Which Coffee Beans are Best for Espresso?
Coffee beans come with a variety of flavours and characters which means you can find the perfect coffee bean to suit your taste and your preferred type of coffee. If you love an espresso, the question then becomes, ‘Which coffee beans are best for espresso?’
The blunt answer is that all coffee beans can be used for an espresso machine. The fundamental thing is that you need to have the best in fine grind coffee.
As far as popularity goes, the choice of dark roasted coffee tops the list because of its stronger, bolder flavour. It is not uncommon to find coffee labelled ‘espresso’ due to its darker roast.
The difference between the ‘espresso’ beans and other coffee beans is all in the way they are prepared, rather than the beans themselves.
The best coffee beans in Australia for espresso machines?
Coffee beans are any bean which has been roasted and readied for coffee brewing. When it comes to beans for espresso making, these are finely ground to allow for the optimum oil extraction during the short phase of pressurised brewing.
Espresso beans are traditionally roasted for a long time at high temperatures to bring about the best extraction of these oils in the beans. The result is a richer, bolder flavour of espresso.
If you have a quality espresso machine at home, then read on for more on making the most of the best ‘espresso’ coffee so you can enjoy the most delicious and rewarding coffee possible.
Which ground coffee is best for espresso?
The most important factor of all in creating the most delicious espresso is get the ultimate in a ‘fine grind’. The look and texture of this grind should closely resemble that of flour. If the grind is too coarse, the coffee extraction will be ineffective and you will be left with a dull and weak tasting shot instead of a robust and enriching one.
It is beneficial to have at least some understanding in the way coffee extraction works and it will help you remember the different types of grind.
Extraction in its most basic explanation is the water moving through coffee grounds to extract the chemicals and characteristics of the flavour. Interestingly, this water need not even be hot. A cold brew has become one of the most popular methods of coffee-making where the coarse grounds are soaked in filtered cold water.
While the ‘fine grind’ is the best option, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t experiment with your espresso grinds. A quality espresso machine will come with different settings allowing you change to the temperature or pressure.
Should you use pre-ground coffee for espresso machines?
While you can use pre-ground coffee for your espresso machine, you need to ensure that:
- The beans are of the highest-quality
- They come from the best possible roaster
- Your coffee has been finely ground by experts
The fresher the grind, the better tasting your coffee will be. Coffee begins to lose its flavour from the moment it is ground. To get the best results and make the most of the rich flavour, it’s best that you use your pre-ground coffee within the first two weeks.
Try not to get overwhelmed or confused by the different terms and marketing ploys around coffee beans.
For example, espresso roast and dark roast are the same thing. Darker roasted coffee beans bring a more distinctive and bolder flavours for espresso making. Lighter roasted beans are the preferred for the ‘pour over’ or French Press coffee methods.
Matching your coffee beans to your espresso machine
No matter what you do, keep in mind that you cannot brew a high-quality espresso (or any coffee type) without using a world-class coffee machine.
It makes sense to choose one of the world-renowned Rocket Espresso coffee machines for your home. To enjoy all the benefits of this exceptional range, you will need the premium blend of coffee beans – freshly roasted and ground to your particular preference.
You can find the ultimate range of the most delicious and delectable coffee beans in Australia along with the finest range of coffee machines all in the one place.
That’s at the home of the coffee perfection – The Beanery.