If you want to brew a perfect espresso, espresso beans of very good quality are one of the most important basic requirements. If the raw material used for your espresso is already of top quality, there is a high probability that you will achieve a very acceptable result.
Further prerequisites for the preparation of an excellent espresso are of course that the quality of your espresso grinder and espresso machine is also correspondingly good and that you know the basics of preparation (grinding degree, extraction time, brewing ratio, etc.).
We can really advise you to invest a few dollars more in good espresso beans, because the taste differences between discounter goods and specialty espresso beans are enormous.
Our personal recommendations
Typically, Italian: If you like it strong and spicy, we recommend the Espresso Furioso. Very strong, caffeine-rich top espresso with fine chocolate and caramel nuances and a distinctive crema. Typical imprint á la Bella Italia!
Lively & fruity: With the Espresso Gerba you get a very sweet coffee that has intense and complex aromas. The taste is reminiscent of ripe blueberries, dark chocolate and has exotic hints of papaya. An exciting espresso with an incredibly interesting fruity acidity!
In our large TangyCoffee espresso bean guide / espresso bean test, we not only tell you which espresso beans we can recommend, but also give you answers to the following questions:
Table of Contents
What are espresso beans?
Espresso beans are coffee beans. So, both come from the coffee plant. The main difference to coffee beans is the special roasting process and the roasting time.
If you’ve tried using coffee beans that were originally roasted for brewed coffee in an espresso machine , you will find that the acidity of the espresso is way too high. The result is really inedible.
This is why you always need espresso beans to prepare espresso and coffee specialties based on espresso (e.g. cappuccino , latte macchiato ).
Why good espresso beans are so important for the perfect espresso.
We believe that there is hardly any way of preparing food or drinks that is less forgiving of mistakes than preparing espresso manually with a traditional portafilter machine.
Tampered incorrectly, brewed a few seconds too long, a grind that is too fine, the cups not preheated – the effects on the taste in the cup are great and there are many screws that you can turn until you achieve a balanced espresso taste.
Tip: You can buy a selection of high-quality espresso beans from Amazon.com
You have to be very sure that the raw material used is really of excellent quality. Very good espresso beans are the basis for the preparation of a stunning espresso.
Once you’ve laid the foundations with good beans, you can then experiment with the grinding degree, brewing temperature and brewing ratio to get the best out of each espresso bean little by little.
Remember that you will never create an appealing espresso experience with cheap espresso beans from the discounter, even if you use a high-end espresso grinder and high-end espresso machine to prepare it.
Different quality levels of green coffee beans: from very good quality (hardly any defects, in the picture at the top) to good quality (few defects, in the center of the picture) to poor quality (many defects, in the picture below)
How do you recognize good espresso beans?
Tired of mainstream beans? Always looking for the best quality? We’ll give you tips on how to recognize good espresso beans.
You can primarily identify good bean quality by its appearance if you look at the beans in detail. If you mostly find beans of the same size in the packaging, this is a good indication of good quality. Because an even bean size allows for even roasting of the beans.
Beans with many defects
If, on the other hand, you find many defects when checking the beans, you can assume that the beans are of rather poor quality. Apparently, nobody here has bothered to sort out defective beans.
Sorting out defective beans is an essential step in improving the quality of a coffee. You can recognize bean defects (coffee defects) as follows:
- black beans (“stink beans”, rotten, and fermented taste)
- Moldy beans (due to incorrect temperature and humidity during storage or transport, musty or musty taste)
- eaten beans (due to insect infestation, more bitterness)
- unripe beans (have a wrinkled surface, few coffee aromas)
- broken beans (dried too much, leads to more bitterness in the taste)
- Pieces of shell (leftover fragments of the outer shell, bad taste)
- Stones / branches in the beans
You can usually recognize good espresso beans by the fact that the descriptions on the bean packaging are particularly detailed and extensive.
The more relevant information you can find on the espresso packaging, the more likely it is that it is a quality product.
In our opinion, the following information should be printed on every packaging of good espresso beans:
Origin:
where was the coffee grown? What does the label say about the type and type of coffee? Is the coffee a blend (mixture of different beans) or a single-origin coffee? All this information about the origin, type and type of coffee should be found on the packaging of good espresso beans.
Roasting date: Large
industrial roasting plants usually do not provide any information on the roasting date and packaging date, but usually only provide information on the best before date. On the packaging of good espresso beans, in addition to the best before date, the roasting date should also be stated.
Roast level:
The roast level (e.g. medium roast, light roast or dark roast) must not be omitted from the packaging.
