UK espresso blends: a comparison

[flimbag]

The week before last, I received a shipment of Has Bean's various espresso blends, and as I'd got all three, it gave me the opportunity to compare them all next to each other.

I don't buy an awful lot of single origins these days, partly because I'm trying to figure out the best of the blends first. Over the last few months, I've sampled the following:

Hill and Valley's Bourbon Espresso
Hill and Valley's Espresso San Giorgio

These were a bit peculiar, because the website labels the San Giorgio as a dark roast, and the Bourbon as a Northern Italian style. I'm not sure whether they some how got the packaging mixed up, or whether that particular batch of Bourbon was just roasted a little dark, but of the two, I much preferred the San Giorgio, despite my preference for Brazil-based espressos roasted to a city/city+ (like Illy done right, ie freshly roasted.) However, the San Giorgio was definitely the lighter of the two, but there wasn't a great deal to choose between them.

Next up were a pair of blends from Roberts and Co. I'm very fond of Mr. Roberts, being as he's local to me. Mr Roberts does four blends, and so far I've tried

Siena blend
Milano blend

The Siena blend is listed as a mixed roast that Roberts is very proud of. In fact, I believe he won some sort of taste prize for it. The Espresso Milano blend, in contrast, is labelled on his website as a full roast, but in the shop he was definitely selling it as a lighter, Northern Italian roast.

The Siena was somewhat reminiscent of Hill and Valley's Bourbon Espresso and again somewhat sharper than I prefer, but the Milano was very good indeed. Smooth, rich, complex. I must take another trip out there and pick up some more soon.

The blend by which I judge them all though, was last year's Monmouth espresso blend. With a base of Brazilian Fazenda Cachoeira, this has to be the best espresso I've ever drunk -- bar none. Sweet, caramel and toffee flavours abound.

Unfortunately, they recently changed the blend and while their current blend is still pretty good, it isn't outstandingly so. Apparently, they no longer use the Fazenda Cachoeira as the base, having replaced it with Fazenda Santa Terezinha. What's more, they seem to have also run out of the Kalosi that they used, and so it's a very different drink. Somewhat brighter and more acidic. They do get the roast right though, but it isn't an outstanding cup any more.

Finally, on to Has Bean's espresso blends. I've been looking around for alternatives to the Monmouth and last week ordered some of Has Bean's espresso blends to try. I've sampled three blends in all:

Has Bean's all-arabica Premium Espresso blend
Has Bean's House Espresso blend (with robusta)
Espresso Perfeito blend (roasted by Has Bean)

Let me get right out front and say it: the one that I liked the best of the three wasn't one of Steve's own blends, but was the Brazilian Perfeito blend. This isn't meant to cast aspersions on Steve's competence as a blender -- it was just that this is the type of blend that best suits my personal taste in espresso, being the lightest and sweetest of the three, with some acidity but nothing too excessive (acidity being a flaw of Monmouth's current blend, in my opinion.)

While I was drinking the Perfeito, I happened to be in London for a day or two, and so picked up a pound of the Monmouth blend. Normally I'd buy a kilo or more and stick it in the freezer, but I was developing a strong suspicion that I was preferring the Perfeito to the latest incarnation of Monmouth's espresso -- and sure enough, I do. Perfeito is currently my favourite espresso blend, and even though Steve may not have blended it himself, he certainly does a wonderful job of roasting it.

The real revelation of the bunch though, was the Has Bean house espresso blend. I'm one of those people who has tended to avoid Robusta in my blends. This is partially due to the received wisdom, but it has also been somewhat reinforced by the Malabar Gold that I've been home roasting.

That's not to say that Malabar Gold is bad -- I like the stuff quite a lot -- but it does taste a little like coffee that's been cut with speed. I find the Robusta sometimes gives it a sort of pronounced bitter, chemical taste -- very slight and not exactly objectionable, but definitely discernable, and you do notice the pronounced caffiene rush that you get when you finish a cup.

But unfortunately, I work mostly at home, and I spend much of the day drinking espresso -- so by the end of the day, it's possible that I might have drunk eight or ten doubles. If they were all made from Malabar Gold, I'd be climbing the walls.

The Has Bean house blend doesn't seem to have quite so much robusta in the mix though, and so it isn't at all obtrusive. It's a dark blend, but unlike most dark blends, it seems to successfully caramelize the sugars in the bean without producing that bitter taste I associate with darker roasts.

The Has Bean premium blend, on the other hand, seemed to me to be the least successful of the three. Although it didn't appear to be roasted quite as dark as the house blend, looking more like a melange - a mix of light and dark roasts, this one was sharper and a more bitter cup than the Has Bean house blend. However, in its defence, this lot was a little over two weeks old when I opened the bag, and while it wasn't a bad coffee, I found it similar to Hill and Valley's Bourbon blend, and Roberts' Siena blend, all of which are darker and more bitter than is my preference.

For the time being though, Has Bean's Perfeito blend has replaced Monmouth's espresso blend as my favourite drink, and it also has the advantage of being more convenient because Has Bean's postage prices are much more reasonable. This has the significant advantage of allowing me to order smaller quantities more frequently and thereby ensure that my coffee is at it's freshest.

Although I do keep beans in the house, and roast myself from time to time, I've found that my own efforts don't come close to those of the guys who are doing it day in, day out, so I prefer to support craftsman roasters wherever possible -- mainly because it tastes better.

