What coffee is used for espresso? Today, there are tons of different brewing methods and techniques. Some require a specific machine and some you can make using the simplest coffee machine. People has created tons of unique flavors for coffee but the original brew, which is the espresso is still one of the best and can get you tons of different coffee like cappuccino and latte.
There is no correct coffee beans for making espresso, it’s really a matter of personal taste with several factors to consider.
Espresso’s brewing method is one of the least understood one and a lot of people do not feel confident enough to choose the roast and the beans that need to be used.
Below are general guidelines on how to choose the roast and beans for your espresso shot. You’ll learn what’s the difference between dark, medium and light roast, and what to choose between single origin or blend.
The Perfect Espresso Shot
How Does the Perfect Espresso Look?
A good shot of espresso should have a brown foam at the top called crema. This foam contains aromatic oils that enhance your espresso shot.
How Does It Taste?
How should espresso taste? We can describe it as an intense, dark, and bitter. A lot of people does not like how espresso taste, it’s bitter and intense and has twice or trice the flavor of your regular drip coffee.
Once you get used to the bitter taste, you’ll start detecting floral, chocolate, caramel and other notes that can be found in your espresso.
What Is the Aroma of a Perfect Espresso?
We all know how coffee smells. It’s aromatic, it’s calming, and it smells delicious. It can fill up a whole room with its flavor and aroma. And espresso is not exception to that smell, only make it more intense. Brewing espresso is an experience, the oils that it contains that turns into the foam gives you an intense aroma. And if your shot does not smell intense, aromatic and dark, you might want to double-check your beans, or your brewing parameters.
What type of coffee is best for espresso?
A lot of cafés today use their own custom blend for their espresso and coffee which is a not surprise anymore. They use custom blends that suit their taste and will work well with their other coffee products.
But in reality, you can use any type of coffee bean for your espresso. You don’t need a special blend that is customized only for you. As long as you like it and are satisfied with it, use it.
What Roast Is Best for Espresso?
Light Roast
Light Roast coffee beans has a lighter shade compared to dark and medium roast. It does not contain any oil and retains almost all of its original characteristics. Light roast has the highest acidity and probably has the highest caffeine content as well.
Using light roast for your espresso will give your shot extra dimension. If you want to experience a bright coffee experience, use light roast.
Medium Roast
Medium roast beans has a brown color and just like light roast, it does not contain any oil on the surface. Unlike light roast and dark roast, medium roast has a more balanced flavor, acidity and aroma. Medium roast can also be roast a bit longer and be considered medium-dark which has richer and darker, with some oil in the beans.
You can use medium and medium-dark roast for your espresso and expect a balance of acidity and aroma.
Dark Roast
Dark roast has a dark brown color and often has an oily surface compared to medium and light. These beans are less dense and lose a lot of its moisture, and will taste bitter and smokey.
Dark roast probably has the least content of caffeine, the longer you roast your coffee beans the more they lose their original coffee characteristics.
Using dark roast for your espresso will give you deeper and richer flavors. The oils in it will produce a good amount of crema and will make your shot even better. However, keep in mind that some espresso machines are not capable to handle oily beans.
Single Origin vs Coffee Blends
Coffee Blends
Coffee blends are pretty much self-explanatory – they are made up of several types of coffee. Some are different coffee from around the world, while some are regional blends.
One of the most famous blend was Mocha-Java. Mocha coffee beans that came from Yemen are paired with Java coffee beans from Indonesia. This blend was popular for centuries but unfortunately today, Mocha coffee beans are scarce.
Single Origin
Single Origin like the name has unique characteristics and taste from around the world. It’s popular in. the specialty coffee industry since no two coffees are the same, and it’s fun to try each different coffee to see how they differ and what unique characteristics they have. Cafés are not serving seasonal single origins that taste very different from one coffee to another.
To sum it up, if you want to have a safer espresso taste go for coffee blends, and if you want something different and rewarding, use single origin.
How Do You Choose Your Beans?
Choosing the beans to use can be quite tricky, but my number one tip is to use the beans you like. It doesn’t matter if it’s light, medium or dark roast, single origin or coffee blend, what matters is that you like and enjoy how it tastes. Below are some guideline to still help you choose your beans.
- If you are already brewing your own coffee using a drip machine or any machine, and you like the coffee beans that you’re already using, you can use those beans. It probably will be lighter and will have subtle acidity with some notes.
- If you are looking for a naturally sweeter coffee, you can use a darker roast. Try medium or medium-dark for this. Using dark roast coffee beans can be a little too intense for first timers.
- If you are still doubting in choosing which roast is best, you can look for the “espresso roast”. Roasters produce this blend to please most espresso lovers. Give this a try and you might be surprised.
General Rules for Buying Espresso Beans:
Here are some general guidelines in buying espresso beans.
- If you are buying from a small roaster, ask for the newest batch of roast. But if you are buying from a large roaster, look for the farthest expiration date. Avoid buying coffee beans that are packed for already a year.
- If you live alone or are the only one consuming coffee, buy in small quantity. This way, you can make sure your beans are always fresh.
- Buy quality coffee beans from trusted roasters. Low quality coffee will taste bad and ashy.
Conclusion
Choosing the best coffee beans for your espresso shot can be dreadful but know that there are a lot of options in the market that you can try until you find the one.
Always look for the fresh and high-quality coffee beans, this way you will have fewer errors. Make sure you have the correct machines to brew and get the right settings.
One thing is for sure, coffee plays a huge part in our days so make sure that you only consume what you enjoy!
How does coffee help with weight loss? Click HERE.
