Italian Espresso Pods
Italian Espresso is a traditional blend of Coffea Arabica and Coffea Canephora (Robusta). The Arabica is thought to produce better coffee and the Robusta is more plentiful, easier to grow, has higher caffeine content (twice that of Arabica and is used for low end store coffees and thus has a bad reputation. In fairness, although most Robusta coffee is of a lower grade and inferior to Arabica, there is a premium crop that is the top of the line for Robusta beans.
 Premium Robustas are primarily used in specialty espresso blends, such as the ones blended by more reputable roasters such as ProCaffe and Dock. Though it only constitutes 5-25% of the blend, it is used because these beans add body to the taste, balance the acidity, round out the profile and make a nice crema in the shot of espresso. This additional body and balance distinguishes the blend in a cappuccino or latte.
We import three premium blend examples of Italian Espresso. The Bristot blend is a traditional espresso blend, and a great place to start for those who want a typical espresso. The Dock is a more traditional "Trieste" profile, heavier yet balanced and smooth. If you want a strong espresso without the nasty aftertaste side effects, this is it. The Easy Caffe is made using ProCaffe's (Bristot) highest whole bean espresso blend, very Northern Italy, smooth, well rounded, well defined, generally very appealing to the well defined espresso palate and usually only found at high end restaurants.
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