Exploring the Realm of Espresso Beans and Finding Excellence Online
Demystifying Espresso Beans
Let's debunk a common myth: there's no distinct "espresso coffee bean" per se. The term "espresso" pertains to the brewing technique, not the bean variety itself. Nevertheless, numerous coffee roasters market specific roasts as "espresso roast," utilizing beans with attributes conducive to producing crema. While many associate dark roasts with espresso, the key factor is their ability to yield a sumptuous crema. Beyond this, it's about discovering a blend that harmonizes with your palate, whether it leans towards a light, medium, or dark roast.
Uplifting My Espresso Experience by Embracing Quality Online Bean Sources
My journey into the world of espresso coffee beans has led me to embrace the convenience, affordability, and access to specialty bean roasters that online shopping offers. Over time, I've sourced beans from various outlets, including industry giants like Green Mountain Coffee Roasters and Peet's Coffee, as well as artisanal gems like Espresso Vivace Roasteria. Each has consistently delivered excellence. Despite being smaller in scale, Vivace stands tall in terms of both service and quality.
A recent standout in my quest is Espresso Vivace Roasteria, situated in Seattle. While visiting the city, I was introduced to their Vita espresso roast, which struck the perfect chord of flavor and crema. Subsequently, I eagerly ordered 3lb of beans, including their "dolce" espresso roast. While both are commendable, my heart leans towards the captivating allure of "vita."
Though Illy garners accolades, I find it comes with an overpriced tag. In my personal assessment, Espresso Vivace Roasteria emerge as prime contenders in the realm of quality espresso beans online. Both craft exceptional beans, offer stellar service, and maintain reasonable pricing.
I harbored hopes of discovering Ethiopian Yirgacheffe beans on Amazon for years. My wish was granted when I finally stumbled upon Coffee Masters Gourmet Coffee, Ethiopian Yirgacheffe in 2013. To this day, these beans hold a steadfast place in my monthly orders via Amazon's Subscribe and Save program, a testament to their exceptional quality.
It's important to clarify that my affiliation with Espresso Vivace is purely that of a satisfied customer. While I am part of the Amazon Affiliate program, my recommendations stem from personal experience, and I only endorse products I've personally tested. My ongoing subscription to Coffee Masters Gourmet Coffee, Ethiopian Yirgacheffe is a testament to its consistency in meeting my flavor preferences and delivering impeccable crema in my espresso.
For further exploration, you might find Great Value Coffee Beans Suitable for Espresso a worthy read.
Hi. I like your Blog. I have an automatic espresso machine and the retailer warned me not to use oily beans and go with a medium roast. Any recommendations?
ReplyDeleteHi Dee. Here is a recommendation for some great beans for making espresso with, available through Amazon at a very good price.
ReplyDeletePlease see my post Great Value Espresso Beans .
Do you have any recommendations for a dark roast bean that would work well for expresso. I know you said they aren't the best but I really enjoy darker roasts, so I was wondering if there was any that make a good expresso?
ReplyDeleteHi Tyer,
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately I can't recommend any dark roasts for espresso. If the oils from the beans are evident on the outside of the bean - meaning the beans are glossy and oily - in my experience you just can make good crema.
Also, you may find that if you use dark roast beans, when you remove the portafilter from the machine, the puck will remain stuck to the microscreen. Then it's a big mess getting it out of there. If you are making a second cup for someone else, it's not a good scene.
If you really want to give it a shot, why not start with a dark roast that you can get at a local store and see how it goes.
--John
Hello John,
ReplyDeleteWhich beans or roast would work best in an aeropress machine like this
http://www.moreflavour.co.za/coffee-making-products/aeropress
and should the beans be ground very fine or left more to the coarse side?
Thanks for the great blog and quality info
Hi Reine.
ReplyDeleteI've never used an Aeropress so can't really say one way or the other. I read their product description and noted that they said it didn't matter how you ground your beans, that it worked equally well with any grind. I would just start out in the middle and do a little bit of experimenting up and down the scale and see if you can find the "sweet spot" that meets your personal taste. Good luck and I'd love to hear back from you once you have given it a try.