Traceability:
If you can find the name of the coffee farm, producer group on the packaging, then there is a good chance it is a good espresso bean.
Taste profile:
With the help of the taste profile information, you can find out how the coffee was prepared and processed and how it should taste. The indication of the cultivation information is also a characteristic of good quality beans.
By the way: The higher a coffee grows, the better the quality of the beans, because the beans ripen more slowly and thus develop a higher density.
Aroma valve:
The packaging of good espresso beans should have an aroma valve. This valve in the bag ensures that CO2, which is generated during the roasting process, can outgas without oxygen penetrating.
Price for good espresso beans
Another criterion for recognizing good espresso beans is the price. Cheap beans from the discounter, which can be purchased for less than $ 15 per kilo, can never be high quality.
When in doubt, these beans were bought at a price that did not even cover the manufacturing costs. You can assume that the coffee was neither carefully grown / harvested nor gently roasted using the drum roasting process.
Our advice: stay away from it! The price sounds tempting, the quality of the espresso beans is usually really underground.
Now there may be some who claim the opposite and have had excellent experiences with a discounter espresso for $ 15 per kilo.
That may well be possible from a purely subjective point of view. But anyone who has ever tasted specialty coffee will now label the discounter goods as inedible.
By the way: You don’t have to spend that much more money on better quality beans. For example, we tasted really decent espresso beans with a kilo price of $ 21.50.
The price difference between cheap beans and high-quality beans is much smaller than you might have thought.
Espresso test
For many years now, the readers of crema magazine have voted for the espresso of the year. For this espresso reader test, you have to register using the online form. The 150 readers will then receive the respective espresso test winners of the last six crema editions at a fair price. In the espresso test questionnaire, you can then document your personal test results and send them back to the editorial office. We think it’s a great action.
We have already been allowed to take part in this espresso test twice. Both times we were really excited about the delicious espressos we were able to enjoy in the cup. With these espresso beans and roasters, you can be pretty sure that the quality is high.
Below we present the beans that were among the respective espresso test winners in 2019 and 2020.
El Paraiso
100% Arabica
Country: Colombia
Flavor profile: strawberry, pomegranate
Preparation: Aneorob
“Awesome espresso from Colombia. Prepared anaerobically (without oxygen, fermented). Unique candy aroma when you open it. What happens then is a dream: a strawberry explosion with a hint of cassis and the memory of a strawberry ice cream from childhood. Sweet end with a little vanilla. After that you don’t want a second one because you want to enjoy the taste of the first for as long as possible. ” (Quote, crema magazine)
Espresso test winner from July – August 2019
Espresso Otto
Espresso Blend (80% Arabica, 20% Canephora)
Countries: South America, India
Flavor profile: caramel
“The name is reminiscent of the roasting company founder Otto Dinzler. Fairtrade certified small beans from South America and India, lightly roasted. The grind was a little difficult to find! We finally defeated that with 18g for the double shot. But then, there is an aesthetic crema: dark and firm. Spicy, chocolaty, distinct sweetness. Balanced full body. Cream and caramel at the end. It’s Mega delicious. ” (Quote, crema magazine)
Espresso test winner from Nov – Dec 2019
Caffé Autostrada
Espresso Blend (30% Arabica, 70% Canephora)
Countries: Brazil, India, Uganda
Flavor profile: Chocolate,
“The first espresso after the distiller – this 70/30 Canephora / Arabica blend with beans from Brazil, India and Uganda is dedicated to this travel experience. Roasted dark. Solid crema. The first impression is still surprisingly soft. Nut flavors followed by dark chocolate with a cherry on top. Then again chocolate in the end. ” (Quote, crema magazine)
Espresso test winner from the Jan – Feb 2020 issue
Romeo espresso
Roaster: Caroma, Völs am Schlern (Italy)
Espresso Blend (100% Arabica)
Varieties: Ateng, Tim Tim, Bourbon, Caturra, Catuai, Red Bourbon
Countries: Indonesia, Cuba, Rwanda, Guatemala
Flavor profile: plum, caramel, tobacco
Preparation: Nass, honey, aneorob
“Caroma has long been known beyond the borders of South Tyrol. An Arabica blend (Indonesia, Cuba, Rwanda, Guatemala) with an impressively beautiful bean image. The grind is a little finer, the crema is perfect. We taste a touch of fruit (plum), a lot of caramel and a little honey. The end is deep and dark. ” (Quote, crema magazine)
Espresso test winner from May – June 2020
Guatemala Huehuetenango
Roaster: Turm Kaffee, St. Gallen Switzerland
Single Origin 100% Arabica
Region: Huehuetenango
Country: Guatemala
Flavor profile: Orange, red berries, chocolate, almonds
Preparation: Washed
“Single origin from the northwestern part of Guatemala, on the border with Mexico, from the Huehuetenango region. Light bean appearance, aesthetic, pleasant aroma (grain). Slightly finer grind. Light but firm crema. Full body with orange, jasmine and some raspberries flavors. Followed by chocolate and praline. Long, intense end with nice sweetness. ” (Quote, crema magazine)
Espresso test winner from March – April 2020
Hanseatic brand
Roaster: Union Kaffee, Bremen
Espresso Blend
Countries: Brazil, Sumatra, India
Flavor profile: Chocolate, fine dry herbs
“This relatively young Bremen roastery should be on the list. It is a blend from Brazil, Sumatra and India. beautiful beans were selected, roasted gently. The degree of grinding is quickly found in the medium-fine range. The crema is then honey-colored, firm and lightly mackerel.
