SOS Roundup

23 October, 2008

I don't make a secret of the fact that I'm not a fan of single origin shots of espresso. If someone asks me for an espresso recommendation, I'll recommend something that has been blended with espresso preparation in mind. With that said, I recently tried our new coffee arrivals as espresso and found that some of them really do hold up quite well.

The best of our new arrivals as espresso is El Salvador Cerro de las Ranas Dark Roast. The flavor is a neat combination of carbon and spice. It has good body and intensity. As it rests the acidity picks up, but never to the point that it becomes an undesirable quality. This coffee also holds its own in milk drinks.

Those looking for something lighter might enjoy Brazil Mogiana. This coffee delivers lots of crema and has the same nut notes present in this coffee with a drip preparation. It's clean and bright with medium intensity. This may not cut through the milk in a latté, but it makes a nice espresso.

Ethiopian Harrar delivers a unique espresso experience. The tart, fruity flavor comes through clearly. Good, but very different from what most places will serve as an espresso.

Costa Rican La Minita Dark Roast is carbony and sweet. The flavor is not as intense as the El Salvador, but it is still strong enough to cut through the milk in a latté. My only complaint is that it lacks the flavor complexity that I look for in an espresso.