How should I prepare this amazing coffee?
March 21, 2013 9:23 AM Subscribe
Hi there,
On a recent trip to Oslo I bought a bag of these espresso coffee beans from a fantastic coffee shop. This is probably a stupid question, but is it possible to make non-espresso strength coffee with these? If so, how should I do it? Obviously I need to grind the beans first, and, if it helps, I have a cafetiere and aeropress. Thanks!
Espresso beans are just carefully selected/roasted beans to encourage things like crema and good flavour extraction when ground finely and put through high pressure espresso machines. Most espresso beans will make fine "regular" coffee.
posted by hylaride at 9:41 AM on March 21, 2013
posted by hylaride at 9:41 AM on March 21, 2013
Like johnny stated espresso beans are just regular beans roasted dark. heck my local coffee shop that roasts their own beans doesn't even roast their espresso to normal darkness. they feel its too easy to burn them . What really makes espresso is how its prepaired.
So if you make it like regular coffee it will just taste like a dark roast coffee.
posted by majortom1981 at 9:42 AM on March 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
So if you make it like regular coffee it will just taste like a dark roast coffee.
posted by majortom1981 at 9:42 AM on March 21, 2013 [1 favorite]
I make my daily coffee in a Bodum with coarse-ground espresso beans. It's delicious.
posted by Ouisch at 9:48 AM on March 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Ouisch at 9:48 AM on March 21, 2013 [2 favorites]
I work for a coffee roaster, but doing IT. Still, I know a moderate amount about coffee. We also only do espresso roasts.
The main coffee guy always recommends French press, above all else. I've tried that, home espresso machines(both pump and boiler driven), and drip.
It'll make decent drip, but amazing French press. Make sure you get the coffee/water ratio right for your French press.
Also worth noting, I got my really nice good looking copper and glass French press for like $3.99 at good will, and my previous one the same way for about the same price. You don't have to spend $30 or $40.
posted by emptythought at 10:26 AM on March 21, 2013
The main coffee guy always recommends French press, above all else. I've tried that, home espresso machines(both pump and boiler driven), and drip.
It'll make decent drip, but amazing French press. Make sure you get the coffee/water ratio right for your French press.
Also worth noting, I got my really nice good looking copper and glass French press for like $3.99 at good will, and my previous one the same way for about the same price. You don't have to spend $30 or $40.
posted by emptythought at 10:26 AM on March 21, 2013
If by cafetiere you mean one of these things, I think that would be a great way to brew coffee with those beans.
posted by ultraviolet catastrophe at 10:50 AM on March 21, 2013
posted by ultraviolet catastrophe at 10:50 AM on March 21, 2013
My daily coffee is Bustelo, which is an espresso roast. I currently use something like a Melita pour over single cup filter, and it makes an amazing cup of coffee. I used to make it in a Moka pot, like Cuban coffee, which was awesome too.
posted by artdesk at 10:53 AM on March 21, 2013
posted by artdesk at 10:53 AM on March 21, 2013
I find that both the Aeropress and moka pot work great with very dark roasts. Just mix the resulting "espresso" with about an equal amount hot water to make it an americano. Or use the convenient inverted Aeropress method.
posted by mbrubeck at 11:44 AM on March 21, 2013
posted by mbrubeck at 11:44 AM on March 21, 2013
Wendelboe roasts in a fairly balanced style, that borders a bit lighter than most coffees labeled 'espresso.' I've not had this coffee, but other coffees from this roastery, and they're pretty bright when pulled as espresso. You'll be just fine brewing them up in just about any style however.
All of the roaster I've worked with and talk to professionally, really dislike the "Espresso" label on coffee, because espresso is a brewing method, not a roast. And I've seen "espresso roasts" that range from dead medium to dark. It really varies.
posted by furnace.heart at 8:39 PM on March 21, 2013
All of the roaster I've worked with and talk to professionally, really dislike the "Espresso" label on coffee, because espresso is a brewing method, not a roast. And I've seen "espresso roasts" that range from dead medium to dark. It really varies.
posted by furnace.heart at 8:39 PM on March 21, 2013
Don't wait. As you ponder your question, your beans lose flavour.
Espresso roast in Europe is much lighter than it is here in North America. Yes you can make good coffee with it. Our morning coffees is an Americano brewed via an espresso machine using a 50-50 mix of espresso and French roast.
Use your Aeropress. The only downside we found with our Aeropress is that it makes an extremely smooth cup of coffee. (We like to be bitten a bit by our coffee.)
DO NOT FOLLOW THE AEROPRESS INSTRUCTIONS that come with it. Instead look here.
The Bialetti in the picture that someone posted as a response, is a stove-top espresso maker.
posted by mbarryf at 5:19 AM on March 22, 2013
Espresso roast in Europe is much lighter than it is here in North America. Yes you can make good coffee with it. Our morning coffees is an Americano brewed via an espresso machine using a 50-50 mix of espresso and French roast.
Use your Aeropress. The only downside we found with our Aeropress is that it makes an extremely smooth cup of coffee. (We like to be bitten a bit by our coffee.)
DO NOT FOLLOW THE AEROPRESS INSTRUCTIONS that come with it. Instead look here.
The Bialetti in the picture that someone posted as a response, is a stove-top espresso maker.
posted by mbarryf at 5:19 AM on March 22, 2013
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posted by Johnny Wallflower at 9:27 AM on March 21, 2013 [1 favorite]