First impression: oh, interesting! Tender acidity, spicy, dark chocolate flavor, a little cocoa in the end. ” (Quote, crema magazine)
Espresso test winner from May – June 2020
Caffè Miscela Pregiata
Roaster: Barbera 1870, Messina (Italy)
Espresso Blend (75% Arabica, 25% Canephora))
Countries: El Salvador, Ethiopia, India
Flavor profile: Buy chocolate, hazelnut
“75% Arabica and 25% Canephora from El Salvador, Ethiopia and India, roasted in Messina. The grind is in the middle, the crema is eye-catching.
First impression: full-bodied, without acids, chocolatey-sweet. Then there are some hazelnuts and the taste of sweet pastries and white bread. We like it traditionally Italian without rough edges, we love the Miscela Pregiata ”(quote, crema magazine)
Espresso test winner from May – June 2019
Espresso # 1
Roaster: Wood Grouse Coffee Roasters, Hanover
Espresso Blend (100% Arabica)
Countries: Peru, Ethiopia
Flavor profile: Red berries, chocolate
“From beautiful Hanover with 80% Peru and 20% Ethiopia (2 x cooperatives). You can see: individually roasted, a little darker. Medium-fine grind, the crema is hazelnut-colored.
The first impression: awesome! A modern espresso full of fruity berries, balanced like a little cherry.
Second impression: chocolate, honey, sweet. One of the chocolatiest flavors at the end that we have ever had. ” (Quote, crema magazine)
Espresso test winner from April – May 2019
Nutorious 2.0
Espresso Blend (85% Arabica, 15% Canephora)
Countries: Colombia, India
Flavor profile: Hazelnut, milk chocolate, clementine
“This amazing espresso with 85% Colombian and 15% Indian originates from Buena Vida in Potsdam. Roasted gently, with an uncomplicated grind. The crema is thick, dark and firm. The taste, on the other hand, is mega-modern: lemony. Milk chocolate, some brown bread with gentle nuances of nuts. In the end, a final, light acidity with a cherry on top, awesome espresso! ” (Quote, crema magazine)
Espresso test winner from April – May 2019
Espresso Heroes # 1
Espresso Blend (80% Arabica, 20% Canephora)
Varieties: Catuaí, Bourbon, Caturra, Old Paradenia
Countries: Brazil, Guatemala, India
Flavor profile: Dark chocolate, almond, dark fruit
“Beans from Brazil, Guatemala of the varieties Catuaí, Bourbon, Caturra and Old Paradenia Canephora from India as a caffeine kick. A nice textured hazelnut cream makes you want more.
The first impression: complex composed! Slightly fruity, sweet base flavor (dried fruits), followed by chocolate aromas, brittle and a little malt. ” (Quote, crema magazine)
Espresso test winner from January – February 2019
Espresso Santa Rita “Leica”
Varieties: Caturra & Catuaí
Country: Nicaragua
Flavor Profile : Dark Chocolate, Cherry To the Kaffeemacher
“Microlot espresso from northern Nicaragua from Finca Santa Rita. Fine grind, light but stable crema.
First impression: Wow! Cherry, bergamot, mega-fruity with a noble sweetness that does not stay too long. Caramel and dark chocolate will soon come out. ” (Quote, crema magazine)
Espresso test winner from Nov. – Dec. 2018
From the coffee blog: We tested the Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee . Are these perhaps the best espresso beans in the world? At least the price per kilo is pretty steep at $ 228 per kilo.
