Italian coffee beans: types, brands, choice of variety, degree of roast and richness of taste

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

True connoisseurs of coffee live in Italy, which is why the largest number of the most popular coffee brands has gathered in the country. But are there any differences between the national Italian drinks from other drinks? They say that only in Italy you can taste real espresso. Is it so? Worth looking into.

A bit of history

Despite the fact that Italian coffee beans are considered the best, shrubs in the country do not grow due to adverse conditions. But the fact remains that love for this drink throughout Europe began with Italy. More precisely, from Venice.

The first coffee beans came to Milan from Africa exclusively for scientific purposes, it happened in 1500. But large-scale purchases began only after 125 years.

Italian coffee beans, in fact, were bought from the Turks, and the Venetian rich already resold the goods to Europeans. Venice is the birthplace of the first coffee houses. Here, for the first time, establishments began to appear that offered their visitors onlyinvigorating drink and pastries.

For several decades, there were about 200 coffee houses in Venice alone. Such establishments attracted visitors not only with their fragrant drink, but also with the opportunity to communicate with other visitors.

Going out to a coffee shop was equated with a social event. In such places, the intellectual elite gathered, which included famous artists, writers, and politicians. The oldest coffee shop in Venice is called Florian.

Merit of Italians

Despite the fact that coffee is difficult to grow in the country, its inhabitants are famous for developing popular bean roasting technologies.

Italians have learned how to organically blend varieties of coffee beans, select raw materials correctly, and one can only envy their ability to feel the most exquisite subtleties of taste and aroma.

That's why Italy is famous not only for its coffee production, but also for the ability to prepare this drink the way it should be. The companies mainly produce grain and ground coffee. Instant is the least popular.

Types of Italian coffee

The first thing that comes to mind when you think of a drink is a small cup of strong but very aromatic espresso.

No wonder! After all, it is this type of coffee preparation that ranks first in the ranking of national Italian drinks. Local residents are not limited to tiny portions. They usually buy double or tripleespresso.

If you go further and start counting the types of coffee drinks that are considered national, you will have to try hard, because there are more than 30 of them. The most popular of them are the following:

• Espresso Romano - a true Roman coffee with a twist in the form of lemon zest;
• Machiato - again, a classic Italian drink, but with the addition of warm whipped milk.
• Ristretto - coffee for true gourmets, considered the strongest, and usually served in cups of 25 ml.
• Frapuccino is a chilled drink with milk, whipped cream and caramel syrup. Incredibly tasty and very high in calories.
• Bicherin - espresso with cream and chocolate.
• Moreta Fanez is one of the main favorites of the Italians. Here alcohol is added to coffee - anise liqueur, rum or brandy.
• Glace - espresso with natural creamy ice cream.

Some Italian coffee drinks combine the most unimaginable ingredients. But it always turns out tasty and fragrant.

Also, the locals have unspoken rules regarding when and what kind of coffee you can drink. For example, it is customary to start the morning with a classic espresso or latte, and the barista immediately recognizes foreigners upon requests to add some syrup to the drink. Locals usually drink it plain.

Most popular coffee producers

Italy is famous for its record number of coffee roasting and packaging businesses.

Most of the brands are known all over the world - these are Lavazza, Kimbo,"Trombetta" and others. What is the best Italian coffee bean? Rating is what will give the answer.

"Illy" (Illy)

It is worth starting with this brand to list the brands of Italian coffee beans. It belongs to the premium category and offers the best blends of the highest quality Arabica from around the world.

"Illy" has already gained great popularity in Europe, and Russia and the CIS countries are just getting acquainted with the brand.

The wide geography of deliveries allows producers to experiment with might and main with different tastes and aromas, introducing new variations of coffee to the world.

For example, grains from Africa have a mild and rather delicate taste. A little piquancy and bitterness will add Indian grains. And the Arabica from Guatemala has hints of milk chocolate.

Depends on the taste and the degree of roasting. Medium and strong will provide an invigorating strength to the drink and a rich taste. This allows, without a doubt, to attribute the brand to premium products.

"Illy" offers customers ground, grain and portioned coffee. And the company is famous, first of all, for the fact that it developed the first coffee machine. So the company is the undoubted No. 1 in the ranking of premium Italian coffee beans.

Lavazza

It is impossible not to pay attention to this brand, talking about Italian coffee beans. Without a doubt, this is the largest and incredibly popular Italian brand. It has long been firmly on the leadingpositions.

“Lavazza” is a century-old story, a real coffee “for Italy and Italians”. Producers work with different varieties of grains, the deliveries of which are organized from the most remote corners of the world. These are Brazil, Colombia, Vietnam, Indonesia. And this is far from a complete list.

It is Lavazza that the Italians recommend using for making classic espresso. The taste of the drink will be soft and pleasant, with a moderate strength. The brand offers ground and grain coffee, the product is also sold in capsules and pods. They say that if four Italians are asked what kind of coffee they prefer, three of them will answer that the best and most authentic is Lavazza.

Kimbo

This is a classic Neapolitan coffee. The company is famous for using only elite varieties of grains. Connoisseurs refer to Kimbo as a premium product.

This coffee is sold in 60 countries. The brand uses a special hot air roasting technology, thanks to which the flavor of the beans is preserved almost one hundred percent.

Brewed coffee is famous for its bright taste, rich aroma and soft aftertaste. The advantage is also the absence of sourness and bitterness, despite the high strength of Italian coffee beans.

Squesito

This brand is worth mentioning in the list of the best, if only because the brand offers consumers really high-quality Italian coffee beans for coffee machines.

Real espressocan be prepared with just the push of a button. "Squisito" combines beans from plantations in Ethiopia, Brazil, Kenya and Asia.

In Russia, coffee boutiques appeared in 2008, and the brand gained great popularity thanks to budget coffee machines that do an excellent job of preparing a fragrant Italian drink.

Danesi

Founder Alfredo Danesi and his followers have been experimenting with flavors and aromas for over a hundred years. Their task is to create coffee that will be recognizable from the first sip.

“Danezi” is a time-tested quality of green Arabica beans, delicate roasting, a unique composition that manufacturers sacredly keep secret.

Dense, rich taste of coffee with a strength that is within the golden mean - the main feature of the drink.

Covim

Italian coffee, which has received worldwide recognition, and all thanks to a deep, original taste, as well as an unusual composition. The drink goes well with both sweets and pastries, as well as s alty snacks.

Coffee also sounds good with alcoholic beverages and is often used for this very purpose. Kovim is especially popular among coffee lovers who brew a drink at home or in the office. You can often find this brand in elite coffee shops.

In conclusion, I would like to say that since ancient times, Italians have been considered the world leader in coffee consumption. And they don't give up theirspositions so far.

This devotion is fully justified, because no one approaches the process of roasting and compiling new flavors and aromas like the Italians. In this country, coffee is a real cult, which is why the most popular coffee brands are located in Italy.