Image displaying Italian coffee beans and cup.

Italian Coffee Beans by Happy Donkey.

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Using Happy Donkey Classic Italian Coffee Beans. Images shown using an Iberital L’anna hand fill machine. The coffee grinder used was an Iberital MC2. Tamped with a 57mm tamper !

Genuine customer feedback:

“Anyway, there can be no doubt your Italian blend is just *sexual*. I’ve never had coffee this fresh .. or this good. Even in Spain or Italy.”
“Have tried lots of other beans but keep coming back to these. Get a lovely rich shot with perfect balance between smooth/caramel and acidic/woody tastes, and the crema is always off the charts”
“This coffee is better than the other brand we’ve been using, and it’s cheaper”
“wow thanks for the coffee it works a treat in my Gaggia i’m very happy now, will be in touch”

Italian coffee beans – more feedback

“our customers love it”
“It’s really good, i’m selling more now and am getting more regular customers every day”
“you were right it is really good, we haven’t had a single complaint since we started using it”
“just a note to say thank you so much for this fantastic coffee, it’s exactly what I was looking for”
“just want to thank you for a speedy delivery of my classiic italian coffee beans which taste fantastic from my rancilio machine i will get these again for sure thank you”
“I am just mailing to say thank you for your advice, this coffee pours so well I did not believe that beans in this price range could taste so good, your prompt delivery and high levels of customer service are to be applauded, you will be hearing from us again, for all the right reasons !”

Last but not least from a very famous venue with which we have a confidentiality agreement in place:

“Many thanks for the coffee, our customers took to it straight away and have commented on the great aroma, as you may recall from our conversation we were previously using elite blends in our prestige bar, we have now decided to use this blend instead.”


Italian coffee beans.

Many say that the best Italian Coffee Beans are those blends composed from beans of several different origins. As opposed to just a couple. We agree with that statement . Time was spent getting the blend for Classic Italian beans exactly right.

The requirement was for a strong full bodied blend. With a  pleasant after taste. An easy to use and satisfying rounded flavour.

A coffee that was easy to work with. after all let’s face it, as much as we would all love to have the time to spend getting absolute perfection from our machines. By adjusting the grind according to humidity and temperature levels, it is not always practical. It’s excellent to have a blend which can still taste great and deliver. A fantastic shot can still be had if the variables are not 100% correct.

Easy to work with.

It is nice and often preferable to be able to work with a coffee that is not over demanding. Ever find yourself constantly adjusting your grinder to get a decent result? You will not get that with the Classic Italian blend.

This is a coffee blend which always returns a great shot of espresso and a fantastic Crema layer. One  that had forgiving qualities that one could comfortably drink at any given time of the day.


Happy Donkey Classic Italian beans will work well with any machine be it domestic or commercial.

Supplied in 250G bags, no matter how much you buy. No need to open a full Kilo bag, that’s very advantageous. Because it means less precious coffee is exposed to air.

Coffee beans have oils which evaporate at room temperature. It is best to only grind what will be needed in the next 3 hours. Once opened, always keep in a sealed container placed in the fridge to help keep Italian coffee beans fresh.


Research.

Initial research revealed that to get a good blend. A mixture of both Arabica beans and Robusta was required. Arabica beans are typically smooth in taste, whilst Robusta beans are renowned for their high caffeine content.

Cheap Robusta can produce a harsh taste once extracted, so care had to be taken to choose the correct type. One which would compliment the Arabica and combine to create a satisfying taste. Without over taking or hindering the tones and smooth flavour of the Arabicas.

The Arabica used is grown in South America, whilst the Robusta is grown in India. Typically Arabica beans are grown at higher altitudes than Robusta beans. Arabica beans are mostly considered to give a better flavour.

However it would be foolish to presume Arabica beans are always superior to Robusta. There are many variables. A very high quality Robusta will add more to a blend than a dull lower quality Arabica. Of that there is no doubt.

The Arabica plant is a deep rooted plant and it is self pollinating, Arabica is found in small bushes. Taking around 8 months to grow to maturity. Arabica beans yield less beans per square foot. In comparison to Robusta , consequently they are more expensive.

Robusta Beans grow on a small tree which can measure as high as 10 Metres tall. The plants have a shallow and rounded root system. Robusta is typically grown in Africa and south east Asia.


Try Our Coffee.

Thank you for reading this article, we hope you have all the information you need, to try some please go to the coffee section of our online shop.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us and we will do our best to help you.

Make sure your coffee grinder blades are clean. Use and read the guide here.


About Italian Coffee Drinking Culture.

Coffee shops we see today in the UK high streets are direct descendants of the shops in Italy. Italian coffee shops emerged in the middle of the sixteenth century. Most of these were in the region of Venice.

The coffee shops were largely occupied by academics and professionals. Looking for a tasty drink and something nice to eat. Initially coffee was consumed without milk (AKA Cafe Americano).

The strong and largely Robusta based beverage proved to be too strong for many. Consequently the addition of foamed milk and the drink commonly known today as a cappuccino evolved.

Today in Italy around 60% of all coffee is served as a straight espresso. As opposed to a latte or cappuccino. Most people start their day with a double shot, known as a Caffè Doppio.

Another popular way to drink shots in Italy is as a Ristretto. The Ristretto is a very long run, short volume shot. Also known as a Caffè Stretto.

Looking for a smooth all round coffee bean?