The hunt for best Italian roasted coffee beans - Page 27

Discuss flavors, brew temperatures, blending, and cupping notes.
GeorgeP922
Posts: 79
Joined: 17 years ago

#261: Post by GeorgeP922 »

I just bought 1lb bag from LIDL that is whole bean and imported from Italy. 5$ (I even got a cafe Buestello for 2.50 just for laughs)
I got it for pourover, I would try it in my E61 but having recently tried the Costco Lavazza I swore never again.
No body and little flavor.

I long for the day when it becomes cheap to fly italian fresh roasted coffee here and have some way to sell it to us.

It sucks that everyone assumes Italians only drink corporate coffee. There is no way a country can make the best grinders and not even use them!

cskorton
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Joined: 6 years ago

#262: Post by cskorton »

I'm a huge lover of Italian blends, and recently another user here, @vze26m98, recommended some blends and was kind enough to send me a few bags of beans he wasn't able to try himself. Never underestimate the kindness of strangers with a shared hobby!

I've been using them for a couple weeks so I figured I'd share my thoughts here with you all. Some of the below background info is from vze26m98 himself, and the tasting notes are mine.


Miehl Eccelsa

A medium roast, arabica/robusta blend. Julius Meinl is a Viennese coffee company, but it apparently has a big reputation in the north of Italy, so much so that Meinl built a roastery in Vicenza and produces "Italian" roasts from there. Ecclesa is one of them.

Taste - Very pleasant aroma, creamy body (much lighter than Saka), very balanced and enjoyable. When still hot, I get floral notes first. As it cools, I get chocolate fudge and a roasted nut finish. Lacks the harshness and bitterness of southern/Neapolitan blends I have. Honestly, this is everything I would want in an Italian (Austrian?) blend and may be the best I've ever had. Very well balanced, nuanced, and sweet.

Caffe Mokaflor Oro

Mokaflor Oro is a medium arabica/robusta 80-20 from Florence, so a Tuscan style coffee.

Taste - less sweet than the Miehl, but more unique. I get hints of (maybe?) mixed berry at the start, pronounced 60% Chocolate middle, but the most interesting note is the cereal/cooked grain finish. I've often read Italian descriptions of this note and never got to experience it first hand, and I loved it! These beans were lighter roasted than other Italian blends. They required a finer grind and can take higher temperatures too.

Illy Intenso

A simple blend, dark roasted. The major component is an Illy India, and came recommended for milk drinks.

Taste - Much less interesting and sweet than the others in espresso. Had a slight semblance of sweetness/fruit up front, then the middle and finish was a bit flat and lacks the chocolate/nuts/caramel notes I usually like. Skewed towards bitterness and harsh, but in milk it works wonderfully, much like the Saka I have. My wife quite likes it in her cappucini. With these kinds of blends, pulling them tight/ristretto tends to bring out the best in it in my opinion.

Overall, I highly, highly recommend the Miehl. The Mokaflor was great too because of how unique it was from other blends I've tried, especially regarding that elusive "cereal" tasting note.

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EddyQ
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#263: Post by EddyQ »

another_jim wrote:That's why I like single dosing grinders -- I currently have a "menu" of six espressos to pick from. It's one of the things I totally don't get -- there are usually dozens to hundreds of mostly pointless choices for everything we buy; so why no choice for espresso at cafes? That at least I can remedy at home.
Totally agree. I've got at least 6 to choose from.
It is pretty bad when most folks who visit are puzzled with the question "what bean would you like for that espresso"

I think I have only experienced two coffee shops in the Boston area who had a second bean option and knew how to pull a lighter roast. The first option is always the popular chocolate dark roast and second it usually a lighter roast. One shop actually pulled a fine Kenyan and it was done well (such a rare thing).
LMWDP #671

drH
Posts: 891
Joined: 4 years ago

#264: Post by drH »

I agree with you about most cafes in the Boston area, save the few George Howell shops that are open.
Another bright spot I've found is Aero Coffee Roasters in Boston's metrowest. You can also find their stuff online.

