Reviews

PTsCoffee Espresso Review- La Bella Vita

Last modified on 2010-02-22 02:02:28 GMT. 1 comment. Top.

The wonderful people over at PTsCoffee were kind enough to send me their espresso blend La Bella Vita, and the espresso coffee blend Gizmo. This is a review of the PTsCoffee Espresso La Bella Vita, the Gizmo will follow. PtsCoffee is an award winning roaster and equipment merchant based out of Kansas!

We brewed ours at about 16-18 grams double basket, and the temperature reading of our Eric’s Adapter (see here) was in and around 195- Somebody send us a scace and we’ll get more specific! The shot looked beautiful extracting, Great colors and striping- a very promising extraction.

The espresso is a lighter roast and is a traditional Northern Italian style espresso. It is sweet and we found the flavor quite complex and it had high tones of flowers and fruit. Its had acidity as well, but nothing that made you pucker up.

Sipping the straight espresso was marvelous, and the flavor was still discernible and not washed out as a wet cappuccino and americano. This espresso from PTsCoffee was actually one of the better espresso’s I have tasted in my home machine- maybe I got lucky or maybe this is just and easy espresso to make- but with few grind adjustments, using the Weiss Distribution Technique, this espresso was superb! I am excited about trying it at lower and higher temeratures, end give this espresso my highest rating 5 stars!

Rating:

What do you think of La Bella Vita ?

FOLLOWING IS PTSCOFFEE DESCRIPTION OF LA BELLA VITA

La Bella Vita is what we call a “northern Italian style” espresso blend -- that is to say -- slightly lighter roasted and sweeter to the taste than her darker roasted and more pungent cousins in southern Italy. Bella Vita features hints of milk chocolate and a faintly floral aroma. You will love pulling shots with La Bella Vita, and customers will love you for choosing her as your espresso of choice.

La Bella Vita Espresso has been used in the SCAA’s United States Barista Championships -- Midwest Regional Barista Competition and many other competitions. In the Midwest Regional, PTs Coffee Roasting Co. barista, Pete Licata, won first place with this blend in 2005 and 2008, second in 2006 and finished second in the United States Barista Competition each of the last two year in 2007 and 2008. Of course this blend has changed over the years, but she has never stayed far from her roots as an amazingly sweet and lush espresso.

Guide to Ideal Extraction:
Dose Weight: 21 grams (on Astoria or similar machines you should use triple baskets)
Extraction Time: 26-28 seconds (for a double shot)
Volume: Two 1oz shots

Order a pound today. Enjoy it at home or see what great coffee can do to help retain customers for your cafe. We’ve been serving it for 13 years in our stores. Compare to other well known blends and you won’t be dissapointed.

Coffee Review Rating
OVERALL RATING: 92

Notes:Assessed on a La Marzocco professional machine with brewing temperature set at 200F. One-ounce shot achieved approximately 25 seconds after the first drop. Tested in milk by combining a one-ounce shot with two parts and then four parts 2% milk. PT’s is a quality-oriented wholesale/retail specialty roaster with a wide and refined selection of coffee blends and origins. The PT’s motto is “without the love, it’s just coffee.” Visit www.ptscoffee.com or call 888-678-JAVA for more information.

Blind assessment:Intense, sweetly pungent small cup with dark chocolate, cedar, banana-toned fruit and a hint of ferment that contributes a slight brandyish nuance. Syrupy body, mildly astringent though very sweet finish. Heavily dominates short milk but blooms and balances beautifully at four parts milk to one part coffee, rounding toward a rich, minty dark chocolate.

Who should drink it:A complex, powerful straight shot and a superb contributor to long milk drinks.

a shot of bella vita extraction: