Espresso Blend Coffee: Meaning, Caffeine, Taste, and Buying Guide
Updated - Team Colipse
Espresso blend coffee is a combination of coffee beans selected and roasted specifically for brewing espresso. Espresso coffee blends often balance acidity, body, and sweetness to produce a concentrated, rich flavor with a thick crema. The term "espresso blend" refers to a marketing label that defines flavor profile, roast level, and brewing method, not origin or brand. Some espresso blends combine beans from six to ten regions, while others highlight unique traits of single-origin or variety beans.
Espresso blend coffee is not stronger than other coffee blends. A 1-ounce shot of espresso has about 63 mg of caffeine. An 8-ounce cup of black coffee has 95 to 120 mg, depending on the process and beans used. Espresso blends have a strong, bold taste with rich flavors. The aroma is intense, often featuring notes of dark chocolate, brown sugar, and caramel. Specialty coffee roasters are your best bet for finding the perfect espresso blend. They focus on quality and offer a wide variety of beans to suit everyone's taste.
What is Espresso Blend Coffee?
Espresso blend coffee is a mixture of two or more coffee beans roasted and ground to create a desired flavor profile for espresso brewing. Espresso blend coffee beans are typically roasted medium-dark to dark to perform consistently across all espresso machine types, from manual levers to super-automatics. Dark roasting breaks cell walls and caramelizes sugars to help water extract more flavor quickly, creating bold espresso with smooth body, thick crema, and lower acidity.
A popular espresso blend might consist of 50% Brazilian Arabica beans for body, 30% Central American beans for sweetness, and 20% Robusta beans for crema. Espresso blend coffee with more Robusta delivers higher caffeine, bolder flavor, and lower acidity, making it ideal for early risers, night-shift workers, and sensitive stomachs needing a strong cup without bitterness.
Traditional dark roast espresso blends typically use high-quality Arabica coffee beans from Brazil or Sumatra as a base. These blends often mix wet-processed and dry-processed varieties to enhance the body of the espresso. In contrast, a medium roast espresso blend coffee made from Colombian beans offers brighter, sweeter flavors but produces less crema.
Light roast espresso blends exist and are increasingly popular. Roasters create these blends to highlight fruity, floral, or acidic notes common in lighter roasts. For a light roast espresso blend coffee, roasters lean towards brighter coffees with citrusy acidity, often using dry-processed Ethiopian or washed Kenyan beans. These blends offer more complex espresso flavor profile compared to traditional dark roasts.
Is Espresso Blend Coffee the Same as Espresso?
No, espresso blend coffee is not the same as espresso. Espresso blend coffee refers to the beans that are roasted specifically to make a good espresso drink. Espresso, on the other hand, refers to the drink itself, made by forcing hot water through finely-ground coffee under pressure. It's also important to remember that espresso powder is different from both of these. Espresso powder is made from brewed espresso that has been dehydrated, and it's often used in baking.
What Does Espresso Blend Coffee Mean?
An 'espresso blend' simply means coffee that is specifically created to make a balanced and flavorful espresso. The term 'espresso blend' is often used in marketing to describe a specific roast level, flavor profile, or mix of beans chosen to perform best when brewed as espresso.
An espresso blend does not refer to a specific bean type, origin, or brand. Espresso blends use the same beans as other coffees. Espresso blend coffee beans are regular coffee beans, often Coffea Arabica or Coffea Canephora. The coffee beans used in espresso blends vary widely, depending on the desired flavor profile, body and mouthfeel, level of crema, or caffeine strength.
The meaning of espresso blend can vary depending on the context and the roaster's intent. An espresso blend can refer to the beans themselves, a specific roast style, or even a pre-made beverage. For example, Lavazza Espresso Blend is a medium roast made from 100% Arabica beans sourced from Central and South America. Starbucks Espresso Blend is a dark roast with Latin American and Southeast Asian beans, and SToK Espresso Blend means a ready-to-drink cold brew coffee. Caribou Coffee uses Cross Fox Espresso, a dark roast blend sourced from Brazil and Guatemala.
Can You Use Espresso Blend to Make Coffee?
Yes, you can use espresso blends for regular drip coffee, french press, pour over, or cold brew. Even though espresso blends are made for espresso, brewing espresso beans in a drip coffee maker, for example, creates a rich, full-bodied cup with unique flavor. Espresso beans are typically roasted darker and longer than regular coffee beans. The darker roast gives espresso beans a distinct taste in non-espresso brewing methods.
How are Espresso Blends Made?
Espresso blends are made by combining different coffee beans to balance flavors, aromas, and textures. This involves selecting green coffee beans from multiple origins, blending them in exact ratios, and roasting them to defined profiles.
Coffee roasters make espresso blends using pre-blending or post-blending. Pre-blending mixes green beans from different origins before roasting. Post-blending roasts each origin separately before combining. Pre-blending improves roasting efficiency. Pre-blending improves roasting consistency.
The approach to make espresso blends varies based on the desired outcome. Some roasters prioritize complexity by using beans from six to ten regions. Other roasters focus on showcasing the unique qualities of a single origin. For example, Simon Hsieh, a Taiwanese coffee expert, uses high-quality Arabica beans from multiple varieties like SL28, SL34, and Ruiru 11 for their peaberry espresso blend. Joshua Morales, the founder of El Gran Café in Guatemala, focuses on single-origin beans. He only uses Villa Sarchi variety of Arabica to create his Espresso No. 6 blend.
At Colipse Coffee, we use a post-blending method to create our signature profile. We combine three Arabica varieties like Ethiopian Harrar, SL28, and N39. We roast the Ethiopian beans to a medium-dark level to highlight chocolatey notes, while the others are roasted lighter to preserve acidity. Mixing them after roasting creates a balanced espresso with complex aroma and brightness.
How Much Caffeine is in Espresso Blend Coffee?
A 1 oz (30 ml) shot of espresso blend coffee contains about 63 milligrams (mg) of caffeine. In comparison, an 8-ounce (237 ml) cup of black coffee contains 95 to 120 mg of caffeine, depending on bean type and brewing method. The caffeine level in espresso blends depends on the type of beans used and their proportions.
Espresso blends made with Robusta beans contain more caffeine than those made with Arabica beans. Arabica beans contain 0.9% to 1.5% caffeine by dry weight, while Robusta beans contain 1.2% to 2.4%, according to a 2021 study published in Foods by Ewa Olechno from the Medical University of Białystok.
Espresso blends contain less caffeine than light or medium roasts because longer roasting reduces caffeine content. Caffeine content in espresso coffee blends also varies across brands and products, as shown in the table below.
| Espresso Blend Coffee | Roast Level | Caffeine Content |
|---|---|---|
| Colipse Espresso Blend | Medium-Dark Roast | Approximately 120–140 mg per 1.5 oz shot (100% Arabica) |
| STōK Espresso Blend | Dark Roast | 195 mg per serving |
| Kirkland Espresso Blend | Dark Roast | 100 mg per serving |
| Nescafé Gold Espresso Blend | Medium Roast | 42 mg per serving |
| Wide Awake Espresso Blend | Medium-Dark Roast | 285 mg per 12 oz serving |
| Death Wish Espresso Blend | Dark Roast | 650–728 mg per 12 oz serving |
| Speedway Espresso Blend | Dark Roast | 80 mg per 2 oz double shot |
Is Espresso Blend Coffee Stronger?
Yes, espresso blend coffee is stronger in flavor and concentration due to its fine grind, high-pressure brewing, and concentrated serving size. However, it usually contains less total caffeine than an 8 oz cup of drip or cold brew coffee. Espresso offers a bold, intense shot, while drip coffee provides more caffeine overall due to volume.
What Does Espresso Blend Coffee Taste Like?
Espresso blend coffee offers a bold taste with rich, complex flavors. The aroma in a typical espresso blend is intense, often featuring flavors like dark chocolate, brown sugar, and caramel. It has a balanced sweetness and bitterness, with moderate to low acidity for a smooth experience. The aftertaste is lingering and pleasant, and the mouthfeel is creamy and full-bodied.
