Bins of coffee beans stretch out in seemingly endless rows. The grinder has too many settings and you are not sure of the difference between a French roast and an Italian one. How do you know which beans make the best espresso?
Knowing the basics is a good place to start. First of all, cappuccinos and lattes are variations on espresso, differing in the ratio of coffee and steamed milk, and do not require a certain kind of bean.
The inexperienced shopper could easily be fooled into thinking that there are countless assortments of beans to chose from and be overwhelmed. Sometimes, unscrupulous marketers with take advantage of this common myth so they seem to have a larger inventory. In reality, there are only two types of beans available commercially: Arabica and Robusta.
Arabica is a high altitude bean, grown at 2,400 feet above sea lever or higher, characterized by a smooth, yet slightly acidic, taste. It is usually grown in eastern Africa and Central and South America. Robusta grows in the lower altitudes of Southeast Asia, central Africa and Latin America and has a more potent, sometimes bitter taste.
Roasting is a process in which raw coffee beans undergo a transformation through exposure to high temperatures, at least 480 degrees Fahrenheit, typically for seven to twelve minutes. Roasting allows for changes to the natural acidity and bitterness of the raw bean. Generally speaking, the longer the roasting time, the less acidic and more bitter the bean becomes.
Contrary to popular belief, there is no right or wrong way to roast or grind beans for espresso. It is only a matter of taste. Espresso is usually made from a variety of beans in various grades of roast and grind. Interestingly enough, different geographical locations tend to favor certain blends. For example, in northern Italy, their preferred type of espresso roast tends to be a medium roast, while California leans toward the darker beans of French roast.
You are not likely to find the freshest beans in a grocery store, and you can bet on that when in comes to pre ground coffee. The best you can do in that situation is pay close attention to the expiration date. You should have better luck finding fresh beans in a coffee house, especially one that roasts in house. Naturally, they will need to roast more of the most popular, fastest selling bean more often, and it is probably the most popular for a reason. Perfect freshness comes from grinding your own just roasted beans immediately before brewing.
Quality beans are a good place to start, but by no means is that the only factor to consider when making espresso. Other things to think about are the time lapse between grinding and brewing, the time lapse since roasting, the condition of equipment and water quality. What makes the best espresso will likely be an endless debate, but the endless options ultimately boil down to a matter of preference.
Cory Willins is an author for The Coffee Site where you can find information about gourmet coffee as well as many other coffee resources.
