Even the finest espresso machine and barista cannot create an unforgettable cup without using high-quality beans. Our list has something to meet everyone’s preference, from intense dark roasts to lighter medium roasts!
Organic and ethically sourced, this dark roast blend from Central America offers richness, entire body, and smoothness that will surely please coffee connoisseurs. Enjoy bitter dark chocolate and citrus notes that will delight all coffee drinkers!
Dark Roast
Dark roast coffee beans are ideal for creating robust and rich espresso shots that make coffeehouse lattes’ signature thick foam and intense flavor. Roasted to a darker shade than filter coffee, dark roast beans may feature sheen from oils released during roasting; their bittersweet dark chocolate nuances offer additional stimulation throughout your day. In addition, this source of caffeine can keep you feeling energetic for hours on end!
Dark roast espresso is considered the superior choice for those who appreciate traditional drinks like cappuccinos and macchiatos due to its lower acidity. Enjoyed best when used with milk or cream for optimal enjoyment, dark roast espresso can also help ease sensitive stomachs as it contains less tannic acid than lighter roast options and contains chlorogenic acid–an antioxidant compound that prevents hydrochloric acid formation from the stomach that could otherwise lead to heartburn.
The ideal espresso beans for home use are those you enjoy most. This could mean choosing either single-origin roasts that highlight specific regions’ characteristics or blends that combine the best aspects of each coffee bean variety. Dark roast espresso is often blended with other coffee varieties to produce balanced beverages that don’t contain excessively acidic or bitter notes.
Note that espresso requires a different water-to-coffee ratio than other brewing methods, so to achieve optimal results, it must be roasted to a darker shade than filter roast. A lighter shade would result in under-extraction and produce an uninspiring cup of espresso.
Intelligentsia’s Koa Estate Dark Roast offers an exquisite dark roast with subtle notes of milk chocolate, ripe fruit, and toasted nuts – and since this coffee is direct trade, farmers receive fair compensation for their product.
Are you searching for the ideal espresso beans to create the perfect cappuccino or flat white? Kicking Horse Coffee offers their Kicking Horse Dark Roast for you to use – an indulgent, smooth coffee featuring an entire body with deep cocoa notes. Its low acidity makes this dark roast an excellent way to start your morning and boost energy for whatever lies ahead! This dark roast offers a significant energy boost to help kick-start the day early.
Medium Roast
Medium roast beans offer the ideal balance of delicate espresso and hearty morning joe. Roasted slightly longer than light roast, medium roast beans offer classic American coffee flavor while working perfectly with various brewing methods.
Dependent upon the region where the beans originate, you might notice notes of cocoa powder, mild stone fruits, or milk chocolate in medium roast coffees. Medium roasts tend to have lower acidity than lighter options – perfect for those who appreciate smooth sips of coffee as our Happy Place blends with its notes of chocolate cookie and blackberry!
Medium roasts offer the ideal balance in flavor for those just beginning their specialty coffee journey. It’s not too acidic or intense, yet it’s showing some depth similar to dark roasts.
This espresso uses beans from all over the globe, all carefully selected and roasted here in Switzerland to bring out their sweet flavors and reveal unique origin characteristics. This makes a full-bodied cup that’s great alone or mixed with milk; it’s an ideal way to start your day!
Partners Coffee presents this bold medium-dark roast packed with cocoa and fruit flavors. Its eye-catching packaging captures fresh, aromatic scents of cocoa powder, bright stonefruit, and baker’s chocolate. At the same time, Indonesian and Latin American beans combine for an exquisite espresso perfect for cappuccinos or lattes.
This medium-dark roast from Stumptown is an exciting, complex blend composed of beans from different regions around the globe. The result is an espresso that balances smooth sweetness with subtle fruit notes. Best of all? Stumptown roasts their beans fresh to order to ensure maximum flavor!
Light Roast
When it comes to espresso, many people crave an intense and robust brew. Although this can be satisfying for some people, others might prefer something lighter that doesn’t compromise flavor or caffeine levels. Numerous solutions are available to these individuals; fair roast espresso beans provide sweet and fruity brews to please those seeking less intense coffee experiences than dark ones.
Light roast coffee beans that produce the highest-quality results are those roasted in an oven at temperatures between 355 and 400 degrees Fahrenheit to preserve their natural flavor without overly damaging it with too much heat. Light roasted espresso beans also tend to produce bright, fruity notes reminiscent of their country of origin; for instance, Stumptown’s Hair Bender beans feature distinct fruity and floral notes from being sourced from various locations worldwide.
Considerations when buying light roast espresso beans should also include their altitude of origin; this information can often be found on their packaging and help determine how dense their brew will be. Ideally, look for lightly roasted espresso beans from low-elevation regions.
Light roast espresso beans tend to contain the highest caffeine levels among all coffee types; therefore, it’s essential that when buying light roast espressos, you pay close attention to how much caffeine you are consuming.
Some roasters, typically more expensive specialty brands, have introduced an unconventional new coffee offering known as an “omni roast.” This term means “everything,” as these coffees are meant for espresso, drip, and French press use. But remember that these beans may be more acidic than darker brews and, therefore, less suitable for milk-based drinks; also, be mindful that an Omni roast will be harder to extract, especially concerning entry-level machines that struggle with denser grinds.
Blends
If single-origin espresso beans aren’t your cup of tea, consider switching it up and trying a coffee blend instead. A coffee blend consists of multiple varieties of beans mixed for added depth to its flavor, including sometimes dark roasted ones for depth and sweetness. An excellent coffee bean blend for espresso will also feature a sweeter and smoother taste that pairs nicely with milk to help make drinking espresso drinks simpler for beginners.
Espresso blends typically involve roasting them to medium or dark temperatures, producing rich crema and complex flavors that pair perfectly with milk-based espresso drinks such as lattes and macchiatos. Many roasters with these coffees focus on sustainable sourcing practices as part of their commitment to the community, so you can feel good supporting local roasters who employ people.
Some of the most sought-after espresso blends include beans from multiple countries to create a more balanced and complex flavor profile. Temple Coffee’s Red Brick espresso features beans from Costa Rica and Ethiopia; Puente Tarrazu adds raspberry, chocolate, and fudge sweetness, while Suke Quto from Guji Ethiopia brings fruity complexity with bright berry notes.
The combination of beans in this blend creates a sweet, creamy espresso with perfectly balanced acidity that pairs beautifully with milk. Wet processed coffee has also been included, meaning some bitter parts were removed by washing and soaking, thus helping maintain the sweetness and complexity of espresso beans.
Some espresso blends include small amounts of Robusta coffee, which contains more caffeine and adds a bit of bite. However, this step isn’t required to create delicious espresso and should only be done if it meets your unique preferences and tastes.
