Before you buy
Good questions
What makes an espresso coffee, and where to start.
Choosing coffee beans for espresso
Espresso is a magnifying glass: nine bars of pressure concentrate sweetness, body, and acidity into one small cup, so faults get loud and virtues get louder. The coffees on this page were chosen because they hold their shape under that pressure — enough sugar to stay sweet, enough body to feel like espresso.
Brazil Machado is the straight-shot pick: natural-process chocolate and brown sugar that pull thick and comfortable. ASCENT, our 50/50 washed Kenya and natural Ethiopia blend, was designed for milk — the Kenya half keeps its structure through a latte, the Ethiopia half keeps it sweet.
Dialing in at home
Start at a 1:2 ratio — 18 grams of coffee to 36 grams of espresso — in 25 to 30 seconds, and adjust grind before anything else: finer if it gushes and tastes sour, coarser if it drips and tastes bitter. Every bag ships with a starting recipe, and if you don't have an espresso grinder, choose Espresso from the grind menu and we'll grind it fresh the day we roast.
Are espresso beans the same as coffee beans?
Yes — there is no separate espresso plant. "Espresso beans" just means coffee selected or roasted with espresso in mind: usually more developed sweetness and body so the shot doesn't turn sharp. Any coffee on this page brews beautifully as filter too.
Which espresso coffee should I start with?
For straight shots, Brazil Machado. If you mostly drink lattes and cappuccinos, ASCENT was designed to cut through milk.
Can I brew these as drip or pour over instead?
Absolutely. "Best for espresso" means they shine there, not that they're locked to it. Brewed as filter, these coffees read a little deeper and sweeter than our drip picks.
I don't have an espresso grinder. Can you grind for me?
Yes — choose Espresso from the grind menu on any coffee's page and we'll grind it fresh at no charge, the day we roast it.
