What Are The Best Espresso Beans?

Commonly, espresso has been associated with darker roasted coffee. These beans typically produce the bold, roasty flavor with slightly bitter aftertaste that many people associate with a classic espresso experience. However, the modern third wave coffee movement has created a new standard of lighter roasted coffees being used as espresso, which in turn create a flavor profile that is brighter, more floral, and lighter bodied. 

Dark Roasts: The Classic Espresso Experience

Dark roast beans are often favored for traditional espresso. They offer:

• Dark, Roasty Flavors: Dark roasts provide deep, complex flavors with notes of chocolate, caramel, and sometimes a hint of smokiness.
• Lower Acidity: Often, darker roasted coffee has less perceived acidity in the cup, which is a lot of espresso drinkers’ preference.
• Thick Crema: Darker roasts tend to produce a thicker, more traditional crema, which is the signature layer of foam that forms on most well extracted espresso shots.

Light Roasts: A Modern Take on Espresso

In the newer landscape of third wave coffee, where there is a heavier focus on the terroir of coffee, lighter roasts have become more commonly used for making espresso. Lighter roast coffee beans offer:

• Bright, Fruity Flavors: When coffee is roasted more lightly, more of the inherent character is maintained. This can result in shots of espresso that are brighter, and have more fruit character, as well as a lighter body and more floral mouthfeel.
• Terroir Driven: When coffees are roasted lighter, you can taste and experience more of the terroir, and the characteristics that make them unique and special. This allows for drinking espresso where you can experience and note differences in things like growing country and region, processing methods, plant varietals, and more.