Why blend coffee suits espresso brewing

Espresso is an extraction method, not a bean type: any coffee pushed through an espresso machine under high pressure becomes espresso, whether single-origin or a blend. That said, full extraction amplifies both pleasant and defective flavors, so beans without obvious faults matter more than origin. Blends remain common because roasters can combine origins for balance and repeatable results.

The guide covers practical parameters such as the coffee-to-water ratio and extraction time, and looks at how crema relates to coffee freshness. It also profiles several espresso blends, including one built from Colombian and Brazilian beans, with notes on body, acidity, aroma, and sweetness. The same extraction methods apply whether the setup is at home or behind a bar.

The extraction parameters and bean selection for espresso have always been a focus of attention for coffee enthusiasts. This article approaches practical parameters such as the coffee-to-water ratio and extraction time, answers the question of whether espresso must use a blend, and analyzes the relationship between crema and coffee freshness. At the same time, the article also introduces the flavor characteristics and suitable applications of several Front Street Coffee espresso blends, helping you replicate a stable and delicious espresso at home or in-store. Whether you are a beginner just starting out or a barista looking to optimize your output, you can gain practical reference from it.

When making espresso, what kind of coffee beans should you actually choose?

In fact, espresso is simply a method of extraction. No matter which beans you have on hand, as long as the coffee is extracted under high pressure through an espresso machine, the resulting cup can be called espresso. Single-origin beans or blended beans, light roast or dark roast, it does not matter; there is no hard-and-fast rule that a specific type of bean must be used.

The espresso machine itself has relatively ideal extraction conditions, so no matter what beans are put in, it can extract the flavor compounds to the maximum extent. But note that so-called "full extraction" is a double-edged sword—it can push the pleasant components in coffee to their peak, and it will also multiply the defective flavors. For this reason, when choosing beans, be sure to select high-quality coffee beans without obvious defects. If the beans themselves have defects, then the shortcomings will also be extracted in large amounts, even amplified to the point of being hard to drink.

If you want to produce barista-level results at home, Front Street Coffee has prepared four espresso blends for you to choose from. You can place an order at the Front Street Taobao store or the Front Street Tmall flagship store.

1. Front Street Specialty Espresso Blend Coffee Beans

Made from a combination of Colombian and Brazilian coffee beans.

Colombia Huila Region

The flavor profile of Front Street Colombia Huila: full and solid body, pleasant acidity, rich aroma, moderate acidity, abundant sweetness and thought-provoking. Because it is affordable and the beans are on the smaller side, it is very suitable as a base for single-origin or espresso blends.

Brazil · Cerrado Region

The flavor characteristics of Front Street Brazil Cerrado coffee beans: comfortable bittersweet taste, smooth on the palate; with a slight grassy aroma, fresh with a hint of bitterness; smooth sweet aftertaste, and a relaxing finish.

Flavor after blending: Sweet and fragrant taste. Using a medium-dark roast, the espresso output has soft slight acidity, clean sweetness, and a nutty sweet aftertaste. Overall it is not harsh, mild and easy to drink, with medium crema thickness, suitable for daily output in coffee shops.

2. Front Street Commercial Espresso Blend Coffee Beans

Uses Colombian and Brazilian coffee beans, with Robusta added.

The crema is richer, the taste is classic, and when made into a latte or americano it has caramel sweetness, with intertwined flavors of nuts, cocoa, and dark chocolate, balanced acidity and sweetness, slightly bittersweet, and a lasting finish. With excellent value for money, it can meet the daily serving needs of cafes.

3. Front Street Basic Espresso Blend Coffee Beans

Uses Yunnan AA and Brazilian coffee beans.

Blended flavor: With soft fruit acidity, caramel sweetness, nut and dark chocolate flavors, and a smooth, viscous mouthfeel, but the overall taste is relatively light. Suitable for shop owners or home users who prioritize cost and do not have high flavor requirements.

4. Front Street Strawberry Candy Espresso Blend Coffee Beans

Made from a combination of coffees from Ethiopia, Colombia, and Costa Rica.