About the SCAA Specialty Coffee Cupping
In addition to the price check, the visual inspection of the beans themselves and the evaluation of the (extensive) information on the coffee packaging, you can also use the overall evaluation of a coffee by the SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America) to determine the beans to be very good or outstanding.
The SCAA has developed an internationally recognized standard for coffee assessment (Specialty Coffee Cupping). The most important taste attributes of the coffee are recorded on the basis of a cupping form (cupping = coffee tasting). These are:
- Smell / Aroma (Fragrance / Aroma)
- Taste (flavor)
- Aftertaste
- Acidity
- Body
- Balance
- Uniformity
- Clarity (Clean Cup)
- Sweetness
- Defects
- Overall impression
Cupping according to the Cup of Excellence
A similar assessment procedure also takes place in the context of the Cup of Excellence. Both when cupping according to the SCAA protocol and when cupping according to the Cup of Excellence, the components listed above are added together at the end of a tasting by selected coffee experts.
This gives the total number of points for a coffee on a scale of 1-100. This means that coffees can be divided into four different categories.
- 90 to 100 points = outstanding coffee / Presidential Award
- 85 to 89.75 points = excellent coffee / Cup of Excellence winner
- 80 to 84.75 points = very good coffee
- less than 80 points = mainstream coffee
So, if you really want to drink some excellent coffee, get the Cup of Excellence winner of the current year – you can get it from around $ 17 for 250g. We can recommend the espresso “Santa Rosa” (91.41 points) . A really outstanding coffee!
Find out more about the Cup of Excellence winner from 2017 in the video below.
What are the differences between espresso beans and coffee beans?
The main difference is in the roast and not in the beans. The longer roasting process for espresso makes the difference. We have listed the differences below for you:
- Espresso beans are roasted longer (roasting time 15 – 18 minutes) than coffee beans (roasting time 10 – 15 minutes).
- Espresso beans usually look dark brown and oily / shiny. Coffee beans, however, light and matt (these days there are also specialty roasters that try to roast espresso a little lighter than usual)
- Due to the longer roasting process, the acid (chlorogenic acid) contained in the green coffee beans is increasingly broken down with espresso. Espresso, therefore, contains less acid than coffee and is, therefore, more digestible than coffee.
- To prepare espresso, a machine is required that presses water through the ground coffee at a pressure of 9 bar. No pressure is required to make coffee.
- Due to the high-water pressure, a thick, golden-brown layer, the so-called crema, is deposited on the surface of a well-prepared espresso. When brewing filter coffee, on the other hand, there is no crema.
- Espresso can only be prepared if the grind of the beans is very fine. When preparing coffee, the grind should be medium to coarse – depending on the infusion and preparation method (French Press, AeroPress, Chemex, Hario Hario V60 filter etc.)
- Espresso consists of 88 – 91% water, filter coffee 98 – 99%.
- The brewing process for espresso preparation usually takes between 25 and 30 seconds, while coffee can take up to six minutes.
- A cup of espresso (25-35 ml) contains less caffeine than a cup of coffee (160 ml). But if you were to compare the same amount of espresso and coffee with each other, the espresso would have more caffeine because the ratio of the amount of water used to the amount of ground coffee is different.
- Espresso tastes much stronger and more intense than coffee because a small amount of water is used for espresso. This extracts the coffee powder in a more concentrated manner and the taste is more intense.
What are the differences between Coffea Arabica and Coffea Canephora?
Left: Typically oval shaped Arabica beans (lighter roast for filter coffee).
Right: Typical, more rounded Robusta beans (darker roast for espresso).
So far 124 different types of coffee have been identified. Of these 124 species, only two are of importance for the world market: Coffea Arabica and Coffea Canephora (commonly called Arabica and Robusta).
These two species make up around 99 percent of global production and are accordingly cultivated over a large area over the entire equator.
The Robusta coffee plants make up about 30% of the global coffee cultures today.
Arabica accounts for around 70% of the world’s coffee plants. There are some differences between Arabica and Robusta, which we have listed for you in table form.
