Coffee culture

How to Properly Brew and Enjoy Italian Blend Coffee Beans - Flavor and Taste Characteristics of Espresso Beans

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee
Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Professional coffee knowledge exchange for more coffee bean information please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account cafe_style) Detailed steps for Espresso coffee extraction Basic knowledge of Italian espresso Before coming to Italy drinking coffee meant going to Starbucks but after arriving in Italy I learned that even though Starbucks is such a famous global coffee chain giant it has no place in Italy because in pure

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account: cafe_style).

Espresso coffee has long been known as the "soul of coffee"! However, because Espresso has a rich taste and intense flavor, it often makes people feel difficult to accept. But once you get used to this setting, you'll find it has a unique charm. Moreover, Espresso is also a coffee that tests coffee quality and barista skills.

Since Espresso is loved by so many people, it must have a certain charm. Next, FrontStreet Coffee will take you to understand Espresso!

Espresso Coffee

Freshly extracted Espresso has a beautiful layer of golden crema, which we generally call "Crema." The appearance of "Crema" is inseparable from that 9 Bar of pressure. Water in a heated and pressurized state will extract soluble substances from the coffee powder layer. This process will emulsify the naturally existing fats and oils in the coffee. At the same time, freshly roasted coffee beans contain carbon dioxide, and during the Espresso making process, these carbon dioxide are under pressure and dissolve into the coffee.

How to Taste Espresso Coffee?

Smell

Generally, when we get a cup of Espresso, the first thing we do is smell its aroma. You will smell nuts and caramel aromas. If the roast level isn't too dark, you might even smell fruity sweet and sour aromas.

Observe

After smelling the aroma, we look at the color and thickness of the Crema, because from this we can generally tell how this cup of coffee was made.

Drink

Espresso is a very small cup of coffee, usually served with a glass of ice water. First, take a sip of ice water to rinse your mouth, then drink the espresso in one gulp, feeling the cream-like sensation brought by the espresso in your mouth, as well as the strong caramel and nut flavors.

Are there other ways to drink it besides drinking it directly? Of course, for example, some people can't handle the stimulating sensation brought by espresso, so they pour a small amount of milk into the espresso, which makes the coffee smoother and less bitter, highlighting the charm of caramel chocolate.

Of course, if you find it too strong, you can also add an appropriate amount of water to dilute it, but then it loses the original charm of Espresso.

Which Espresso Coffee Beans Make Good Espresso?

FrontStreet Coffee Sunshine Blend: Aimed at creating espresso beans with wine aroma. Natural Red Cherry: Sherry, ratio 3:7, post-roast blend.

Natural Red Cherry

The Red Cherry Project is a coffee quality improvement initiative proposed by a Dutch green coffee company, Menno Simons. Trabocca is the founder of the Dutch green coffee merchant Trabocca. Because Ethiopian coffee at that time was inconsistent in quality, there wasn't much room for price improvement, and coffee farmers' incomes were very low. To be able to substantially help them, they cooperated with local coffee farmers to launch the Red Cherry Project, solving quality problems from the source. Using manual hand-picking methods, only fully ripe coffee cherries are picked and purchased at higher prices, which can improve coffee farmers' requirements for quality and grow better quality coffee. FrontStreet Coffee believes that natural processing of mature coffee cherries results in coffee beans with obvious fruit aroma, full acidity, and thick mouthfeel. Natural Red Cherry provides fermented feeling and soft fruit acidity for FrontStreet Coffee's blend coffee.

Whiskey Barrel Fermented Sherry

Sherry coffee beans have a very strong whiskey barrel flavor because they use whiskey barrels. It smells like intoxicating wine aroma, with rich vanilla cream in the mouth, and persistent chocolate liqueur flavor in the aftertaste. Freshly picked coffee fruits first undergo exquisite washed processing, then are placed in sherry barrels for long-term low-temperature fermentation, lasting 30-40 days (temperature approximately 15-20°C), and finally the coffee beans are dried for sun-drying. Sherry barrels are barrels used by sherry wineries in the whiskey industry for aging. The brewing process of sherry wine must go through the Solera System aging process. This process refers to the process of blending sherry of different years for aging after the sherry is fortified, which is also the unique formation of sherry flavor. Sherry provides whiskey barrel aroma and nut chocolate aftertaste for FrontStreet Coffee's blend coffee.

