or of harsh acid. The taste of this variety will significantly depend on the freshness, I recommend to keep the coffee, if possible, tight.

Very good aftertaste, even on a domestic coffee machine.

Recommended for espresso of any size and for dairy drinks. True, cappuccino will be gentle.

Grinding is recommended smaller.

To say that the “unforgettable taste” would be somewhat ridiculous, but this coffee is not like any other. You can call this taste truly Austrian. In any case, the brand is Julius Meinl # 1 in Austria, and in the top ten on the continent. And this is one of the best mixes from Julius. By the way, these mixtures are fried in Verona, Italy.

The most delicious coffee for espresso number 8 –
Julius Meinl Caffe Del Moro Espresso Bar

Julius Meinl (Austria, 1862);
Grade: Caffe Del Moro Espresso Bar

Among the declared one hundred percent Arabic, of course, you can find Robusta, its 5-7%. Roasting branded: long, medium-dark.

The aroma is rich, but not sharp, deep, dominated by notes of cocoa, bread, biscuit baking, pear jam.

The overall balance of taste is bitter, as due to branded acid roasting in coffee, there remains at least (despite the composition) sweetness is present. The main flavors: caramel, bitter almond, bitter chocolate.

Perfectly drunk without sugar, a small amount of it will emphasize the “caramel”, but too much will turn into a “cheap candy.”

Very good aftertaste, without the “care” of bitterness or acid, even on a domestic coffee machine.

Recommended for espresso of any size and for dairy drinks. For a good espresso grinding will have to put smaller than you think.

This is not the original Austrian coffee (this can be seen from the modified logo, it is on the red square, next to the Negro in the fez that says “Caffe Del Moro by Julius Meinl”, but the name of the variety “Espresso Bar”), and the Italian company in the past, “recently” bought by Julius. However, the roast here is Austrian.

The most delicious coffee for espresso number 9 –
Badilatti St. Moritz Café

Badilatti company (Switzerland, 1912);
Grade: St. Moritz Café

We see several loud phrases on the pack: “pure luxury blend” and “top of the world”. The first one is the branding line of coffee, the second one is the world-famous resort of St. Moritz. You ask? And this is the official coffee of this resort. Is it worth these phrases? I will try to answer.

Arabica 100% soft and fragrant varieties from Central America

Roast – split (not exactly), average

Aroma – soft and deep.

Taste – quite restrained and calm, but full and perfectly balanced. Here it is difficult to write something further… I can say one thing – this is an adult coffee. And it can be appreciated by experienced gourmets.

Generally, if you did not appreciate this coffee from the first cups, then there is a chance that after the end of the kilogram pack you will not want anything else. And coffee is far from budget (we will assume that I warned you).

The most delicious coffee for espresso number 10 –
Stefan Caffe Aurum

Kikkotosto, a little-known company, has been producing coffee under the Stefan Caffe brand;
Grade: Aurum, pack of 1000 g.

Arabica 100% of the unknown (but apparently distant) countries. Varieties like 6 and to taste we can say that a lot of coffee from Central America. Grain quality is high.

Roasting is dark.

Aroma – bright and saturated, like a good perfume, but … not sharp, but coffee and very good

The taste is quite diverse: interesting, rich, slightly delicate, dominated by notes of cocoa, cereals and citrus.

Medium cream.

Very differently cooked on a different technique. To be honest, I didn’t like it at all in a semi-professional coffee machine, but the espresso in the vending machine is wonderful. In Saek it always turned out to be soft and closer to cocoa (as well as chocolate and creamy with the addition of sugar and, possibly, milk), and notes of cocoa and citrus appear in DeLongs as well.

Also, it is known that this coffee is perfectly brewed in a cezve and brewed with boiling water (though now it’s not “fashionable” to brew coffee at the price of $30 without having a coffee maker).

The most delicious coffee for espresso number 11 –
Kimbo Espresso Bar

The Cafe do Brasil company (Italy, Nearol) makes coffee tm. Kimbo;
Grade: Top Flavor brand from the Espresso Bar professional line.

100% Arabica.

Roast medium.

The aroma is bright and special. … it seems that the coffee will be delicious and with good sourness expensive Arabica.