ARABICA | ROBUSTA | |
LOOK | curved cut in the middle, oval shape | straight cut in the middle, rounded shape |
CULTIVATION | sensitive to pests, fungi and excessive heat, not frost-resistant | can also cope with high temperatures, more resistant to pests |
TASTE | enormous variety of flavors and aromas, fine fruit acids, elegant and nuanced taste | less variety of flavors and complexity, earthy and woody taste (partly nutty) |
MOUNTING HEIGHT | 900 – 2000 m | 0 – 900 m |
CAFFEINE CONTENT | 0.8 – 1.4% | 1.7-4% |
CULTIVATION TEMPERATURE | 15-25 ° C | 20-30 ° C |
OIL CONTENT | 15-17% | 10 – 12% |
SUGAR CONTENT | 6 – 9% | 3 – 7% |
SHARE IN THE WORLD MARKET | approx. 70% | approx. 30% |
NUMBER OF CHROMOSOMES | 44 | 22nd |
If you compare the information from the table with each other, you will see that the differences between Arabica and Robusta are not that big at first glance.
But if you’ve ever taken part in a coffee tasting (“cupping”) in which you compared 100% Arabica with 100% Robusta, you will have tasted a clear difference. Arabica tends to taste better to most people compared to robusta. Reasons for this are:
- With 44 chromosomes, Arabica has twice as many as Robusta. This results in the greater variety of flavors and the fine fruity taste of Arabica beans.
- Arabica ripens in higher growing locations and at a lower temperature compared to Robusta. As a result, Arabica cherries grow more slowly than Robusta cherries. The slow growth of arabica cherries has a positive effect on the complexity of the beans.
Arabica is considered to be of higher quality than Robusta worldwide.
It is, therefore, not surprising that the large coffee brands have been advertising with the label “100% Arabica” on their packaging for years. It’s actually a shame, because there are also very good Robusta qualities with a nutty flavor.
By the way: just because big coffee brands advertise with “100% Arabica” does not guarantee good quality. So don’t let that blind you.
Robusta, however, plays an important role in coffee blends for espresso. Why? Due to the low oil content, Robusta is responsible for a thick and stable crema on the espresso. And a stable crema is usually a sign that the espresso is of high quality – at least from a visual point of view.
Robusta is therefore a popular ingredient in espresso blends, because it not only leads to a firm crema, but also ensures a strong and woody taste of the espresso, which is particularly valued in southern countries.
With a certain proportion of Robusta in espresso blends – usually between 10 – 30% – the stronger acids of the Arabica beans are balanced out by the Robusta beans, which have fewer acids due to the longer roasting.
An espresso prepared from a mixture of Arabica and Robusta beans tastes more harmonious compared to a preparation using only Arabica beans.
We therefore recommend that you brew your first espressos with an espresso blend of 70/30 or 80/20 Arabica / Robusta before you dare to try 100% Arabica. The higher proportion of acid in Arabica beans may have a deterrent effect at first and could take away the desire to get to know espresso.
If you have gained some experience, it is worth trying out medium-brown roasted pure Arabica beans, which will offer you a multi-faceted, fruity and rather acidic taste experience.
What is the difference between a light roast and a dark roast?
If the beans are roasted lightly, the beans look light brown / medium brown and matt. If the roast is dark, the beans look dark brown / black and oily. In addition to this visual difference, there is a difference that affects the cell structure of the beans.
Basically, you have to know that the cell structures change when coffee is roasted. The cell walls of the beans break open during roasting. This process is important so that the valuable substances in the coffee beans can be dissolved in water during the brewing process.
The longer it takes to roast, the darker the beans are and the more the cell structures break apart. The beans become more and more fragile and porous the longer the roasting takes.
As a result, dark roasts have a higher solubility compared to lighter roasts, i.e. the substances are dissolved better and faster during the extraction with darker roasts.
And now it’s getting really interesting: Because the solubility of the substances is better with darker roasts, you should use a smaller amount of ground coffee for darker roasts than for lighter roasts.
If you have a black, oily espresso in the espresso grinder, you can easily reduce the dose of ground coffee and also regulate the brewing temperature down a little – provided that your espresso machine has a PID control for manual regulation of the brewing temperature.
The other side of the coin with darker roasts is that the coffee burns and loses many of its valuable aromas. Roasts that are too dark are therefore usually of no interest in terms of taste.
The best thing that can happen to you with espresso made from very dark roasted beans is that it tastes like chocolate. In our opinion, darker roasts often have a roasted coffee taste and tend to taste more bitter.
This certainly led to the trend that small specialty roasters are following nowadays with lighter roasts.
Because with lighter roasts, the peculiarities of the respective green coffee come into their own. Fruity aromas and pleasant acids are in the foreground with lighter roasts.
The cell structures of light roasts are much more intact than those of darker roasts. As a result, fewer substances dissolve during the brewing process and they can also dissolve more slowly.