FrontStreet Coffee, through blending and then adjusting grind settings and extraction, produces espresso with obvious fruit acidity, faint berry aroma lingering, rich wine and chocolate flavors, and comfortable sweet aftertaste.

FrontStreet Coffee Artisan Espresso Blend Coffee Beans: Aimed at creating espresso beans with nut cocoa aroma. Colombia: Brazil, ratio 3:7, post-roast blend.

Colombia Huila Region

Located in southwestern Colombia, it is one of the main coffee cultivation areas. Colombia generally has an altitude of 1500-1800 meters, mostly Bourbon and Caturra varieties, washed processing method, with relatively high density, uniform bean size, and full beans (thick from bean core to bean surface). Because famous coffee cultivation areas are spread throughout the Huila region, the names of various small areas have become brand names and are circulated. Although the cultivation conditions in this area are also very good, the cultivation infrastructure of coffee cultivation farms and surrounding conditions is not very developed. Green bean drying equipment or washing processing facilities are not yet complete, which is very regrettable. Coffee from the Huila region has a strong taste and heavier texture. FrontStreet Coffee chose coffee from the Huila region for blending because the coffee beans from this region have nut, chocolate, and caramel aromas and suitable acidity, making it a good base for blend coffee.

Through FrontStreet Coffee's cupping comparison, it is believed that Colombian Huila coffee beans have a rich and solid taste, pleasant acidity, fragrant aroma, moderate acidity, and rich sweetness that is very intriguing. Due to low price and small beans, they are suitable for blending mixed coffee. The coffee has a strong taste and heavier texture. Its nut, chocolate, and caramel aromas and suitable acidity are considered high-quality specialty coffee, suitable for single origin or espresso blend base.

Brazil Cerrado Region

Brazilian coffee generally grows at altitudes of 1000-1300 meters, so its density is relatively low. Mostly Bourbon varieties, using semi-natural processing. Moderate moisture content, soft bean texture, thin thickness from bean surface to bean core, so not suitable for too high temperature roasting, as the temperature of the roaster inner wall will scorch the bean surface, resulting in bitter taste; at the same time, to express nuts, milk chocolate, and good body characteristics, and as a blend base, FrontStreet Coffee's roaster chooses medium heat bean投入, maintains heat to the dehydration stage, and makes fine adjustments as temperature rises after the first crack begins, promoting more complete caramelization reaction, and can discharge beans when temperature rises near the second crack. Through FrontStreet Coffee's cupping comparison, it is believed that this Brazil Cerrado coffee has a comfortable bittersweet taste, extremely smooth in the mouth; with a faint grass aroma, fresh fragrance with a slight bitterness; sweet and smooth, with a pleasant aftertaste.

FrontStreet Coffee, through blending and then adjusting grind settings and extraction, produces espresso with soft and slight acidity, clear sweetness, nutty aftertaste, overall feeling is not too stimulating, peaceful, with medium crema.

FrontStreet Coffee Commercial Espresso Blend Coffee Beans: Aimed at creating Italian-style coffee beans with nut cocoa as the main tone and rich mouthfeel. Colombia: Brazil: Robusta; ratio 3:6:1, pre-roast blend.

Robusta Variety

It has strong disease and pest resistance and high yield. Usually not as acidic as Arabica beans, often with a slight woody aroma. Caffeine content is 2.2%, higher than Arabica beans' 1.2%, and chlorogenic acid content is also higher, making it quite bitter. It is usually used in commercial beans, cheaper than Arabica beans. In terms of single bean flavor, commercial beans produce coffee taste that is much inferior to specialty coffee beans. Generally, commercial beans are chosen for blending. After blending, they can also produce very good-tasting coffee and can be used for lattes, cappuccinos, and other espresso drinks. FrontStreet Coffee's commercial blend coffee beans used for Espresso, because of Robusta beans, will have richer crema, classic taste, caramel sweetness, nuts and cocoa, dark chocolate flavors, balanced sweet and sour, with a slight bittersweet taste, and persistent aftertaste.

FrontStreet Coffee, through blending and then adjusting grind settings and extraction, produces espresso with caramel sweetness, nuts and cocoa, dark chocolate flavors, balanced sweet and sour, with a slight bittersweet taste, and persistent aftertaste.

For more specialty coffee beans, please add FrontStreet Coffee's private WeChat account: kaixinguoguo0925

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473

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