Best Beans for Espresso, Lungo, and Americano

Your bean-to-cup machine can make a variety of drinks—but do you know which beans work best for each?

At Koffee Snobs, we’ve crafted both Grand Reserve and House Vintage coffees to help you brew your perfect cup.

Espresso: Bold and Balanced

• Recommended Roast: Medium or medium-dark
• Flavor Goal: Rich body, crema, balanced acidity
• Best Beans: Choose a blend or single-origin with chocolatey, nutty, or caramel notes.

Tip: Avoid overly dark roasts unless you prefer intense, smoky flavors.

Lungo: Smooth and Extended

• Recommended Roast: Medium
• Flavor Goal: Smooth, rounded body with lighter finish
• Best Beans: Beans with bright acidity and light sweetness work well.

Lungo is essentially a “long espresso”—you want beans that won’t go flat when extended.

Americano: Versatile and Mellow

• Recommended Roast: Medium or light-medium
• Flavor Goal: Clean body with balanced flavor throughout
• Best Beans: Select lighter roasts for more delicate flavors or medium roasts for traditional coffee depth.

Should You Use Different Beans Per Drink?

Not necessarily. Our Grand Reserve coffees are designed to perform across espresso-based drinks, while House Vintage coffees offer more forgiving profiles for everyday brewing.

Both collections include options suitable for all drink types, depending on your roast preference.

Explore beans designed to fit your drink style.