And when I'm looking for a darker roast for some variety, I believe I'll have to go with Has Bean's house blend.

I've yet to try the product of Union Roasters. I hope to try a few of their blends shortly and so I'll report on those when I've sampled them. In the meantime, if anyone has any other suggestions, I'll also check those out as well.

[simonp]

I must try the Perfeito blend again, I have only home roasted it so far, with not graet results, it smmes to come out dark and bitter, even at a lightish roast. My newer Rival popper setup with better temp measurement seems to be working well, so I should try and roast some more. Perhaps I should try Steve's roast to compare it.

Apart from trying some strange Monsooned Malabar blend (see separate thread), I've been roasting Steve's green Espresso blend which is roasting well, despite the robusta which can be tricky to roast pre blended. Roasting past the first few cracks of 2nd, which happen well before rolling starts seems to work best, I get thick mottled crema every time with this stuff.

I actually really like H&V's Bourbon blend, it's quite swet and caramelly, but with spicy bite.

SimonP

[simonp]

Just resurrecting an old thread, as I have just bought a couple of Roberts espresso blends to try.

I have only tried the Milano so far, and have to say that it is very nice, a little bright/acidic as a ristretto for my taste, but very nice as a 2oz doppio, and works very well in a cappuccino, the taste really cuts through, and the rich red/brown crema looks good. Certainly a very rich complex blend.

[tisri]

I roasted a batch of Hasbean's regular espresso blend 60 seconds past the point that second crack really took off. They came out dark (as expected) but not as dark as others I've done, and slightly oily. After a roast I always taste a couple of beans and they seemed very good. Their rest session ends this evening so I'll be able to report back on the flavour, but from the taste of the beans and the aroma I'm optimistic.

I also like the Roast & Post Coffee Company's Continental blend. As yet I'm undecided whether I prefer it to the Hasbean blend so I'm going to get myself a couple of kilos of each so I've got plenty of time to decide

[ianboughton]

it does taste a little like coffee that's been cut with speed.

Might I please ask for more details of coffee blended with speed - and where can I buy it?
-IanB

[simonp]

I roasted a batch of Hasbean's regular espresso blend 60 seconds past the point that second crack really took off.

My, that must be dark I roast that blend about 20 seconds after first pops od 2nd.

[tisri]

It's dark, but not the darkest I've roasted. Before I bought the Hottop I tested one with a batch of Continental. I gave it a setting 7 with two Pluses (I wasn't timing that roast). It came out very dark and very oily

[tisri]

I roasted a batch of Hasbean's regular espresso blend 60 seconds past the point that second crack really took off.

My, that must be dark I roast that blend about 20 seconds after first pops od 2nd.

I tasted some this evening. It's goooooooooooood. I prefer it dark to the pre-roasted version, but then for me an espresso has to be dark. Coffee that isn't dark belongs in a filter

Seriously though, I put a load of this stuff in my Gaggia and the first espresso from the machine came out with a wonderful two-tone crema. Not only that but it tasted great as well.

[Ian]

The week before last...<snip>... I'll also check those out as well.

I see the arm's better then?

[simonp]

I see the arm's better then?

Probably not, this is a thread flimbag started back in June.

[Ian]

Blimey, you're right - I'd better go back to sleep...

[simonp]

Tried my second Roberts espresso blend this evening, the Sienna. I was surprised how oily the beans were given that the Milano has none. The roast is mixed with some quite dark beans and some more Hothern Italian style, but all are oily in the bag.
This stuff needs a VERY fine grind, bar far the finest that I have used yet, my first shot was over in about 12 seconds!
Once I got it dialled in to a 26 second ristretto things looked better, the crema is not that deep, but is dense and long lasting, and sticks to the cup. There is a dark roast taste, but not overly so. There is a small muted acidity, but much less than the Milano, there is more of a spicy kick. This was nice as a ristretto, wheres the Milano was just too much served this way. Overall I would say the taste is sweet and spicy. Very nice, but tricky to brew, it channels easily even with the LM basket which raely has this problem.

[simonp]

Another update.
I tried another of the Roberts espresso blends, the Verona. This is another mixed roast, but I would say that the roast level in general is rather lighter than the Sienna blend although the beans are still a little shiny. This blend dose not require a fine grind, quite coarse in fact. I found this much nicer than the Sienna, there is still a hint of bittersweet smokey roast taste, but it is a subtle background thing, and there is more acidity, but still muted. It seems a very sweet blend to me, although I detect a hint of robusta and there is dark mottling in the crema which would support this. The crema was stunning, with the guiness effect really slow, and was really creamy in the mouth when you drink it. I found this best as what I would term a short double, or a long ristretto, about 1.75floz.
I have some more of the lighter Milano blend to try which I really liked last time, but I think the Verona is my favourite so far. I'm really impressed with the beans I have had from Roberts, they even write the roast date on the label I would definitely put them up with Hasbean, and Hill & Valley in quality terms.
I'd like to try Monmouths espresso too, but the postage is just silly

[Raf]

I see the arm's better then?

Probably not, this is a thread flimbag started back in June.

Can anyone tell me what's up with flimbag? He hasn't been around for ages, and seeing this phone book post, I just sort of miss him

[Steve]

I can second that that he is dearly missed, hope that arm is better Flimbag