Blending Espresso Coffee

In order for espresso to have the complexity that is desired in its aroma and taste, blending espresso coffee is necessary.

The espresso brewing method is considered the prime method of brewing because or the formation of the crema. It is the crema that prevents the crema from becoming nothing more than thick, strong coffee.

The crema is an emulsified layer of smooth, tiny bubbles. These bubbles trap the aromatic compounds of the espresso blend coffee, coating the tongue. Over time, the bubbles break, releasing the espresso, meaning that it can still be enjoyed long after you drink it. It is vital, then, that a well prepared espresso blend coffee is aromatic.

Coffees from Brazil, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Peru and Panama often serve as the base for most of the espresso blend coffees. The goal is to use coffees that offer a flavor that is not over bearing, yet maintains the full body and sweetness of the coffee.

When body is needed in a coffee, some of the more common coffees hail from Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Venezuela which are used in small ratios. The reason for using these particular coffees in small amounts is their tendency to be highly acidic.

Ethiopian Harrar, Kenyan, Yemen Mocha, Zmbabwe and Zambian coffees are used to create an espresso blended coffee with complexity and brightness. Ethiopian Harrar adds an aromatic infusion of blueberries and raspberries to an espresso blended coffee while Kenya coffee enhances the espresso with a powerful brightness.

Richness and body is added when blending espresso coffee by incorporating coffee from the Asian Pacific. This can include coffee from Sumatra, Sulawesi, Java, East Timor, New Guinea and Ethiopian Yrgacheffe. Yirgacheffe in particular offers an aroma that is quite potent and flowerlike.

The art of blending espresso coffee begins with several simple steps:

Taste Test

Cup each of the coffees that you are evaluating separately. As you analyze them, record fragrance, aroma, flavor, acidity, body and aftertaste. As you determine coffees that enhance the flavors of other coffees, cup them together.

Begin with a Good Base

When blending espresso coffee, start with a base of Brazilian coffees that are sweet and heavy bodied. Add a small amount of another coffee to that base. It is important that you understand your base profile and have a clear goal in mind.

Determine which coffees you should add in order to reach your end goal of your desired espresso blend coffee and use the coffee you add to you base as a movement toward that end. As you add coffees, note the change with each addition and explore other coffee origins to achieve the blend that you want.

Blend

Try mixing several coffees, three or four, that have the traits that you want. Keep blending until you have an espresso blend coffee that adequately represents the flavor characteristics that you want.

Test the Ratios

When you have several types of coffee that you plan to use in your espresso blend coffee, start experimenting with various coffee ratios until you reach the perfect blend that brings out the sweetness, flavor, body and aftertaste that you want.

Experiment and Enjoy!

Try different roasts of each coffee that you choose for your blend the same way that you experimented with the different coffees that you added to your Brazilian base. Try roasting one coffee slightly lighter or darker than the other coffees that you include in your espresso blend coffee.

Note any differences that you may observe. The most preferred method is to roast each different coffee separately until it reaches its own individual peak then blend your espresso blend coffee to create the utmost complexity that you desire.

Blending espresso coffee is not a difficult project. Although it may be a little intimidating at first, you can successfully blend espresso coffee. It should not take long if you follow these steps to create an espresso blend that will be exactly what you want and may even surpass commercial coffees if for no other reason than it is fresher.

You can perfect and fine tune your espresso blend coffee by altering the roast. This will lend a crema, flavor, acidity, body and aftertaste that is just what you wanted. It takes time and patience as you learn the ropes, but it is well worth the effort.

Just remember to balance your espresso blend coffee's acidity by blending it with other coffees as opposed to roasting it excessively. When you avoid over roasting you will achieve the aroma and sugars in the coffee and get a taste that is more true to the coffee.