We all agree that espresso tastes bitter, and that’s true! One of the main reasons for it is caffeine and also form dark roasted beans. But admit it or not, this bitter taste is what makes espresso an espresso.
We all know it for its rich and strong taste that awakens our senses and perk us up. Without that bitterness, we might wonder if we’re actually drinking espresso or not.
That is why your choice of beans matters when it comes to espresso brewing. These beans, which are then brewed after grinding, are very important in our success to achieve the real Italian taste of espresso. With good bean selection, we can be certain that we’d have that rich, flavorful and strong cup of espresso.
To help you pick the right coffee beans, we’ve prepared the following guide with the best espresso beans products. Once done and you’ve bought your kind of beans, make sure to grind it smoothly, and then use your espresso maker for that café-quality espresso. Check out these suggestions.
- How to make espresso without a machine ?
- The 7 Best Coffee Grinders for Making Espresso
- The 17 Best Coffee Grinders
- The 6 Best Espresso Machines With Grinder
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I. The 8 Best Espresso Beans
1. Our #1 Pick: Death Wish Whole Bean Coffee Bundle Deal
This is our top pick for its strong taste and rich aroma and flavor. It defines what real espresso beans are. When it comes to that satisfying cup of espresso, there is no question that the Death Wish coffee that is the choice for coffee lovers and enthusiasts.
The Death Wish Coffee tastes rich and flavorful. You can enjoy your espresso even more with these coffee beans, which are finely roasted for your favorite coffee.
The blend is Robusta and Arabica, giving you a smooth, fresh and strong taste that will help you get through your busy day. Check it out for authentic and rich espresso anytime.
Things We Like
- Certified Organic
- High quality coffee beans
- USDA certified
- With notes of chocolate and cherry
- Smoother and richer taste
Things We Dislike
- Doesn’t grind well for espresso
2. Lavazza Caffe Espresso Whole Bean Coffee Blend
The Lavazza Caffe Espresso is a medium roast blend, which is available in a large 2.2 pounds. It captures real Italian taste in every cup of espresso and other specialty coffee drinks.
One of the best things to appreciate about it is that it is also with highly aromatic notes that can perk you up in the morning or anytime when you feel a bit lazy to do your stuff.
I also liked that these coffee beans do not contain any GMO. It is 100% organic and certified natural. It is composed of real Arabica beans, which are roasted in Italy.
Things We Like
- Rich Italian taste
- Nice blend and flavor
- Versatile for use in any coffee maker
- 100% Arabica beans
- Highly aromatic notes
Things We Dislike
- Receiving old beans can be an issue
3. Kicking Horse Coffee Dark Roast
The Kicking Horse Coffee is another espresso beans variant to choose from and blend for your favorite espresso and other specialty drinks. With it, you can have your perfectly blended and roasted coffee for anytime coffee making at home.
The whole beans are delicious, audacious, smoky and sweet. It will wake you up and make you feel energetic to last through your hectic day.
Check out these coffee beans that work well for a wide range of methods including French press and drip coffee. In addition, it is certified organic and pure coffee.
Things We Like
- Rich and dark blend
- Never bitter taste
- South America and Indonesia origin
- Can be used for pour over and cold brew
- Ideal for drip machine and French press
Things We Dislike
- Not the strongest blend for espresso
4. Death Wish Coffee Company Valhalla Java Ground Coffee
The Death Wish Coffee Company is one of the most trusted coffee beans suppliers in the world. You might want to check out one of its best offerings, which is the Valhalla Java Ground Coffee.
You can take advantage of this artisan roast when it comes to espresso. Love the smooth but bold taste of these coffee beans that do not taste bitter at all.
This product is also USDA certified organic, so you can have peace of mind that it is all-natural without GMOs added.
Wake up to a new day these great coffee beans to complete your brewing experience. Become your own barista at home. You might want to check out these coffee beans for these benefits and more. These beans will help you brew that perfect espresso in the office or at home.
Things We Like
- Rich, aromatic and flavorful beans
- USDA Certified organic and fair trade compliant
- Refund guarantee without questions asked
- Easy to blend and use for your favorite coffee
- Specifically tested and proven best for espresso blends
Things We Dislike
- Not the strongest taste for espresso
5. Lavazza Super Crema Whole Bean Coffee Blend
The Super Crema whole beans are yours if you’re looking for a medium espresso roast that you can use for brewing your favorite coffee at home or in the office. This pack of one coffee blend by Lavazza is a top seller in the category for its rich and smooth taste. It has that bold aroma but without tasting bitter.
The whole coffee beans are creamy and mild medium roast that will give you hints of brown sugar and hazelnuts. So if you’re looking for a milder take on your espresso, you might want to try these coffee beans.
Things We Like
- Medium roast, rich flavor
- Creamy and mild espresso roast blend
- With hints of brown sugar and hazelnut
- Can be used best in an espresso machine
- Roasted in Italy
Things We Dislike
- Not for people looking for stronger espresso beans
6. Koffee Kult Dark Roast Coffee Beans
The whole coffee beans are fresh and roasted to perfection. You might want to check it out if you are looking for that perfect blend of espresso and other coffee drinks back home. You can use it with your espresso machine and other brewing methods.
You might want to choose these coffee beans if you want yours fresh without oil. It is a high quality gourmet coffee that can capture the taste of real Italian espresso.
