Your top three beginner espresso blends?

Discuss flavors, brew temperatures, blending, and cupping notes.
Altair
Posts: 70
Joined: 8 years ago

#1: Post by Altair »

Hi all,

I have searched the forum, and there is a wealth of information, but its either too dated or generic, so i thought I would see if someone can point me in the right direction.

I have a Rocket R60V and a Fausto grinder, it is very safe to say the weak link here is me, followed by the blends I use. I have had issues that I relate to my inexperience (last two years I was on a Barista Express and a pressurized basket) and the freshness of my beans.

Since I live in the middle east, I have my coffee shipped to me or sourced locally. Not allot of selection here, and the majority of what I order gets here one week after shipping.

With that in mind, can you please recommend three espresso blends that can be easily dialed in? Perhaps with your preferred variables as a starting point for me?

Thanks!

Mrboots2u
Posts: 645
Joined: 10 years ago

#2: Post by Mrboots2u replying to Altair »

I think you are better of asking for tips on how to dial in , than beans and recipes .Why limit yourself to blends also ( instead of good single origin stuff ) . Lastly where are you able to order from ? ( Europe , USA ? )

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canuckcoffeeguy
Posts: 1286
Joined: 10 years ago

#3: Post by canuckcoffeeguy replying to Mrboots2u »

Heres some background on the OP's espresso journey. So far he's received some advice from HB about how to use his equipment:
Newbie having consistency issues with a Rocket R60V

Altair (original poster)
Posts: 70
Joined: 8 years ago

#4: Post by Altair (original poster) »

Thank you both for your replies. Since my first posts, I have made some decent progress and I am now able to troubleshoot a bad shot fairly well I think, I went from undrinkable, to palatable, and now can make some pretty tasty stuff, and although I definitely have room to improve in terms of technique and being able to engineer a shot, I do feel that my store bought beans are limiting me severely. On a recent trip back from Dubai, I got some beans from a roasters by the name of Raw, as they where fresh beans I could make allot more mistakes and still have a palatable shot.

I can order from anywhere, Europe would be preferred I suppose due to location.

mgthompson
Posts: 70
Joined: 10 years ago

#5: Post by mgthompson »

I can't speak to European roasters. As far as American, I got started out on Counter Culture blends like What is now called Big Trouble. I'm not sure what they changed the Rustico blend's name to, but that is another. I have always been a fan of comfort blends, I.e. Chocolate, caramel, etc flavors. I have always had better luck dialing those in as opposed to single origins.

LukeFlynn
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#6: Post by LukeFlynn »

Big Trouble is very easy to work with in my experience. Hologram can be a bit more finicky but still pretty tolerant. Big Trouble is probably the way to go for slightly larger milk drinks, Hologram (formerly Rustico) is stellar for straight shots or even a cappuccino. I definitely recommend starting out weighing every dose and yield, and only adjusting one variable at a time. When you become skilled you get confident at predicting the shot, but it will confuse you if you start adjusting three things at once and expecting one outcome.

In regards to comfort blends, Red Bird Espresso has been good in the past, but I haven't had a chance to try it since they switched owners.

ds
Posts: 669
Joined: 11 years ago

#7: Post by ds »

I think Lionshare from Caffe Lusso is extremely easy to work with and get great results quickly...

zapa
Posts: 68
Joined: 9 years ago

#8: Post by zapa »

Verve Sermon will always be a go to of mine. 20g in 24-27 out in around 25-27s with a 3 second pre infusion at 2 bar = tasty alone and I personally find this to be my favorite espresso blend with milk. I have tried quite of number, but surely not all.

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shawndo
Posts: 1013
Joined: 14 years ago

#9: Post by shawndo »

Choose one of the blends from the 'Favorite Espressos" threads in the Bench forum. In each of these, you have a group of experienced forum members dialing in the blends and giving notes.

Favorite Espressos 2016
Favorite Espressos 2015
(There are more)

The first one for 2016 is Gran Miscela Carmo by Caffe Lusso, which seems to have become a forum favorite in the last year.
Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra

Felice
Posts: 114
Joined: 9 years ago

#10: Post by Felice »

If you're having to ship, you may be better off with some of those never go bad Italian espresso blends. I just finished a 1kg bag of Karoma, which is roasted in Salerno (ahhh, Salerno!) It was old when I got it, older when I finished and swell the whole time. Some of the benefit of the micro roasters here in the States is that the coffee is so fresh which may not be the case if you order it to the Middle East. Peacecup, who posts widely on HB, has written about buying Italian roasted coffees in a long thread entitled "Buying Italian Roasted Coffee," or some such. and then there's always buying fresh greens...
Good luck!

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