% Kona Coffee Espresso Roast
The Kona Coffee espresso roast boasts premium gourmet beans for your shot of espresso. The beans are grown in prime conditions with rich volcanic soil providing nutrients to the beans. Available in a bold, dark roast for your espresso, the beans are hand-picked, ensuring only the ripest berries.
Key Features
Cons
- A bit pricey for some
Enjoy a true espresso blend with the Verena premium blended coffee beans with just the right amount of crema for an espresso shot.
Arabica Or Robusta Beanwhats That Mean
As you check out the bags of whole bean coffee weve linked above, youll more than likely find words like Arabica and Robusta in the product descriptions or printed on the front of the bag. But what do these words mean, and how do they impact your coffee experience?
Though there are dozens of varieties of coffee beans, the two most popular are Arabica and Robusta. Arabica beans, which tend to grow in higher elevations and predominantly in Latin America, usually have a soft and sweet taste, while Robusta blends are stronger with a lower acidity and can be found exclusively in the Eastern Hemisphere.
A lot of the coffee youd find in your grocery store is Robusta because its easier to grow, but many popular coffee brands and shops, including Starbucks Coffee, pride themselves on using 100% Arabica beans. But just because Arabica is a common shop favorite does not automatically mean they are the best coffee beans for everyone. Which bean you think is best among the two depends mostly on your personal taste, however, many prefer Arabica beans because they contain less caffeine and a less bitter flavor.
To Prepare A Cup Of Coffee With Illy Whole Bean Coffee You Also Need:
a ground coffee machine, a moka pot or a French press coffee maker
You might be interested to know:
One of the most important secrets to making extraordinary coffee is preparing the right grind for your coffee. For espresso, you should use a fine grind, where as, moka, drip coffee, and French press, we suggest the medium grind. For the most consistent grinding, we suggest using a burr grinder for illy Whole Bean coffee.
Recommended Reading: Does Coffee Make You Pee
The Best Espresso Beans For That Perfect Shot
Updated: March 13, 2022 by Owen Richardson
What better way to kickstart your day than with a strong shot of espresso in the morning? Since espresso shots contain more dissolved coffee than a traditional brew, choosing the best espresso beans is essential.
Choosing the right beans will be the difference between a grumpy start to your day or a perfectly perky start to your day. You can avoid a bitter shot of espresso simply by choosing the best coffee beans for espresso.
Okay, yes, your grinding technique and brewing skills will also contribute to how good your morning espresso tastes. But, choosing the right espresso beans is the first step to brewing up a bold and flavorful shot of espresso.
Whether you have your espresso on its own or add some steamed milk and foam for a cappuccino, the bottom line is that the beans matter. In this guide, you will find the top 11 espresso beans for your brew.
Find out how to extract the truly bold flavors by selecting the right beans for your espresso. Pro tip: you can tell you are using quality coffee beans when you notice the quality crema on top of your shot.
TOP PICKMy pick for best espresso coffee beans is Peets Coffee Espresso Forte because of its bold flavors with unique notes of hazelnut. As a bonus, the company uses sustainable practices to source and roast the beans. This bean is purely designed for espresso, and it is sure to give you a nice kick.
| CHECK PRICE |
Espresso Beans And Coffee Growing Regions
The coffee growing regions of the world all offer characteristic flavors. While every coffee plantation has its own climate and soil , each region tends to offer distinct elements of flavor and aroma:
Sumatra is a great choice for DARK ROAST. The wet hulling process used there produces an earthy, mushroomy flavor that carries through even in the darkest French roast. If you like the smoky tang of a Portobello mushroom seared over a charcoal fire, you might love coffee from Sumatra.
South and Central American coffees are popular in MEDIUM ROASTS.
These coffees tend to have brighter acidity, with more fruit and floral notes. With fine grind and attention to heat in your espresso machine, you can brew a great shot of espresso with beans from Colombia or Guatemala. Brazilian coffee tends to have a lighter, sweeter flavor, which is great when blended with stronger beans for espresso.
Africa provides deep minerality, partly from the soil and climate but also from the dry-processing method in which the coffee beans are left to dry in this sun. This concentrates stronger, DARKER FLAVORS in the resulting coffee. Notes of chocolate and fruit make a complex, balanced cup of espresso.
Indonesia is known as much for the volcanic tingle its soil adds to the aftertaste as for its rich, bold flavor and well-balanced acidity. Even in a medium-dark roast, Indonesian beans have the body to make great espresso shot.
You May Like: Nespresso Machine Crate And Barrel
Things To Things About When Buying Espresso Beans
Not all coffee beans are the same and espresso beans are a specific roast aimed for using in a specific type of coffee drink.
Regular coffee beans and espresso beans are not the same. An espresso has to be made using darker coffee beans, one that has been roasted to an Italian roast or one of the 3 other dark roast profiles.
Its a hard and fast rule but not one that is set in stone. You can make an espresso with medium-dark, medium roasts and even light roasts.
Lighter roasts are more difficult to get right as you need to make a number of adjustments, including the dose, temperature, brew time etc.
