

Light roast beans could be used, but they are more challenging to brew correctly.

Medium to dark roast beans produces the best flavors for espresso. Following this logic, you could make espresso from any bean you wanted, although you may not be happy with the result. Technically speaking, espresso refers to the brewing process, not the type of beans. The important part is to get a bean with a dark enough roast for espresso. Some coffee beans are explicitly labeled for espresso, but others can be used as well. You can make espresso with regular coffee beans.

Can You Make Espresso With Regular Coffee Beans? If you aren’t worried about crema, you have a bit more flexibility when it comes to the beans you pick. If it’s important to you, you should use dark roast beans to get the best possible layer of crema. The layer of foam can also give you clues on how well the cup was brewed.įor example, the color and consistency of the crema can tell you whether the coffee was over-extracted or under-extracted, as well as the quality of the bean.Īll in all, the importance of crema is up to the barista. It ultimately depends on the opinion of the person drinking the espresso.Ĭrema is formed when air bubbles meet the oils on the coffee bean during the brewing process. Some coffee connoisseurs say you can’t have a good espresso without good crema, while others claim it’s overrated. The difference between these beans is in the roasting process.Įspresso beans are typically roasted even darker than dark roast beans, producing natural oils on the bean that create a stronger crema.Ĭrema is the technical term for the foam on top of the coffee when a shot of espresso is pulled. When shopping for coffee beans, you may notice some are labeled as espresso beans, while others are not.
