I haven’t been posting too much lately, so I apologize for my absence. The whole COVID scare has changed many habits of people around the world. I used to go out for coffee at my favorite barista several times a week and on weekends before this all started, but now I find myself drinking most of my coffee at home.
Have I saved money by staying home and brewing my own coffee drinks. The short answer is, no. And it’s no because I made the best purchase of 2021 when I bought myself a Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine. This has changed my coffee life for the better in so many ways. I’m making Cafe Latte, Cappuccino, Espresso and of course, my favorite, Cafe Americano.
So how did this all start? How did I make the decision to invest in a piece of coffee making equipment that is totally awesome? Well, let me tell you. I was searching for a good real estate agent in the Lakewood Ranch, Florida area and stumbled across this real estate website that specialized in new model homes. As I watched these videos of new homes I noticed one of the model homes had an espresso machine in it, and at the time it was morning and I said I wish I could have a Cafe Americano right now.
I noticed this beautiful silver machine and zoomed in and saw it was a Breville espresso machine. Well with the magic of the internet I was off and exploring, reading reviews, watching product demos, and 10 minutes later I was sold. And it was the best decision I ever made. This little baby is the best machine I’ve ever used to make coffee drinks.
And I’m not just saying that, my wife and all my friends have agreed, it’s a game changer. Get one today, you won’t regret it. Sorry Starbucks but I’m perfectly happy now staying home and making my own espresso and chilling to a YouTube video on the TV.
Okay so now let’s talk about the coffee beans because when you buy an espresso machine you need to buy some good beans to really exploit the power of your new appliance.
COFFEE CHARACTERISTICS
Lavazza Espresso Barista Gran Crema is a medium roast espresso blend from Italy and excellent for espresso based drinks. The dark crema is a beautiful, rich and smooth looking frost on the top of the drink.
COFFEE ROAST
The coffee roast is a medium roast coffee. Lavazza make several whole beand and ground coffee products but this is whole bean and since the espresso machine I’m using has a built in grinder, there’s no muss or fuss to grind and brew. Don’t confuse this blend with the Super Crema, which is also a medium roast coffee and the most popular seller on Amazon.
COFFEE AROMA
The coffee aroma is light and earthy, and has hints of chocolate, cocoa, and a little earth, but true to Lavazza and their master coffee roasters its got a great nose.
COFFEE BODY
Medium body, a great flavor, I never get this kind of freshness from Starbucks espresso, which I find more flat than most traditional European Baristas.
COFFEE SWEETNESS
Hints of cocoa, chocolate, and a little road dust in this coffee.
COFFEE ACIDITY
The acidity in this coffee I would rate as medium, it’s got a really nice balance and it’s velvety smooth. When you pair this with something like a sweet roll or cinnamon roll it’s amazing.
COFFEE MOUTHFEEL
The feel is rich and silky with a balanced and smooth finish that makes me want to get up and have another.
COFFEE FINISH
Such a great finish that’s so nice and smooth. The little chocolate I taste on the back of my palate is floating inside my mouth., but it’s not a heavy chocolate flavor. The roast is balanced and has the refined flavor of the better quality medium roast coffees.
THE COFFEE GOOD STUFF
- True Italian espresso medium roast coffee
- Balanced roast, and excellent acidity and flavor
- Rich finish but not heavy
THE COFFEE BAD STUFF
There really isn’t anything negative about this espresso blend. Now we didn’t make a full pot of coffee and drink this strictly as a coffee drink, but it’s so much better as espresso that I wouldn’t waste my time doing that with this coffee. Lavazza is usually one of my go-to brands when it comes to Italian espresso roast blends for Cafe Latte or Cafe Americano and they’ve never let me down up to this point, so I’m just going to conclude there is nothing bad about this coffee.
SUMMARY
I will say it again. the machine can make the whole coffee drinking experience a masterpiece. This time the Breville Barista Pro hits a grand slam home run out of the park with these coffee beans. I’m hooked on the quality of the brew, the ease of use and the exceptional quality of the machine. The Lavazza Espresso Barista Gran Crema makes the experience all the more enjoyable. I will be buying more of these beans in the future. Cheers to all and stay safe.
