So I got some beans from Coava Coffee Roasters in Portland, OR. I'm not sure if it is the process (semi-wash) that they used to roast the beans or the beans themselves, but they are incredibly dense. For what would be 10 grams of beans for my other coffees, I get 17 grams of these. They are also incredibly difficult to grind with my Hario Skerton. When I extract, there is very little crema and what crema there is dissipates in about 10 seconds. I used the beans for clever dripper and it was amazing. Is it just that these beans aren't good for espresso? Physically, they are smaller and seem shriveled compared with other beans.

Have you tried asking Coava? Most roasters designate which coffees are good for espresso. Sounds like you have a roast that's intended for drip.

Yeah I'm thinking that is the case.

Sound like your dealing with high grown (dense) peaberry (small, round) coffee that is lightly roasted (wrinkly, hasn't fully plumped yet). I really notice how much harder it is to hand grind dense, light-roasted coffee.

Which coffee is this? Are you dosing by weight or volume?

mchodson wrote:So I got some beans from Coava Coffee Roasters in Portland, OR. I'm not sure if it is the process (semi-wash) that they used to roast the beans

That is NOT abut the roasting process, but the PREPARATION of the bean on the farm or mill, readying the beans for sale.
I agree with Chris. Coava is a fine roaster. They are probably a lighter roast, and combined with your Skerton will produced a VERY bright espresso, or brew.
A hand mill will (in my experience with mine) have a harder time of it with a lightly roasted coffee, unless you have Popeye arms!

A SHB (strictly hard bean) high grown and light roasted will be dense and you will notice a difference in a hand mill. The same bean roasted darker will tend to be easier to grind.