Therefore, you can slightly increase the dose of ground coffee when extracting light roasts. At the same time, you can also raise the temperature during the brewing process for lighter roasts in order to better dissolve the substances from the coffee.
Blends vs. Single-origin espresso beans: what are the differences?
Mixtures of different coffees are called blends. They usually guarantee a consistent taste profile and are, therefore, very popular in the mass market.
Large industrial roasters rarely disclose which different beans are used in their blends.
Small specialty roasters think differently in this regard and communicate every single ingredient in their blends completely transparently. In addition, they explain the characteristics of the individual beans and how the different flavors complement and balance each other.
Single origin coffee (also known as single origin) primarily states that the coffee comes from a certain country.
Indeed, this is very fuzzy because there are different varieties and processing methods in a growing country. Large roasters occasionally advertise with the label “100% Brazil”.
Most of the time, beans of different varieties and qualities from all over the country are collected, processed and then sold as single-origin coffee with the label “100% Brazil”.
Again, caution is advised, as this is no guarantee of good quality. With “100% Brazil” you still don’t get any indication of the taste, which can be completely different from region to region.
Specialty roasters (in the picture Single Origin Coffee from coffeecircle) go into much more detail when they talk about single origin coffees or single origin.
They not only name the country the coffee comes from, but also communicate on the packaging from which farm, from which cooperative, from which producer group or from which producer the coffee comes.
Single-variety espressos from specialty roasters are usually sold in limited editions or as seasonal offers.
How to properly store espresso beans.
If you store your whole beans properly wrapped after purchase, they will stay fresh for several days or even longer.
If you only buy as many beans from your local specialty roaster every week as you use in a week, then you should always be able to enjoy fresh quality at home.
Ideally, you store your espresso beans in an airtight container in a dark, dry place. Or you can store the beans in the resealable sales packaging or use a can.
Basically, you shouldn’t put beans in the fridge. In a short time, the beans would take on a wide variety of flavors that exist in the refrigerator. Espresso with sausage and cheese aroma would be a novelty – but definitely not recommendable in terms of taste.
Which grind is suitable for espresso beans?
Basically, the grind for espresso beans should be very fine. To get a feel for how finely you should grind your beans, we recommend that you rub flour between your fingers.
The grind for espresso has to be a little coarser than flour. So, you should still be able to recognize the smallest coffee particles. Powder-finely ground coffee, which really feels like flour, is usually too fine for the preparation of espresso and is only used for Turkish coffee (Cezve). Basically, the following applies:
- If the grind is too fine, the espresso will flow very slowly into the cup. The taste is bitter, the drink is over-extracted. The grinding degree must be set a little coarser.
- If the grind is too coarse, the espresso will flow too quickly into the cup. The taste is perceived as sour, the drink is under-extracted. In this case, the grinding degree must be set finer.
Over time, you will develop a sense of how much a change in grind affects the taste.
We generally advise you to weigh the ground coffee for every espresso and always use the same amount of ground coffee if you want to find the optimal grind for your espresso beans. Only then can you really go into fine-tuning.
The goal should be to make fine adjustments to the grind to extract an espresso that is balanced in taste, sweetness, viscosity and body.
If you want to find out how we make espresso at home, please subscribe to our newsletter
Our journey of discovery into the realm of espresso beans seems to never end. This is how diverse the selection of different blends and single origins that are roasted around the world is.
We are grateful for the development of the Internet, through which one can now obtain beans from all over the world from local specialty roasters.
Nowadays, there are numerous roasters who sell their beans through an online shop. Not all of the smaller roasters have their own online shop yet, but we are seeing that the number is growing from year to year.
When buying beans, we usually make sure that the beans are traded fairly and directly. It is also important to us that the beans are carefully processed and hand-roasted and that the beans from the roastery were ideally purchased directly from the producer (farm, cooperative), so that fair purchase prices and the highest quality are guaranteed.
We avoid discount espresso beans like the devil avoids holy water.
We prefer to test beans from local roasters in our immediate vicinity in our espresso bean test and can, therefore, unreservedly recommend that you buy beans from (smaller) specialty coffee roasters.
We see the following advantages when buying espresso beans from local coffee roasters:
- Personal contact with the roaster
- Roaster recommendations for the preparation of the beans (“recipe” of the roaster)
- Fresh roasted beans
- Information about the origin and processing of the green coffee (country, cultivation information, farm, cooperative, producer group)
- Information about types and varieties of coffee
- Information about the roasting process