Taste – And there is. There is a lot of fruit acid, but… it is far from the only shade. You can taste the tones of buns, almonds and cream.
In general, the taste is bright, a little cheeky. But… polysyllabic, and therefore ambiguous. Someone may find the coffee too acidic (and what else could one expect from the 100% expensive Arabica roast?), to someone quite soft. And certainly it is not bitter.

Recommended only for espresso. For the coffee maker (coffee machine) of any level. And – after the meal. As an afternoon will be just right. And having tasted it before meals, it is quite possible that you do not want to eat.

The most delicious coffee for espresso number 12 –
Danesi Doppio

Danesi Caffe family company, has been making coffee for about a century, in Rome;
Grade: Doppio.

Arabica is 100%, according to some data there are both Ethiopian and Kenyan grains, which is rare medium-dark roasting.

Aroma – rich, classic, not bright.

The taste is great depends on the preparation … and it is difficult to write about it. If your coffee machine is not configured (grinding is not reduced), then the coffee will be just classic and pleasant. If you can adjust and achieve canonical 20 … 30 ml (if your technique can…), then you may be surprised. The taste can be so rich and full that this mixture begins to seem very strong.

It was also noticed that expectations play a large role: a third of the newbies mix seems too soft (either the machine is not tuned, or the name (doppio is double) waited for another), and the third seems too strong (they probably expected the top mix will be softer).

I personally tried this coffee a long time ago and fell in love immediately. I like it very tasty. There are no brightly pronounced notes in it, only a hint of aged wine, perhaps the main one…. You can also see fried bread, dark chocolate and zest.
However, capricious coffee can still be called. And even balance and deep taste are quite dependent on the freshness of coffee.

This coffee is suitable for a perfect espresso, and for a great cappuccino.

The most delicious coffee for espresso number 13 –
Caffe Molinari Rosa

Company Caffe Molinari (Caffe Molinari), Italy;
Grade: Rosa.

Arabica 90% bright varieties (according to legend, a lot of Central America)
Robusta 10%.

The roast is generally medium dark, or rather, different, apparently separate in grades

Aroma – bright, richly coffee-floral.

Taste – diverse; Very wide palette for Italian coffee. There is bitterness, acid, and salinity with sweetness. You can “see” almonds, bread, fruit, cocoa. I want to write and a rose, but… very few people… eaten it. However, the name “rose” is really not accidental, and that shade of rose petals, which happens in the corresponding tea, seems to be clearly felt here.

Very unusual coffee, not like the others. And Italian roast adds depth to it. (Bitterness, of course, also adds… But, we’re talking about espresso, aren’t we?)

The aftertaste of chocolate and dried fruit.

Very good coffee and already found a lot of their fans. On different grinding reveals itself in different ways and… always good. I personally really like it.

Suitable for dairy drinks, but it was created, in my opinion, not for this.

Due to its brightness, this mixture cooks well on all good household appliances, even with poor settings. On a professional technique, it is great, but I suppose that many bartenders might not like their excessive “variegation”.

The most delicious coffee for espresso number 14 –
Lavazza Tierra!

Lavazza, Italy;
Grade: Tierra (or Tierra! In original).

Arabica 100%, a mixture of Arabica only Brazil, Peru and Guatemala (according to the manufacturer). Grain for this mixture is cultivated and harvested under control and is certified by the Rainforest Alliance (comply with the strict environmental standards of this organization).

Roasting is medium dark and long.

The aroma is strong and bright, fruit and coffee.

The taste is intense, but not at all rough, rather refined, with sweet notes and very fruity, peach sourness; You can also easily detect shades of milk chocolate (if sugar is added, of course).

Aftertaste is light and fruity.

Tasting showed interesting results. All clearly noticed the acid, many more by smell. But … I liked very much 75 percent! 25% liked it calmly. The fact is that an espresso from this mixture turned out yes, bright, yes, a sap, but balanced and rich in taste. In addition, the mixture has a fairly complete body (density) for 100% arabica. These qualities and make this coffee tasty and memorable.

Lavazza Qualita Oro (this is what in the golden tutu) is also loved for similar qualities, but that mixture does not have such quality and stability.

I recommend for espresso and lungo on all espresso coffee makers, as well as for a rich coffee in the Cezve, mocha, drip and aeropress. Under the milk, it seems, is not very suitable. Pity.