Sweet Sussex Espresso Blend - 1 lb.
The West Bean
Price: $15.49
Certifications:
ROASTe VIP - FREE SHIPPING on orders over $39 from this vendor.
A medium-mild, sweet blend. Composed of three single-origin, estate grown beans. Our signature espresso blend offers a clear departure from the acidic, burnt, smokey, West Coast espresso blends. Fantastic on its own, it holds up perfect in a classic Cappuccino, Macchiato, or Latte.
We think Coffeereview.com evaluated our Sweet Sussex best in their 92-point review below:
"Blind Assessment: Evaluated as espresso. A big winner in four parts milk. Co-taster Andy Newbom (90) had it at 9 in milk while Ken (93) went to the limit at 10. Both keyed on a big, round, peachy fruit complexity and fine balance of milk and coffee. As straight espresso dominated by fruit as well: ripe, apricot-toned, a little wine-like, with a tart "sparkle" (Andy) of citrus. But the whole sensory package bloomed in milk with particular power and completeness." http://www.coffeereview.com/review.cfm?ID=2242
Ships direct from:
The West Bean
The West Bean - Roast level: Medium
- Type: Regular
- SKU: 1-071-03870-3
- Usually ships within 3 business days
- Transit time usually 1-5 business days (ships from: CA)
REVIEWS & COMMENTS
SWEET SUSSEX
dpablo19 | Thu, 05/03/2012 - 02:42I've had this at home a few times. As espresso, it is relatively sweet, although somewhat basic in flavor. I think that it is probably perfect for milk-based drinks where its sweetness and chocolate accents can shine.
TOP PICK
bdkarr | Wed, 12/28/2011 - 17:18You can't go wrong with the Sweet Sussex. This is definitely one of my top picks for coffee. It has a perfect balance of sweet and smokey. I usually order this for gifts and when I am hosting at my house to share with friends and family.
SWEET IT IS!
robinfast6 | Sat, 12/24/2011 - 00:46After a little temp surfing, pulled a great shot. Nice peach tones on the top note and smooth body. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
A DEPARTURE...
xprzzo | Tue, 05/10/2011 - 10:08Update: I received a very nice message from Paul at Westbeans, who ensured me that the oil on the beans should not have been there - so I will certainly give it another try. I upped my rating by one cup, simply due to their commitment to their product.
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from the 'acidic, burnt, smokey West Coast espresso blends' it is, but it still has a long way to go before it reaches its proclaimed goal of being a 'medium-mild, sweet blend'. I know, I may sound like a broken record, but again, if you have oil on the beans, it is no longer a medium roast - it has, as so many others, been roasted to a point, where the roast profile starts to dominate the profile of the blend.
As mentioned by another reviewer, it is very temperature critical (201 is what worked for me), a degree too low and it turns sour on you, a degree too high and bitter is all you will get. Not quite the prima-donna that Vivace's Dolce is, with its 203.5 deg. temp recommendation - you have a two degree window, but if you miss it.... it is pretty much a sink shot.
Does well in milk.
And yes, please put a roast date on your bags.....
VERY GOOD COFFEE IN MILK.
henskdc | Tue, 12/28/2010 - 14:12very good coffee in milk. No bitterness or acid. Taste of dark chocolate with a slight fruitiness
SWEET SUSSEX
ttanouye | Mon, 12/13/2010 - 21:55The guys at The West Bean were very helpful in giving me some starting brewing parameters.
This is one of my all time favorite espresso blends - has the ability to cut through milk.
Best results achieved from up-dosing in a triple basket - beans have some surface oil.
It would be cool if TWB would put a roast date on the bag.
Parameters:
20.5 grams
94c
25-30 sec
1.75-2oz.
Drinks made:
Cappuccino: 7oz
Latte: 12oz
Other espressos tried:
Bluebottle: Roman
Ecco Café: Ecco
Intelli: Black Cat
Espresso Vivace: Dolce & Vita
Klatch: Belle, House, & WBC
Zoka: Paladino
The West Bean: Sweet Sussex
Zoka: Paladino
Machine: Vivaldi Mini II
Grinder: Vario
OVERALL THIS IS AN AVERAGE
nephropa | Tue, 11/09/2010 - 23:58Overall this is an average espresso. Tasted harsh, wasn't consistent, just didn't enjoy this espresso. It wasn't bad and maybe in the correct hands is fantastic, but for me it was only average.
TEMP IS CRITICAL
MindsEye | Fri, 10/08/2010 - 01:27In all fairness I couldn't give this an accurate score and that is probably not the coffee's fault. All the shots I pulled were bitter- mostly due to having a HX machine. HX's are difficult for consistent temps. My brother was able to get some good shots with this coffee on a Vivaldi. When I have 2 grand to spare on a Vivaldi I'll try this coffee again since I hear it's great.