# Those who ask for "real Italian style" espresso blends



## CamV6 (Feb 7, 2012)

Now what I am about to say should be read with the caveat that many 'italian' blend will have some amount of robusta, but.......

I see so often the question being asked about whee to find the Italian taste/style Of espresso blend on the form which is a fair enough question.

No matter how much I love so many single origin beans from the various wonderful roasters we all know and love, I will always recall being in Italy circa 2009 and being blown away by the wonderful espresso to be found in the little kiosks outside train stations. True enough my recollection may be coloured by time, romance, and imagination, and also of course I knew far far less about coffee then, but none the less I too have sought to recreate this at home with many wonderful experiences but often few matches.

I recently had the pleasure of a small sample of a blend from coffee compass called Brighton Lanes. This is a pure arabica blend.

I was flukey enough to get it spot o n first time and well, it was magnificent. When I tried it I wasn't thinking at all the Italian style flavour I recalled but on tasting I was instantly transported back 5 years to a little kiosk outside Genoa station.

It is wonderful stuff and I recommend it all to you whole heartedly if this is your 'holy grail' search as it was for me for so long.


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## Viernes (Dec 10, 2011)

Thanks for the info.

If you were looking for italian espresso, why not purchase italian blends? Will not be easier?


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## CamV6 (Feb 7, 2012)

Because experience has been that so called Italian blends are never as good as you hope


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Perhaps some of you might try coffee from say Kimbo to give an opinion on it . I know there was a thread on HB were people were taking punts on differing Italian style blends and feeding back on them ...


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## CamV6 (Feb 7, 2012)

Well I regularly use a packaged blend from my father in laws Italian restaurant made by a roaster from piacenza called la messicana. To me it's one of the better of a not particularly good bunch. There is just no substitute for freshly roasted so a side by side comparison between the coffee compass and commercial stuff is a little like comparing apples and oranges


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Will a train station espresso hut be using fresh roasted or a big tin of kimbo like blend tho? HB thread suggested to those that enjoyed this style espresso that the taste of kimbo for instance wasn't changing a lot over 3-6 months and how surprising this was ...

Be cool for some of you guys to investigate ...


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

CamV6 said:


> There is just no substitute for freshly roasted so a side by side comparison between the coffee compass and commercial stuff is a little like comparing apples and oranges


Like Warburtons and a nice fresh loaf


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## mathof (Mar 24, 2012)

Is there a single Italian-style espresso blend? In the last year, l've been to Venice and Syracuse where I've had completely different tasting espressos in bars not 100 yards from each other. Certainly, there are flavours not typical of Italian bar blends, such as Third Wave fruity; but that's not the same as identifying a typical Italian style espresso.


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## CamV6 (Feb 7, 2012)

Well in truth I didn't mean it to be a forensic match to an identikit profile I just really meant that the coffee compass Brighton lanes blend was the closest taste I have found to my mind's whimsical recollection of some wonderful coffee I once had in Italy which was an experience that started me on this obsession we all share.

Yes of course, different regions of Italy do have different espresso styles and tastes and I am sure their are many variants hit I still heartily recommend you all to try this coffee if you are into that style if bean


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Just ordered a bag of Brighton Lanes on the basis of this thread even though I don't have the Italian associations. I'll listen out for the train sounds as I drink it. (Somewhere on the forum there must be a thread about what coffee sounds like.)


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

Cam I'd suggest having a look at my local roasters Roberts & Co, as well as offering a generic Italian blend they also offer 3 or 4 regional style Italian Blends taking in both Southern and Northern Italian espresso.



> a side by side comparison between the coffee compass and commercial stuff is a little like comparing apples and oranges


 I'd be careful using that analogy round here as for some people that would be considered an ideal flavour profile, i.e. apples and oranges in the same cup.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

"that would be considered an ideal flavour profile, i.e. apples and oranges in the same cup."

That does sound yum... Where can I get that ....


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## CamV6 (Feb 7, 2012)

Phil please give them a good 10 days rest post roast, 7 at the very least if you just can't wait that long.

MrBoots, I despair!


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## Spazbarista (Dec 6, 2011)

Thanks for the recommendation Cam. I've ordered some Brighton plus some of their Jampit blend.

Not cheap. Hope to enjoy it


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

CamV6 said:


> Phil please give them a good 10 days rest post roast, 7 at the very least if you just can't wait that long.
> 
> MrBoots, I despair!


 Thanks for this Cam - I probably would have been tempted to rush it but will patiently wait for that train to pull into the station.


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## mym (Sep 15, 2009)

Spazbarista said:


> Thanks for the recommendation Cam. I've ordered some Brighton plus some of their Jampit blend.
> 
> Not cheap. Hope to enjoy it


I'm going to do the same. £8 for half a kilo is fairly cheap I'd have thought!


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## aFiercePancake (Dec 8, 2013)

Most roasters seem to consider "Italian" to mean dark roasts with low-end taste. In my experience, most Italian cafés use medium-dark roasts that are generally higher/lighter up the taste range. I have heard that many Italian blends use more robusta than we might think but cannot confirm that.


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