What is the best espresso coffee? These days, specialty coffees are all the rage and espresso is enjoying a revival in popularity. Along with its popularity, comes quite a bit of confusion.
In this guide, we will explore other options in our espresso beans reviews and answer your most frequently asked questions.
Best Beans For Espresso
If we had to choose just one espresso bean from our reviews, it would be Koa Dark Peaberry Coffee Beans because Hawaiian beans offer a flavor we enjoy the most.
Volcanica Dark Roast Espresso
The Volcanica Espresso Dark Roast is loaded with flavor. The beans produce only a mildly acidic bite with plenty of caramel sweetness.
You can be sure that your dark roast will be fresh and lush because Volcanica doesn’t do light roast.
Great espresso produces wonderful, rich crema and great crema is made with freshly roasted beans. In a world that feels too rushed, Volcanica Coffee knows the benefits of slow, freshly roasted coffee.
Simply specify your roasting preference when placing your order for whole beans, and you’ll get coffee freshly roasted to your taste and ready to grind.
If you’ve got an espresso maker, you probably own or are planning to purchase a coffee grinder for home use. This is truly the best combination for great espresso at home.
Freshly roasted beans, ground just before you brew, will produce delicious espresso, perfect for your first cup of the day.
Koa Coffee Dark Peaberry
This espresso bean package is a lush dark roast made of peaberry beans. There’s a bit of sweet, a smoky richness, and some sass at the end.
Hawaii is the place to go for gorgeous sunsets and phenomenal coffee. The combination of ocean breezes, frequent showers and volcanic soils has resulted in a coffee crop like no other.
Koa Coffee authorities wisely recommend purchasing their whole beans for your espresso adventure. Again, great espresso is made from the freshest of grinds so you don’t lose CO2 before brewing.
Polar Espresso White Mocha Flavored Coffee
Polar Espresso is 100% organic coffee is ready to make all of your flavor needs come true.
In addition to rich Colombian coffee, this blend of beans features beans from Guatemala and from Costa Rica.
The rich coffee grown and harvested in South and Central America can stand up to any flavor combination, and this blend has it all.
If you like to start your day with just a bit of sweet, the white chocolate will brighten your outlook. If chocolate is a necessary part of your daily coffee break this espresso blend can deliver!
Finally, if a hint of mint can help you to relax and wind down during your last cup of the day, this coffee blend is ideal for your needs.
Great coffee flavor, a hint of sweetness, the rich dark flavor of rich, pure chocolate and a whiff of fresh mint makes the Polar Espresso White Mocha a great addition to your coffee plans, no matter how busy your day will be.
Modigliani’s Coffee Blend
The Modigliani blend has nothing added and offers a rich, mild flavor. No sweeteners, chocolate, or mint have gone into this rich medium roast bean.
The coffee beans are a balanced blend of the best flavors from Kenya and Brazil, and the roasting process was stopped before bitterness or any hint of caramel or toasted sugar could develop.
Espresso is a brewing process, not a bean variety or a blend style. Finely ground coffee, brewed under pressure and at great heat for a specific amount of time will produce a rich, flavorful cup of luscious espresso.
This espresso roast produces excellent espresso with loads of coffee flavor, and that’s it.
While many espresso drinkers prefer the acidic bite of a dark roast, there are many who enjoy the smooth syrupy quality of a great espresso but don’t care for the dark roast flavor. Luckily, the Modigliani Blend has you covered.
Lion Diamond Head Espresso
Hawaiian coffee beans offer fans a delectable cup of dark roast with a clean, fruity finish.
The beans grown and roasted for Diamond Head coffee provide espresso fans with a medium dark roast, ideally suited for fans of dark roast and milder flavors alike.
These are whole beans, roasted to a lush medium dark and ready to go into your coffee grinder. More work? Yes. More flavor and loads of crema? Also yes.
Hawaiian coffee is grown in volcanic soil under extremely moist conditions. Even dark roasted, these beans retain a slightly fruity flavor throughout the roasting process.
Whether you enjoy a medium dark roast or a dark roast in your espresso, you can be sure that your Lion Diamond Head Espresso beans were grown under ideal conditions and roasted for the best flavor.
Espresso Bean FAQs
Do You Need Special Coffee?
There are lots of coffee brands that market special “espresso” beans and coffees, but the fact is you can use any finely ground coffee to make espresso.
The name refers to the method of preparation, not the type of coffee bean.
Are There Better Beans For Espresso?
