A great espresso is made by blending a variety of coffees that are suitable for its style. While medium or light roasted beans can be used to make espresso, they could release tasting notes that are not appropriate for the drink.
The finest espresso beans are smooth and nuanced with a rich crema. They also contain less caffeine than drip-style espresso.
Origin
The origin of espresso coffee beans is a fascinating story. According to legend, a 9th century Ethiopian Goat-herder named Kaldi found the first coffee plant among his goats. He noticed its unique energizing effects on his goats. He began feeding his herd the fruits of the Coffea arabica plant, and they became stronger and healthier, and began to become more active. This was the beginning of a beverage that is enjoyed by people across the globe.
The coffee we know as espresso is produced by forcing hot water under pressure through a bed of finely crushed coffee beans. The resultant brew is sweet in flavor and highly concentrated, with a layer of smooth tight bubbles on top called the crema. This is the hallmark of a great cup of espresso, and it has created a whole culture around the beverage.
Espresso isn’t just popular in cafes however, it can also be made at home. Buying the appropriate equipment and roasting your own beans will help you get that perfect cup every time. It can take a little longer than buying coffee from the store, but the quality and flavor are worth it.
Choosing the right coffee beans for espresso is important to ensure that your espresso will be delicious and rich. While many people use regular coffee beans to make espresso, this isn’t recommended as they are roasted differently and ground differently and this can result in the most bitter or weak coffee.
We offer espresso coffee beans in 1kg bags that are ground and roasted specifically for espresso brewing. You’ll get the best cup of coffee every time. We only purchase Arabica and Robusta coffee beans from farms that are committed to sustainable farming and high ethical standards. This unique coffee comes from the Colombian region Huila, which is famous for its fertile valleys, snow-capped mountains and soil that has been enriched with minerals over time.
Roast
Roasting is the process that converts raw green beans into the coffee we drink. It’s also what gives coffee its taste aroma, colour and flavour. The roasting process is a precise science and requires a lot of ability and experience to regulate the temperature of the fire so that the beans don’t overheat and turn dark or bitter.
During the roasting process the beans lose a bit of moisture and increase in size by up to five percent. The beans will also begin to release carbon dioxide, which causes them expand and crack. This is known as the 1st Crack. The first crack marks the point at which sugars begin to caramelize, and bound water begins to leak out and the structure of the bean is broken down, allowing oils to flow from their tiny pockets in the seed. It is a critical stage during roasting and if rushed the coffee could be damaged.
A well-roasted coffee will be full and rich of flavor, with a smooth, balanced profile. It will have a strong aftertaste and minimal sourness, while retaining the original character of the bean. This is accomplished by roasting beans until they are a medium brown color and have lost the majority of their moisture.
Once the seeds are roasted after which they must be cool down as quickly as they can to stop them continuing to roast and release more carbon dioxide. Depending on how they are cooling and the speed at which they are done, they will either end with a light roast, a medium roast, or a dark roast.
Espresso coffee is generally a blend. This is due to the fact that while single origin beans are great for specific brewing techniques espresso requires a mix of different beans to produce the complex and rich flavors it is renowned for.
It is recommended to buy 1kg coffee beans a high-end espresso machine to brew the finest cup of espresso. The best machines will have a separate water tank for the espresso and a larger capacity boiler which will allow for faster heating. To maximize the extraction quality ensure that the water tank is filled with fresh, cold water.
Dose and Yield
One gram of ground coffee is used to make one shot of espresso. This means that the ratio of ground coffee bean 1kg to liquid espresso must be less or equal to than 1:2. The precise ratio is dependent on the density of your particular beans. Certain coffees are heavier than other when they are ground to the same size. This is why a scale that is precise is so valuable!
The temperature of the brew can affect how you use your coffee beans. The ideal range is between 195 and 205-205 degrees Fahrenheit. This is because the flavor compounds from the beans are optimally extracted within this range. A higher or lower temperature could affect the texture, flavor and thickness of crema, as well as the consistency and amount of extraction.
It is always a trade-off between strong coffee and rich flavor. The more you extract, the stronger your coffee will be. However it also increases the chance of bitterness and sourness. It is tempting to make up for this by making recipes that have an excellent yield. But, when you increase the number of ingredients, you also increase the amount of water passing through the grinds. This is important and can cause more flavour to be lost.
Dose is the most flexible lever for control, but there are many other factors that affect the intensity of your espresso. The ratio is the most crucial factor, along with the precision of your grinder, the size and speed of your portafilter and the speed at which you take your shot.
A higher ratio (less that 1:2) will result in a balanced, intense espresso that has a delicious mouthfeel. On the other hand, a shorter ratio will yield more intense but less balanced espresso. The key is finding the ideal balance for your taste. You can achieve this by playing with the dosage and altering the ratio according to the intensity you prefer and the flavor intensity.
Brewing
Espresso beans are roasted finer than regular coffee beans, and brewed under more pressure. This results in a stronger shot of coffee, which has more intense flavors and aromas. Espresso is utilized in a variety of coffee recipes including cappuccinos and lattes, which are typically made with milk. It is also mixed with other varieties of coffee 1kg in baking, or used as a garnish for desserts made with coffee or chocolate.
Espresso coffee can be made using different methods of brewing, such as Turkish coffee, French press, cold drip, and brew. The type of brewing method you select is based on your personal preferences and the equipment for brewing coffee you have available. Making a few experiments with different methods of brewing and ingredients can help you find the perfect espresso.
Espresso beans can be used in other coffee drinks, but they are best used to make espresso-based drinks. Espresso beans are roasted for longer, usually past the second crack. This results in a darker, toasted, and a more intense flavor. In addition espresso beans are typically roast with higher levels of volatile compounds such as trigonelline and chlorogenic acids 2, which contribute to the body, bitterness, and flavor of espresso.
While it is technically possible, the results would not be as pleasing. This is because espresso beans are roasted to create distinct flavors, like fruity or chocolaty, which can be difficult to replicate with other roasts.
The key to making espresso is achieving a good crema. It’s a thick, rich layer of coffee foam which rises to the top of the coffee after it has been extracted under high pressure. A good crema indicates that you have combined all the necessary inputs like your coffee beans, grinder, and resistance in the coffee bed to make a fantastic coffee.
The quality of your coffee beans is essential to creating a smooth, creamy crema. The ideal espresso beans are those that have been roasted to a medium or dark roast and have been ground as fine as is possible. They must also be fresh as whole beans will retain their flavor and taste for longer than ground varieties. It is also important to store your beans in an airtight container away from heat and moisture.