Coffee is a popular beverege in all parts of Australia and Melbourne is no exception. One of the most popular forms is the espresso coffee. Melbourne over the years has pioneered the very first 'cafe' to serve espresso coffee. In the early days an Italian espresso machine was imported into Australia by some entrepreneurial Italian-Australians wanting to set-up the very first espresso bar in Melbourne's lygon st. The story goes that the espresso coffee machine was so new to Australians that the Australian Customs held the object in quarantine for some time trying to figure it out what it was before releasing it.
The concept proved so popular that other Italians bought in more Italian espresso coffee machines and also Italian espresso coffee. For the next forty to fifty years the Italian espresso coffee machine and Italian espresso coffee dominated the hospitality industry throughout Australia. What made Italian espresso coffee so unique back then and still to this day is the 'Italian espresso blending' and 'Italian espresso aging' process of the coffee beans.
These two processes are so unique and so different to 'Australian espresso roasters'. What i am trying to say is the 'Australian espresso coffee roasters' are really just coffee roasting backyarders' when it comes to making true Italian style espresso. They are blending one or two and if they are adventurous three different beans in one blend, roasting it and pushing it out the door as soon as possible. This often leaves a bland, shallow tasting product for the end consumer.
The authentic Italian espresso coffee has a mixture of various different beans of all types and grades. (in actual fact normal Italian espresso has a minimum of several different beans). In addition, genuine Italian espresso coffee is also 'aged'. It should be pointed out that in Italy this fact about coffee bean manufacture is not advertised as this is done everywhere. All Italian espresso coffee beans are aged, allowing the bean to rest and the oils in the bean to penetrate the entire bean creating a deeply rich and flavorsome brew. Not like Australia; in Australia this 'aging' process is totally absent, Australian coffee roasters push the coffee out the door as quickly as possible, focusing on volume and ultimately their business's cash-flow. These same Australian roasters market this difference from 'genuine Italian espresso' coffee and hide behind the 'fresh is best' banner. Unfortunately for consumers this is not true, espresso coffee for it to be genuine espresso coffee it must be aged. It is this difference why many people cannot drink Australian roast coffee as a short black, next time you are at a cafe that is serving 'Australian fresh espresso roasted coffee' notice how many actually drink it as a short black or macchiato and compare that to how many are drinking it in a 'coffee milkshake'. What you will most likely find is that many Australians drink these 'Australian espresso coffee' beans with a lot of milk, which generally masks the acidic undertones that are generated by non-aged and under-blended coffee beans.
This intentional mixture and aging of coffee beans by the Italians provides that full bodied rich taste that you experience on your Italian summer holidays. Remember that one and only time that you actually drank a short black coffee and it was palatable... try that in Australia with 'Australian espresso coffee roasters' coffee beans and it will put you off faster than prawns on a hot summers day. So much so that you may never drink it again.
I believe it is important to drink your espresso coffee how it was always intended, from an Italian espresso roaster, with an Italian espresso machine and if possible by an Italian barista.
The concept proved so popular that other Italians bought in more Italian espresso coffee machines and also Italian espresso coffee. For the next forty to fifty years the Italian espresso coffee machine and Italian espresso coffee dominated the hospitality industry throughout Australia. What made Italian espresso coffee so unique back then and still to this day is the 'Italian espresso blending' and 'Italian espresso aging' process of the coffee beans.
These two processes are so unique and so different to 'Australian espresso roasters'. What i am trying to say is the 'Australian espresso coffee roasters' are really just coffee roasting backyarders' when it comes to making true Italian style espresso. They are blending one or two and if they are adventurous three different beans in one blend, roasting it and pushing it out the door as soon as possible. This often leaves a bland, shallow tasting product for the end consumer.
The authentic Italian espresso coffee has a mixture of various different beans of all types and grades. (in actual fact normal Italian espresso has a minimum of several different beans). In addition, genuine Italian espresso coffee is also 'aged'. It should be pointed out that in Italy this fact about coffee bean manufacture is not advertised as this is done everywhere. All Italian espresso coffee beans are aged, allowing the bean to rest and the oils in the bean to penetrate the entire bean creating a deeply rich and flavorsome brew. Not like Australia; in Australia this 'aging' process is totally absent, Australian coffee roasters push the coffee out the door as quickly as possible, focusing on volume and ultimately their business's cash-flow. These same Australian roasters market this difference from 'genuine Italian espresso' coffee and hide behind the 'fresh is best' banner. Unfortunately for consumers this is not true, espresso coffee for it to be genuine espresso coffee it must be aged. It is this difference why many people cannot drink Australian roast coffee as a short black, next time you are at a cafe that is serving 'Australian fresh espresso roasted coffee' notice how many actually drink it as a short black or macchiato and compare that to how many are drinking it in a 'coffee milkshake'. What you will most likely find is that many Australians drink these 'Australian espresso coffee' beans with a lot of milk, which generally masks the acidic undertones that are generated by non-aged and under-blended coffee beans.
This intentional mixture and aging of coffee beans by the Italians provides that full bodied rich taste that you experience on your Italian summer holidays. Remember that one and only time that you actually drank a short black coffee and it was palatable... try that in Australia with 'Australian espresso coffee roasters' coffee beans and it will put you off faster than prawns on a hot summers day. So much so that you may never drink it again.
I believe it is important to drink your espresso coffee how it was always intended, from an Italian espresso roaster, with an Italian espresso machine and if possible by an Italian barista.