They have a nice chocolaty roast that darker roast lovers will enjoy and a lighter roast that reminds me of cocoa lemon custard.
I have a lot of respect for them- they have a La Marzocco Strada in the shop and their baristas don't hesitate to toss out a shot if they don't like the look of the pour (I rarely see that).

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mariobarba
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Joined: 13 years ago

#265: Post by mariobarba »

There used to be a few cafes in Montreal that always had at least 2 coffees on tap. Usually one darker and one lighter.
Also, if any of you are in Montreal, i've recently rediscovered Prima Goccia in Montral north.
Their espresso is an excellent Italian blend, well balanced with dark chocolate notes and a nice acidity. They also only charge 7.50CAD/lb :shock:

coffeechan
Posts: 145
Joined: 8 years ago

#266: Post by coffeechan »

I was a fan of Gracenote years ago when I worked in downtown Boston. If it wasn't for the pandemic I'd go back and re-acquaint myself with their single origins. It's not a choice of 6 offerings, but they rotated SO espressos depending on the day. I loved the Ethiopia Misty Valley espresso with its approachable blueberry acidity. The Alpha blend was pretty good all around blend for straight espresso, milk drinks etc. Their master roaster Patrick knows how to roast for espresso. Overall whenever I tried a single origin, the acidity was lively not overwhelming, enjoyable, and balanced. The Lincoln Street location I frequented was very small though. It served its purpose to pickup a few drinks and casually walk around to the nearby green and park.

Edit:

My memory is hazy regarding George Howell in downtown. At that time I was getting burnt out on coffee in general. I have had Alchemy and Daterra served to me before. I was happy with them, but I don't remember it as fondly as other cups.

coffeechan
Posts: 145
Joined: 8 years ago

#267: Post by coffeechan »

cskorton wrote:
Caffe Mokaflor Oro

Mokaflor Oro is a medium arabica/robusta 80-20 from Florence, so a Tuscan style coffee.

Taste - less sweet than the Miehl, but more unique. I get hints of (maybe?) mixed berry at the start, pronounced 60% Chocolate middle, but the most interesting note is the cereal/cooked grain finish. I've often read Italian descriptions of this note and never got to experience it first hand, and I loved it! These beans were lighter roasted than other Italian blends. They required a finer grind and can take higher temperatures too.
Thanks for sharing Chris. The Mokaflor Oro has received a few good mentions throughout the years. It's high on my list of blends to try down the line. On the last of my Cartapani and Mokaflor Oro will probably be next up after a robusta break.

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LVD
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#268: Post by LVD »

another_jim wrote:The last few months I've been enjoying Cartapani Cinquestelle.

To me, this is a quintessential Italian espresso, a no fuss liquid Nuttella shot with neither bitterness nor acidity, from a blend that doesn't seem to ever get worse, no matter how stale. If my tasting is accurate, I think it's about 25% of a very chocolaty high quality robusta, and otherwise mostly a nutty brazil, all roasted medium.

Cartapani is located in the north of Italy, near Brescia, on the Lago Garda.

$30 per kilo.
Just wanted to add a quick note to this since several people here have enjoyed this blend.

According to the roaster, this blend is 90% Arabica and 10% Robusta. I was always curious about the exact percentage, so I thought maybe others were too.

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another_jim
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#269: Post by another_jim »

Wow! I'd like to know which robusta that is, since it's a crema bomb. No wonder it tasted so smooth.
Jim Schulman

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GC7
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#270: Post by GC7 »

LVD wrote:Just wanted to add a quick note to this since several people here have enjoyed this blend.

According to the roaster, this blend is 90% Arabica and 10% Robusta. I was always curious about the exact percentage, so I thought maybe others were too.
Thanks for that information. I don't know why but I thought I read or assumed it was 20%. I tolerate multiple drinks of the Cartapani Cinquestelle better and this perhaps explains why. I agree with Jim about smooth Nutella.