To achieve the desired flavor profile, espresso blends often combine beans from different origins. For example, a dry-processed beans from Indonesia often add a creamy texture and reduce acidity. Latin American high altitude beans from Colombia or Nicaragua can bring brighter and sweeter flavors, while East African Arabica beans might introduce fruity notes. The roasting process also plays a crucial role in developing the final flavor, with medium-dark roasts being common for espresso blends.
Dark roast espresso blends deliver flavors like caramel, brown sugar, molasses, or smoky notes with minimal acidity. Medium roast espresso balances smoothness and sweetness, often featuring cocoa, toffee, wild berries, or spice. Blonde espresso blends are lighter and brighter, with higher acidity and subtle floral or citrus notes, including red currant, cocoa nib, stone fruit, pineapple, and lime zest.
How to Choose the Best Espresso Blend Coffee?
To choose the best espresso blend, compare roast level, bean origin, grind size, freshness, and price. Flavor and satisfaction vary with blend composition, roast date, and brewing method. Some blends taste bold and bitter, while others are smooth or fruity. Price reflects sourcing and quality. To find the best espresso blends, follow the seven steps below.
- Evaluate coffee bean origin, roast level, and flavor profile to control espresso taste.
- Prioritize Arabica-based espresso blends for their balanced flavor and acidity.
- Choose blends with a high percentage of Arabica beans from Brazil, Colombia, or Ethiopia to ensure espresso quality.
- Select medium to dark espresso blends to achieve a richer, traditional flavor.
- Choose Brazilian dark roasts to deliver bold flavor and excel in espresso-based drinks.
- Choose Central American medium roasts to achieve a sweeter, balanced profile ideal for espresso, drip coffee, or cold brew.
- Be aware that lighter roast espresso from Tanzania, Kenya, or Ethiopia offers unique flavors but creates less traditional crema.
What is the Best Place to Buy Espresso Blend?
Colipse Coffee is the best place to buy espresso blend online. At Colipse Coffee, our Espresso Blend is made from high-altitude Arabica beans sourced from Uganda, Ethiopia, and Kenya. This medium-dark roast delivers bold chocolate, brown sugar, and red berry notes. At $23.99 per 12 oz bag, with free USPS Priority shipping, it arrives fresh to your door in 3 business days.
How Does Espresso Blend Differ from Other Coffee Blends?
The main difference between an espresso blend and other coffee blends is roast level and flavor profile. Espresso blends are typically darker roasted to produce a richer, more concentrated flavor with lower acidity. They are designed to perform well under pressure-based extraction, unlike lighter blends used for drip or pour-over.
What is the Difference between Espresso Blend and Coffee Blend?
The main difference between an espresso blend and a coffee blend is in the roast and purpose. Espresso blends are roasted darker to suit the high-pressure extraction process of espresso machines, yielding a robust flavor. Coffee blends, on the other hand, are more diverse in roast profiles and cater to anything from drip to pour-over to French press to cold brewing methods.
What is the Difference between Espresso Blend and Single Origin Coffee?
The main difference between espresso blend and single origin is that blends combine beans from multiple regions to balance flavor and consistency, while single origin coffee uses beans from one location, offering distinct and traceable flavor profiles. Blends are often used in espresso for smoother, more predictable results.
What is the Difference between Espresso Blend and Single Origin Coffee?
The main difference between espresso blend and filter blend is the roast profile and grind level. Espresso blends use darker roasts and finer grinds to extract rich, concentrated flavors under pressure. Filter blends use lighter roasts and coarser grinds for cleaner, brighter flavors through slower, gravity-based brewing.
Do You Need Espresso Blend for Espresso?
No, you do not need a specific espresso blend to make espresso, but espresso blends are optimized for flavor, crema, and consistency under pressure. The difference between espresso beans and regular lies in the roast and grind—espresso beans are usually darker roasted and ground finer for high-pressure brewing.
Is Espresso Blend Good for Cold Brew?
Espresso blend can work for cold brew but often produces a bolder, more bitter flavor. Coffee for cold brew typically uses medium to coarse ground beans with a smoother profile. Lighter roasts and single-origin beans are often preferred for a cleaner, sweeter taste in cold brew.