The Front Street Costa Rica coffee, known for its honey processing, has a prominent sweetness, while Ethiopia brings bright citrus acidity and floral notes, and Colombia adds chocolate and nutty tones. The final Front Street Strawberry Candy espresso blend naturally carries aromas of rose, strawberry gummy candy, and dried blueberries, with moderate grape and citrus sweet-tartness, and an aftertaste with almond aroma. With the extraction support of the espresso machine, the espresso not only has no harshness, but also has good crema and a dense texture, while presenting a sweet-and-sour taste similar to strawberry gummy candy. It has obvious aromas of rose, strawberry gummy candy, and dried blueberries, moderate grape and citrus sweet-tartness, and an aftertaste with almond aroma.

Choose Front Street Classic Espresso Blend to make an iced latte.

Espresso extraction parameters:

Coffee dose: 20g

Coffee liquid yield: 40g

Extraction time: 28s

Because an iced latte has a large amount of milk added, the milk flavor will be more prominent.

The espresso made with Front Street Classic Espresso Blend has obvious caramel and chocolate flavors. After being combined with milk and ice to make an iced latte, it is smooth, with a lasting milk chocolate taste, mixed with pleasant nutty aroma, a long finish, and obvious sweetness, very suitable for cooling off in summer.

Should sugar be added to espresso?

Whether to add sugar is entirely a matter of personal preference. However, sprinkling granulated sugar onto a rich crema, watching the sugar granules slowly sink, and imagining the rich flavors of the coffee is also a happy experience. Granulated sugar can also be used to judge the richness of the crema: carefully place a spoonful of sugar on the surface of the crema without breaking the crema layer. If the sugar stays for 2 to 3 seconds before gradually becoming wet from the edges and slowly sinking, it means the crema is quite abundant.

Granulated sugar can reduce the bitterness of coffee, so the acidity originally masked by bitterness becomes more prominent as the bitterness weakens, giving the coffee a more refined impression. At the same time, granulated sugar can also make the texture of the coffee milder, making it an excellent partner for coffee.

Is more crema always better?

The thickness and persistence of crema are closely related to the freshness of the coffee. The richer the crema, the more it usually means the coffee is fresher; the more gas produced during roasting, the more crema appears. Extract coffee that has just been roasted recently, and you will find that the crema is extremely abundant, but unfortunately it also dissipates relatively quickly. When tasting this kind of coffee, the stimulation felt by the tongue is similar to drinking carbonated water. Because the gas produced by roasting dissolves into the water, it instead brings a tingling bitterness or astringency.

From this it can be seen that even fresh coffee cannot be said to be all good coffee; it still needs to be carefully and properly managed. Depending on the roasting method, the resting time of coffee beans also differs. Place the coffee in a light-proof, oxygen-isolated environment and store it for at least 3 to 4 days up to more than 2 weeks, allowing the gas produced by roasting inside the beans to escape naturally. Coffee used this way can make a beautiful crema and a good cup. When the state after extraction is stable, a crema of no more than 3 to 5 mm is the optimal state.

Must espresso use blended beans?

Espresso is only one of the coffee extraction methods. No matter what kind of coffee is used, as long as the coffee is made with an espresso machine, it can be called espresso. As long as it tastes good, it can be single-origin coffee or blended coffee, and it can be light roast or dark roast. There is no rule that only a certain kind of coffee can be used.

The machine used to extract espresso has the optimal conditions for extraction, so no matter what kind of coffee is used, the best extraction can be achieved. But so-called "good extraction" does not only extract the good components in coffee to the maximum; similarly, bad flavors will also be extracted to the maximum, and this must be kept in mind. Therefore, when choosing beans, you must use good coffee beans without defects. If the coffee beans themselves have defects, then as stated earlier, the defects will also be extracted in large amounts and amplified to an unbearable degree.

All coffees have strengths, but they also come with shortcomings, so rather than using only single-origin coffee to make espresso, for the sake of richness and harmony of flavor, various single-origin coffees are also often blended to make specialty coffee.

For more specialty coffee beans, please add the private WeChat Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee), WeChat ID: kaixinguoguo0925

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.