When it comes to origins, these beans come from Sumatra, Colombia and Guatemala. And while it has a strong flavor and taste, it does not taste bitter at all. It is also proven to have low acidity. Try these coffee beans if you like freshly roasted beans and with origins as mentioned .
Things We Like
- High quality gourmet coffee
- Origin from Colombia, Sumatra and Guatemala
- Dark and strong for espresso
- Low acidity
- Freshly roasted beans
Things We Dislike
- Receiving old beans is possible
7. 2LB Cafe Don Pablo Subtle Earth Organic Gourmet Coffee
If you’re shopping around for organic coffee beans, you should take a look at the Café Don Pablo medium dark roast beans. The whole coffee beans are certified organic Arabica coffee beans without GMOs.
It is what you need if you’re also looking for rich aroma and taste. These coffee beans come from Honduras where some of the best coffee beans in the world come from.
You will also like its strong taste but does not have a bitter taste. It is with a low acidity and flavor depth with hints of chocolate. Overall, it is a good pick for those looking for a perfectly roasted coffee bean that can help them brew a great-tasting espresso anytime.
Things We Like
- Low acidity profile
- Rich taste and aroma
- Origin from Honduras
- Easy to use
- Organic, no GMO
Things We Dislike
- Quality control issues
8. Mayorga Organics Cafe Cubano Dark Roast
Mayorga Organics is another brand to take a look at if you are searching for dark roast coffee beans for your espresso. It is a reputable and trusted brand for USDA organic certified coffee beans.
This Cubano dark roast coffee contains no GMO but only natural coffee beans without filler. The single blend coffee beans are made from pure Arabica coffee beans.
The whole beans are with a dark roast profile and delivers notes of sweetness and boldness while remaining smooth. Using it, you can also achieve a full body cup that has syrupy smokiness and bold finish.
It is certainly one of the best choices there is when it comes to coffee beans for espresso. There is nothing quite like the rich and smooth taste it can deliver to our favorite espresso.
Things We Like
- Single blend pure Arabica beans
- No GMOs
- Certified organic
- Full bodied, strong aroma and flavor
- Sweet, smooth and bold notes
Things We Dislike
- Not the strongest blend
II. Buyer’s Guide
Many espresso beans on the market now are high in quality. They are also available from different brands, blends and origins. For this reason, it pays off to check these things along with the packaging, roast type, single or blended and freshness. Keep reading for more information.
1. Freshness
One of the essentials when shopping around for coffee beans for espresso is its freshness. Or else, you will feel dissatisfied with the results. To help you, check the roast date that you can find on the label.
Reading about the roast date, you will have a clear insight on how long the beans have been roasted. For this reason, it will be better to buy whole beans if you have a coffee grinder at home. With it, you can ensure of the freshness of the roast.
You might want to avoid buying pre-ground coffee because such might not have undergone a strict quality control.
Again, check the roast date, as it is better when fresh for espresso and all kinds of coffee for that matter. Nevertheless, buy only freshly roasted beans.
2. Packaging
Check the label as you would read the date of roasting. As much as possible, you want might to avoid those with a label saying 100% Arabica coffee. Sources say that it’s not true because beans aren’t produced in the same manner. For this reason, you also have to look for varietal mention so that you can have a better cup of coffee. You might want to pay attention to this.
3. The Roast Type
It is your preference that matters for this factor when shopping for coffee beans for espresso. In most cases, two of the most common and popular beans today are the Arabica and Robusta coffee beans. You should know what you like so that you can achieve more satisfaction out of the purchase.
Robusta coffee grows in a lower latitude location. It possesses a bitter and strong taste. Then, there is the Arabica coffee that grows in high latitude, and it is known for its smooth and acidic taste.
While some people think that Arabica coffee beans are higher in quality, it is not always true. It largely depends on the cultivation process and the treatment that it receives before being roasted.
At the end of the day, pick the roast type based on your preference. Do not worry too much about the type of coffee. Enjoy your cup!
4. Single origin or blends
Among coffee lovers in the world, they prefer the single origin blend. It means that the coffee comes from a specific geo location or a single estate.
In addition, single origin also makes for a more interesting coffee, according to many people. In short, single origin means that the coffee beans have not been blended. In many cases, this coffee type will have a roasted darker color than the filtered version using the same coffee beans.
But you can also go for a blend if you want to. However, make sure that you determine if you would make milk-based drinks or straight espresso. If blending only espresso, you might want to go for pure Arabica coffee beans.
5. Origin selection
When it comes to coffee beans, the origin is also important. Some of the best of them include Honduras, Sumatra, Indonesia, Vietnam, Colombia and other parts of South America.
So if you’re trying to compare coffee beans, you should also factor in the location or country from where they come from to ensure of high quality and strong flavor.
Follow these tips when choosing coffee beans for espresso and have a more satisfying brewing experience. Again, think of the origin, single origin or blend, packaging and freshness, to name some.
III. Conclusion
There you have what to know about the best espresso beans, what makes each of them unique and special and what makes one better than the other is.
But then, we all know that we might have to try different beans before finding our favorite of them all. That is why we’re here to help you pick from among the top choices of coffee connoisseurs and lovers all over the world.
If you don’t find what you’re looking for in a variant, you can try another. The choice is yours until you found that perfect blend for your taste.
We do hope that our buying guide and reviews will be able to save you money, effort and time in finding your favorite coffee beans. Again, check for the freshness, the packaging, single origin or blended and origin of the beans, to name some of the critical factors when finding your espresso coffee beans.
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