After spending most months in Europe since 2011 & drinking coffee daily, I have realized the coffee is just not as strong as it used to be…or was it?
Coffee Morgan? A blog post on coffee? YES!!! Guys, if you know me you are quite aware that coffee is my love language, besides that, I drink it often…daily…multiple times per day.
I was always being told that European coffee is better & stronger than coffee in the USA, but I just wasn’t seeing that. Maybe it was the brew I order from home, the Starbucks I go to at home, or maybe just the added things I put in my coffee at home. Regardless, since Europe is my 2nd home, I decided to do some digging to find myself the perfect espresso again here.
Here was my poll question on Instagram:
With the help of my lovely Instagram followers, I gave some different drinks a try.
1. Double espresso macchiato — 2 shots of espresso & a dollop of milk. Can be served in large or small cup.
—Opinion: Usually this beverage would come with less milk, I’m assuming since they gave me double the espresso, they doubled the foam? Regardless, this would usually just have a dollop of milk/foam at the top of the beverage. This was actually a decent tasting drink but nothing really special. I enjoyed the strong brew flavor and it actually had a hint of a fruity taste, maybe the blend. Won’t be ordering these much, but I’ve actually always loved a caramel macchiato from Starbucks at home. (This coffee shop uses Illy brand coffee)
2. Doppio {standard double} —- 2 shots of espresso, straight. Served in a small cup.
—Opinion: well that was strong!! No chance I wasn’t getting a burst of energy from this one, and while it was delicious and robust, it was a little much for a “relaxing” beverage. This could for sure be my on the go, need a boost before I pass out, beverage. But coffee with friends, curled up with a book, this isn’t the drink! Normally this drink is just 2 straight shots, she added a very thin layer of froth but I could hardly taste it. Not sure if that’s traditional in other places but it gave a nice touch I think.
3. Americano—- 2 shots of espresso with 6 ounces of water. Served in a tall mug or cup.
–Opinion: one word…yuck. Okay, I’m not really sure what the draw on this was. It’s pretty strong, obviously it’s just straight espresso, but with the water? Oh gosh….it was gross, that’s it. All I can say on that one, if you like it, please tell me how you drink it or what’s the draw for you.
4. Cappuccino—-alone this is traditionally served with a single shot, and this just hasn’t been cutting it for me. It was suggested that I ask for a double cappuccino, served with milk & froth. Served in large or small mug.
••since Cappuccino is one of my favorites back home in the USA, I tried it twice to see if this could be my go to here…answer? YES••
—Opinion 1: this was amazing! My favorite by far. It tasted just like my favorite cappuccino but more robust, so perfect. I spoke with the owner of the coffee shop and he said they use Extra Bar coffee from Italy, a mix of 3 arabica and 1 robust coffee. Perfection.
—Opinion 2: Holy moly this was strong! I had this cappuccino at one of my favorite coffee shops in the city and it was fabulous, really strong but still a good froth and taste. This might have been my favorite mix, I’ve always loved the taste of a cappuccino and I love it at home in the USA, so getting this flavor just right was awesome. I usually add a shot of caramel for flavor, which I’ll probably continue doing. I didn’t this time for the purpose of doing this taste test. (This coffee shop uses Kimbo coffee from Italy).
5. Home brewed strong Italian coffee—- Illy brand seemed to get the vote! But I went ahead and tried Lavazza & Kimbo as well which were both suggested brands that I could also find here in Lithuania.
—–Opinion: First I tried Kimbo for a few days as my morning brew. It was suggested by several people that live in Italy and they sell it where I am. The coffee brewed strong and the aroma was really nice. The taste was rich and intense with a little “Crema” flavor added. Kimbo comes from Naples, Italy and I absolutely could brew this daily, it was delicious. Next up was illy, I thought it tasted a lot like Starbucks medium roast back home (hope no one is insulted), it was not super rich, but had a hint of bold flavoring and it was smooth. I tried this for my afternoon brew for 3 days and although it didn’t have me wired on caffeine, it was pretty tasty. Lastly, Lavazza. I remember having Lavazza while in Rome, Italy and really enjoyed it. Their home roast has a hint of fruity tastes but it’s also bold and the aroma is super fresh. This was a morning brew for me for 2 days and I enjoyed it. My ranking for home brew is–
1. Kimbo
2. Lavazza
{although Kimbo + Lavazza is a close tie}
3. illy –although this was suggested to me as most popular, it wasn’t my favorite.
6. Flat white—steamed milk {a little} and a double shot of espresso. Served in regular size mug.
——Opinion: I actually enjoyed this blend. I could taste just a little milk & the coffee was bolder than I usually enjoy, still not my favorite but noticed a stronger taste for sure. (This coffee shop uses aroma gold coffee)
Bottom Line:
I received suggestions & thoughts from people in Lithuania, Latvia, Russia, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Hungary, Belgium, the USA, and Slovakia who all said that they have found coffee weaker on this {east} side of the world compared to other parts of Europe like Spain, Italy, and France. I can’t speak for the coffee companies or the whole east side of Europe, but I have been to lots of Eastern European countries & have to agree with their opinion. From trying out different blends of espresso from local coffee bars I concluded that when I’m on this side of the world, I need to ask for a double. I need to ask for 2 shots of espresso in any drink that I order. Maybe it’s the brands they use here, the froth, or the milk. Either way, I’m happy to start enjoying these new drinks while I’m in these parts of the world! I think I’ve solved my “weak taste” problem and that’s awesome for this coffee lovin’ mama! 🙂
What’s your favorite brew?
Xo
Morgan