The type of coffee bean you prefer will make the best espresso for you.
Authentic Italian espresso is typically dark because that is traditional, but if you don’t like dark coffee, you will not like dark espresso.
Choose the type of bean you like best and prepare it as espresso and you are sure to be happy.
What Makes The Best Espresso Coffee?
Naturally, the better quality coffee beans you use, the better your espresso will be. Additionally, the quality of your finished beverage is judged by the quality of the crema.
This reddish-brown layer of foam is just coffee, air and water, but its light texture and rich color add an attractive touch to your tiny repast.
When you learn to “read” the crema, you will be able to tell a thing or two about the preparation of the beverage.
You can tell how fresh the beans were by the quality of the foam.
The hot water delivered with high pressure dissolves the carbon dioxide that is produced during the coffee roasting process.
When the coffee is dispensed into the cup, it returns to its normal pressure. At this point the carbon dioxide combines with aspects of the coffee and rises to the surface as foam.
Fresh-roasted coffee produces thicker crema because it has more carbon dioxide and creates more foam. If the crema is thin or weak, the coffee beans were not roasted recently.
You can judge the coffee’s strength by evaluating the crema. If it is dark, your espresso is strong.
Related | Best Home Coffee Roaster
What Is Espresso Coffee?
This type of coffee was conceived by an Italian named Luigi Bezzera in 1901. He devised the idea and invented the espresso machine because he sought a way to make a quick, tasty, strong cup of coffee.
Espresso is a delectable, concentrated form of coffee that has a texture and flavor quite different from other types of coffee. It is often quite thick, and it has a dense layer of foam (crema) afloat on top.
The foam is created by the process used to create this coffee treat. A special espresso machine is used to force very hot water through a basket of ultra-fine-grind coffee. The grounds are tightly packed; the water pressure is intense, and the brewing time is brief.
Why Is Espresso Preparation So Different?
An espresso machine is entirely different from any other coffee preparation contraption. It is the only method that works by extracting the coffee flavor and essence using very hot water delivered at very high pressure.
While any coffee beans can be used to make espresso, the bean preparation method is different than for other types of coffee.
The grind is extremely fine. This makes it easier for the fast, high pressure brewing method to extract a small amount of intensely flavored coffee from the beans.
While it can take up to half an hour to prepare coffee using drip or percolation methods, a single cup of espresso can be prepared in just a few moments.
How Do I Drink Espresso?
If you are having espresso in a coffee bar, always order to drink on-the-spot. It doesn’t take very long to drink a tiny cup of espresso, and part of the experience lies in using the proper demitasse. An espresso in a to-go cup is just tacky!
1. Cleanse Your Palette
In a good espresso bar you should receive a glass of sparkling water with your coffee. Cleanse your palate with this water by taking a generous sip, swishing it in your mouth and swallowing it. This will clean your taste buds so that you can really taste your espresso.
Since you are probably paying a goodly sum for that little cup of coffee, you’ll want to enjoy it to the fullest.
2. Skim
You may or may not wish to skim off the crema. Many espresso gourmets consider the crema to be “just for show”. You can use it to judge the quality of your coffee, but many people do not like the way it tastes. You certainly should not force yourself to consume it if you don’t like it.
3. Stir
Balance your cup by giving it a quick stir. If you do not stir your espresso a bit you will have a very uneven experience because the thicker, syrupy elements will sink while the brighter aspects will be found near the top. To enjoy your tiny cup completely, use your tiny spoon!
4. Savor The Flavor
Savor the experience. Don’t just toss your little coffee back like a shot of whiskey. Take small sips and roll them on your tongue to experience the full flavor. Savor the initial taste and wait a moment to experience the aftertaste.
Keep about half of your sparkling water to clear your palate afterward. This will help you avoid a stale coffee taste later!
You may be a little startled by the intense taste of espresso initially. Remember that it is a concentrate and that it magnifies the qualities of the coffee.
This is why you should always use high quality beans to brew espresso, and you should always choose the beans you like best.
Final Thoughts
Express yourself correctly when ordering and discussing espresso. The name of this coffee is pronounced “es-PRESS-oh”! Mispronouncing it by adding an “X” is a quick and sure way to inform your listeners that you do not know what you are talking about!
Remember that you do not have to choose one kind of coffee over another. If you like coffee, mix it up. Choose the kind of coffee you like and want for any given occasion.
If you are short on time and need a quick, yet elegant pick-me-up, espresso is the perfect choice.
What’s your favorite espresso bean?
