Customer Reviews

Lavazza Super Crema Espresso Whole Bean Coffee, 2.2-Pound Bag

5 star:		(93)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(21)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(16)

 

 

I want to start by addressing the people giving low ratings because the beans aren't "oily" enough. If you've ever had a real espresso, one made by a licensed barista in Italy, you'd know that espresso beans aren't oily; they're not even usually that dark. If you see black beans, you're going to get a bitter cup of coffee no matter how you make it. It is the fresh grinding process and pressurized steam that make espresso so dark and strong in the cup, not burnt beans! This coffee is used in the great majority of Italian households and restaurants; I think most of the bars use a different brand but some of the ones I frequented around Florence used Lavazza. I can tell you from first-hand experience that when you order an espresso in Italy, the barista doesn't get beans that look black...that only happens at Starbucks where they don't care about the coffee being bitter because, as these low-star reviewers prove, a lot of American coffee drinkers wouldn't know how coffee is supposed to look or taste.

These beans are the perfect color; medium to dark brown, uniformly roasted. When you grind them, the aroma fills the kitchen. (By the way detractors, that's another way to tell good coffee. If you don't get a big release of aroma when you grind the beans, it means they've been over-roasted and the oils are all gone...perhaps except for that little sheen you want to be on the surface...I'd rather have the oils still in the bean, personally.)

Just for the fun of it, I decided to test this against my favorite coffee for my drip coffee maker. I was actually quite surprised at how rich, dark, and mellow the coffee came out of a rather poor (but quick and convenient) method of making coffee. I knew this would make perfect espresso, but I honestly didn't think the American-style coffee methods would work so well too. There is even a bit of crema on top of the cup...from a drip coffee maker! To see how much foam you get from an espresso machine, check out the pictures I've posted at the top of the page.

Lavazza is now going to be the only brand of coffee in my house. This is as close as you can get to drinking a fresh cup of espresso on the streets of Florence without a plane ticket.

This is a great bean for a semi-automatic machine. We have a Jura-Capresso and adjust it to a fine grind with this bean. The beans produce an espresso with a thick crema and a smooth, almost chocolaty ending. This brand can be found at coffee shops all over Italy and Europe in general.

I have recently tried "Lavazza Tierra! Espresso 100% Arabica " which is great but a little too mild for me. I make cappuccino, not espresso, and the SuperCrema is better for this. It does have more caffeine then the pure Arabica Tierra and is more robust, more body and much more crema. Actually, on the few occasions that I do have espresso I would lean to the Tierra as it is lighter. I use a Pasquini Livia Auto. My vote is SuperCrema for Cap and Tierra for espresso (Tierra if you just want less caffine and a lighter full flavor). So, get both. Here at Amazon the price is great.

I used it to make French press coffee. I rate it as excellent and better than the more expensive %100 kona coffee beans. The French press tastes exactly like the coffee served in European airports as they use the same beans. It is a matter of your palate. My son prefers the Kona beans. I am lucky in a way to like the lavazza more. Compare $19.09 for 2.2 pounds of lavazza for $29 for one pound of Kona.

I always come back to this blend. Although it is great to try all the designer espresso blends I just keep coming back to Lavazza Supercrema, it just makes a consistently good cup of coffee. I generally do 3 or so cap's a day and maybe a straight shot of espresso after dinner and either way it just tastes good all the time. Not to strong, smooth flavor. In my book it ranks up there with the best. I run it through the Mazzer and Rancilio Ms. Sylvia for a great cappuccino. Enjoy.

I use these beans with my LeLit pl53 grinder and Rancilio Silvia espresso machine. I am definitely an amateur barista, but with these nice beans in hand I was able to really up the quality of my shots. They just seem a little more forgiving than other beans I have tried. I get nice zebra-striping during the shot, and a fair amount of crema. However, crema is not the end-all of a shot for me, I mostly just want it to taste good! Other beans may deliver a larger amount of crema, but shots of this bean are mild and smooth without bitterness. Enjoy!

I tasted Lavazza many times being in Italy as well in France and excellent quality (taste, smell) of it can't be confused with anything else. Have to regret - I'm EXTREMELY disappointed with this "Lavazza Super Crema" beans from Amazon - it's under-roasted, bitter and acid taste, week and unpleasant smell and crema....well, even relatively old coffee beans from TJ Maxx produce better crema with proper grind&tamping or even just with the pressurized portafilter.
I'm using semi-automatic espresso machine (DeLongi BAR32 before and now Saeco Aroma, Breville BCG450XL Conical Burr Grinder) about 5 years (I mean I'm not a novice for espresso), and have tried this beans immediately after the bag was opened (1st "news" - very weak smell), used fresh grind, careful and dense tamping, machine is properly heated and primed.
The consumption date on the package marked as October of 2011 and I know that Lavazza's shelf life is 14 months - therefore, received in March 2010, it's 6 months old roast, not too fresh but I had used much older roasts without any problems. Not sure how it works for latte but as espresso coffee it's wasted money and lost expectation. Don't be fooled by positive reviews - some people never tried the real espresso and some even don't like it but coffee-infused milk drink. Also note that Amazon sells some Lavazza coffee's for much higher price and no "subscription" proposed. The attractive price($16 per kg with subscription)is definitely result of poor quality - something wrong with this "Lavazza Super Crema" coffee.

After purchasing a Gaggia Titanium I was looking for a great tasting espresso, I found other people's reviews helpful and decided to try Lavazza Super Crema - it is wonderful! It produces a thick crema and does not have a bitter taste like so many other espresso beans. Each cup reminds me of the great tasting quality coffee one gets in European coffee shops. If you are looking for a high quality espresso that produces a nice thick crema - try Lavazza Super Crema!

Great smooth flavor, terriffic crema. The best, and the price at Amazon was slightly lower than what I had been paying at an online coffee site.

This blend of espresso roast beans is one of the best, if not -the- best for the money. I've purchased countless blends of beans in the Texas area (many were fantastic), but given the shipping cost and the settling of the beans, I found myself adjusting my grinder(s) more than simply pulling shots and enjoying the coffee. With these beans I simply grind, tamp, pull, and enjoy. With a proper grind, tamp, and properly setup machine, the consistency of the espresso as it is being extracted looks like warm honey and "tigers" perfectly.

**Some of the reviews/comments here state that you must use expensive equipment to enjoy this coffee. Though the term "expensive" is relative, you do not need equipment in the $2,000 range to enjoy this coffee. A basic, pump-driven espresso machine with an accompanying burr grinder (no blades!) will produce an enjoyable shot. Will a $3,000 espresso machine produce better shots than a $300 machine? Of course. Will a $300 machine produce a better shot than a steam-driven machine? Oh, most definitely, but this is all irrelevant as the focus here is the quality of Lavazza espresso beans, and that quality is superb.**

For reference, here is the equipment I've used with this coffee:

Solis Crema SL70 - Stock - broken.
Gaggia Baby Class - Stock.
Rancilio Silvia (V3) - With 3-shot La Marzocco basket and bottomless portafilter - no PID.
Expobar Brewtus IV - Stock.
La Marzocco GS/3 - Stock.
Gaggia MDF Grinder - Stock.
Mazzer Mini Grinder - Stock.