I'm a proud newbie. I have my stovetop Bacchi and the HG-One, well-seasoned (why do my ABS hurt, of all things?!).

I've gone through a few d'ounces ("dozen ounce" bags) of local blends, and enjoy comparing with in-shop pulls. Sacramento is very much an up-and-coming coffee town, and we are proud of our roasters (not to mention, this week is "Specialty Coffee Week"-- if you're anywhere nearby, check it out).

I'd like to order something online that is popular (so feedback can be relevant), forgiving (but not TOO forgiving), and, preferably, on the chocolate-y and thick side (so probably a blend).

Suggestions?

I would recommend Redbird Coffee. They make blends in the northern Italian tradition.

http://redbirdcoffee.com

Try the Redbird espresso and Blue jaguar espresso blends. Jeff Pentel, the man behind Redbird, knows what he's doing and his prices are very reasonable. I'm in Canada and ordered 4 bags all the way from Redbird in Montana. If I lived in the US I'd order more regularly. But shipping costs and customs issues make it more of a pain for Canadians. But you'll be fine since you're in Cali.

Btw, regarding your equipment... What do you mean by a rigged high pressure Brikka? I have a 4 cup Brikka. I'm interested if you modified it in some way.

I haven't used that since I got the Bacchi. On the Brikka, I completely removed the lid, then put some "weights" on top of the pressure release mechanism (it works by weight anyway). I went to the hardware store and got a thick bolt and a few of nuts to put on it. I would leave that on top of the Brikka while brewing, even holding it down sometimes. This does increase the pressure, but of course the temperature too. I preferred the taste this way, over standard use.

canuckcoffeeguy wrote:I would recommend Redbird Coffee. They make blends in the northern Italian tradition.

http://redbirdcoffee.com

Try the Redbird espresso and Blue jaguar espresso blends. Jeff Pentel, the man behind Redbird, knows what he's doing and his prices are very reasonable.

+1, I order redbird more than any other roaster.

Redbird is good stuff. Klatch's Belle Espresso is also tasty and very forgiving. I like Verve's Streetlevel and Sermon blends as well.

Bodka's Main Squeeze Espresso is easy to pull. Forgiving. Great with milk drinks too.
Chocolate, hazelnut notes abound.
Bodka has a new espresso blend out too that I haven't tried yet.

+1 on the Klatch and Bodka Espresso blends. Especially Bodka. I have found Main Squeeze to be super forgiving.

thanks guys. Looks like I'll be trying Main Squeeze, Red Bird, and Insight's Brazil Thera Espresso later this week!

I've tried Red Bird before, but you're not likely to be able to try it in a cafe anywhere though. My first choice for these kinds of recommendations is always Counter Culture. Their Rustico blend (which I think was actually just Renamed to "Hologram") is great. It's always had a very wide 'sweet spot' in my experience, the flavor profile stays relatively consistent season to season, it's a nice balance between 'classic' chocolatey espresso and a more fruit-forward espresso, and it's been tried by tons and tons of people and served in lots of cafes. Plus I'm sure if you search on here you'll find lots of reviews too.

The other nice thing is that after you try it, if you want something a little more classic tasting, you can try their Toscano and if you want something a little brighter you can try Apollo (or try both...)

The other names I'd often recommend are Blue Bottle, Stumptown and George Howell. You're likely to be able to find at least one cafe in many areas, and it's great to be able to try a good espresso at a cafe, and then try making the same espresso at home. You can also ask the barista how they're pulling the shots, which is useful since all these blends (or 'offerings' since sometimes they'll only be a single origin) do change from season to season. Personally, I've found that Stumptown's Hairbender and George Howell's Alchemy are both excellent, but can change quite a bit if they change the blend. Blue Bottle's espresso offerings seem to be more predictable, but their two main espresso blends (Hayes Valley and 17ft Ceiling) have always been a little tough for me to try and categorize or describe. They're just kind of fun but a little quirky. Which is great, but doesn't make for a perfect 'newbie espresso'.