Essentially, the lighter your roast, the less crema you will get due to the reduction in oil on the exterior of your beans.
One thing that is very important is that you use fresh coffee beans. Some espresso lovers will prefer medium to medium dark roasts due having a little more taste of the origins from the origin of the beans be it single origin or a blend.
Benefits Of Espresso Beans
If youre a coffee lover, chances are youve had espresso before. Espresso is made by brewing coffee beans that have been ground into a very fine powder.
This powder is then placed in an espresso machine, where hot water is forced through it under high pressure. The result is a strong, concentrated coffee that is full of flavor.
Espresso beans are typically darker and more oily than regular coffee beans. This allows them to hold onto more flavor, making for a richer cup of espresso.
When shopping for espresso beans, its important to choose ones that have been roasted to perfection.
The best espresso beans will be dark brownornearly black in color, with an oily surface. If the beans are too light, they wont have enough flavor.
If theyre too dark, they might taste burnt. Look for espresso beans that have been roasted somewhere in the middle for the best flavor.
Espresso beans can be used to make all sorts of different coffee drinks, from lattes and cappuccinos to americanos and iced espresso.
No matter how you like your coffee, using espresso beans will give you a rich, flavorful cup that will wake you up and keep you going all day long.
Don’t Miss: Is Coffee Bad For Glaucoma
Where To Buy Espresso Beans
This article is dedicated to the topic of espresso beans and where to buy espresso beans. By the time you have read this article, you will know exactly what constitutes a good espresso bean without any coffee snobbery.
We talk about the roast and why it is important, the type of beans, origin and blends and help you to get the best beans that you can and, of course, where you can buy them.
Keep reading as we dig down and detail the subject of espresso beans and where to buy them.
Starting with
An espresso shot is a highly focused and concentrated coffee that has thick, rich crema on top. The body is notably heavier than other coffee drinks. It is made with fresh dark roasted espresso beans with hot water being forced past a compact puck of very finely ground coffee beans.
The use of fresh dark oily beans are essential, as is the 9 bars of pressure to achieve a high quality crema. Without either, you get a reduction in the quality of the crema. Medium and medium-dark roasts can get you more of the flavors from the beans or blend of beans, but it is trading the quality of the cream for taste.
Learning to pull a perfect shot, and having all the right ingredients is important as 2 out of 3 coffee drinks made are a shot of espresso.
Read:Best espresso beans for Breville
Ners Coffee Roasters Bedford Blend Whole Bean Coffee
Partners Coffee’s bold packaging seals in a bold coffee. This bag might contain some of the most distinctive tasting Arabica beans on this list.
Partners Coffee has been around since 2012, carving out a niche for themselves as a New York roaster with a penchant for uniqueness. This bag’s notes blend jammy marmalade with tart pomegranate and a sweet, brown sugar finish. Needless to say, these aren’t your regular coffee beans!
Who Should Drink This?
To enjoy the fullest range of flavors from this bag, consider drinking it black or in a flat white. That said, fans of milk and sugar will still be able to taste these delectable flavors. That’s nothing short of quality.
Recommended Reading: Does Chai Latte Tea Have Caffeine
Best Roast For Espresso
There is no one particular best roast for espresso. There are many different espresso drinks and each has a different roast that works best for them.
Also, best is very subjective and opinionated. Some coffee lovers enjoy a good medium roast in their latte and get the flavors from the beans coming through the milk.
This is difficult to achieve due to the milkiness of a latte. Others prefer to have a good traditional coffeeflavor coming past the milk, which can only happen with a dark roast.
Dark roasts cut through the milk much easier and more profoundly than medium roasts.
For a good quality traditional espresso shot, only a dark roast will do as it will get you a high quality thick creama on top.
Coffee enthusiasts have a strong preference for medium-dark roasts or dark roasts for espresso brewing. You will get a full body with low acidity and a good quantity and quality of the natural oils to create a good crema on top.
Medium roasts, as stated, will give you more of the flavor notes and tones from the beans with a medium acidity.
A light roast, requires a lot more skill as a barista to make, but absolutely you can learn will produce a shot with earthy and more floral flavors. This is really not one to use for a latte as you will have too many difficulties in getting past the milk. As a shot of espresso, most certainly it can be done.
How Does It Taste
Its hard to describe in words, but the best approximation is that it should taste like coffee smells. Many find it gross, just because it is too intense, or because they down it all at once. You know how great drip coffee smells sometimes. Yet when you drink it, it doesnt resemble at all the smell. Take that drip coffee smell, and think about an enhanced version of it. Think about a flavor twice or three times more intense than that. Thats how espresso tastes.
Is espresso bitter? Yes, espresso is bitter. All coffee is bitter, but you get used to it. Once you got used to the bitterness, you start to detect floral notes, caramel, and other tones that the experts talk about. A bad shot, however, can be exceptionally bitter, if you brew it incorrectly. There is a great Quora post, where specialists chime in with an explanation on the espresso bitterness. Its a great read if you are a beginner.
Recommended Reading: Which Tea Has The Most Caffeine
Lavazza Espresso Italiano: The Best Espresso Beans
This is a medium roast coffee from Lavazza. Its a subtle, balanced coffee with notes of hazelnut and chocolate.
This is truly an all-around coffee. You can use it in milk drinks or enjoy it as a straight shot.
Im not sure why Lavazza calls it Espresso Italiano since that might confuse some people whod think Italian espresso impled super dark and strong this is NOT dark at all. If youre looking for that then go for the next coffee on this list, Qualita Rossa.
Espresso Italiano is a more affordable alternative to Illys famous medium roast and I think its on par quality-wise. However, usually, its more affordable.
Can You Buy Espresso Beans Already Ground
Yes,
you can buy pre-ground coffee of all types, including espresso beans. It is your choice if you want to buy pre-ground or whole bean espresso beans. At Latte Love Brew, we encourage you to use whole beans and grind them immediately before you brew your coffee as you will get much fresher coffee and a cup of coffee that tastes slightly better.
Pre-ground and whole bean coffee cost approximately the same.
Don’t Miss: How To Use Grinds Coffee Pouches
Peets Coffee Espresso Forte Dark Roast Best Coffee Beans For Espresso
Peets Coffee is determined to deliver a fresh product to customers with its premium blends. The blends include a perfect mix of top-quality coffee beans to produce a smooth taste without any bitterness.
This dark roast consists of only Arabica beans and is kosher certified, made especially for espresso, so you will be sure to taste the bold flavors of these beans.
Key Features
Cons
- A bit expensive
The price may be a bit high for some, but the price tag is justified with the quality sourcing of highly rated beans. The company also does careful hand sorting and tasting to provide a unique blend of flavors and hand roasts in small batches to ensure a perfectly even dark roast.
What Type Of Coffee Is Best For Espresso
A customer once asked me, What kind of coffee do you put in the espresso machine? My answer was I use a medium-dark blend of Brazilian and African Arabica beans with 15% Robusta beans, roasted three days ago.
The customer wanted to know what beans she could use with her espresso machine at home. She was disappointed to know that my blend was a custom order from a local roaster, which she couldnt buy.
The reality is that you can use any coffee for espresso, as long as you like it. You dont need a special coffee for your espresso machine. Bear with me Ill give you a bit more details in the following section.
Recommended Reading: Does It Works Keto Coffee Work
Red Bay Coffee Brazilian Cake Lady
Red Bay Coffee Brazilian Cake Lady
Chocolate and peanut butter is, we think, one of the worlds great flavor combinations. This Brazilian coffee delivers a smooth, sweet expression of that wonderful combo.
Just in case its name didnt already give it away, Red Bays Brazilian Cake Lady roast is a single-origin coffee that hails from Bahia, Brazil. Why does this matter, you ask? Because an espresso shot made from these ground beans will display the unique range of flavors only available in coffee from that region, guaranteeing a purer brew.
To answer the question thats no doubt on your mind what do these single-origin beans taste like? youll notice hints of golden raisin, nougat, and citrus zest in this smooth and full-bodied medium roast. Pay close attention, and youll likely taste flavors of chocolate, too.
This Brazilian coffees sweet, cake-like aroma will have your mouth watering before your espresso makers even finished brewing.
Where Can I Buy The Best Espresso Beans
Finding the best espresso can be difficult if you dont have a local shop that roasts their own beans. You will rarely find beans of the quality you need for good espresso in your local grocery store.
Those beans are commercially produced and bagged, sometimes reaching the store weeks after they are packaged. In fact, by the time they are loaded for shipment theyve already lost most of the qualities that would make a good cup of espresso.
Ill be including a list of the best espresso bean stores online and offline that I find, in the meantime, why not share which stores you like or dont like!
You May Like: Healthy Energy Drinks With Caffeine
Koffee Kult Dark Roast Coffee Beans
Like I said, this is my go-to bean. It smells like rich, spicy, nutty, espresso bliss. You can tell just by looking at it and smelling it that Koffee Kult really takes care with roasting their beans.
When you open the bag and pour it into your grinder, you notice a dark and glossy coating on the bean, almost like it is sweating. This should make you smile. This is exactly what you want to see. I have purchased some beans that look dry, brittle and simply not even close to the quality of these beans.
The Koffee Kult beans are 100% arabica, fair trade and organic. It is a blend from some of the best coffee producing regions in the world, Colombia, Guatemala and Sumatra.
While there is a big trend in single origin coffee right now, you just wont get the same complexity of flavors as a traditional blend. Espresso beans are traditionally blended to extract the best from each region to make an extraordinary cup of espresso. The roaster at this artisan company has over 25 years of experience and it shows.
This may sound odd, but I walk through my kitchen multiple times a day and just sniff the bag. The fragrance is so spot on, its hard not to. This bean has over 800+ good reviews on Amazon for a reason. With that many rave reviews, you know its going to make you want to jump out of bed in the morning to whip up a cappuccino or latte.
Try a bag and let me know what you think. Id be thrilled to hear if you enjoy it as much as I have been lately.