What coffees do I not recommend for espresso? I consider washed processed coffees difficult. They are often very intensely acidic, citrusy, and it’s hard to find balance. The hardest espressos for me are Kenyas with washed processing. These hard beans are often roasted too lightly to preserve their floral and currant character, which can be very dominating. And it might be somewhat controversial… but I also think that most Geisha variety coffees should be drunk as pour-over coffees, not espresso. They just have many layers and facets that often open up at different temperatures, and condensed espresso, in my opinion, does not show 100% of their potential.

How I Judge Espresso: Insights Ahead

How do you navigate through the myriad of options? On my store page, I always mark whether a coffee is suitable for espresso. And before I recommend beans in the showroom, I always ask about taste preferences and brewing rituals. Most often, when we find that perfect pack together, the next question arises: “How do I know if I’m maximizing the potential of the beans?”. Unfortunately, there are no hard guidelines on when coffee is good. No TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) meter, extraction percentage, brewing time, or even the hottest recipe from a YouTube star guarantees that you’ll like the coffee. What do I use to judge espresso? Read in my next post!