The Lavazza Crema e Gusto espresso blend is ideal for the no nonsense coffee drinker who likes the traditional flavors of espresso. To enjoy this coffee you don't need to be a coffee snob. We can forget the frills and pomp of specialty brewing, and go back to drinking espresso from the good old days – just like the Italians.
For the no-nonsense coffee drinker that prefers the traditional tastes of espresso, Lavazza Crema e Gusto is the perfect choice. You don't need to be a coffee snob. We can shed the frills and drop the pomp of specialty coffee, and return to drinking espresso from the old days – just like the Italians.
Lavazza Crema E Gusto Review
Crema E Gusto – Different Blends of Coffee
The Lavazza Crema e Gusto Italian espresso range is made up of Arabica and Robusta coffee beans from South America and Asia. The blends are the typical classic espresso with undertones of chocolate and spices.
Lavazza has a few distinct blends in their Crema E Gusto line. I initially assumed that the four Crema E Gusto blends were simply different versions of the same theme.
Upon research and testing the blends, I realized that they contain different bean compositions, ranging from 100% Arabica beans to various percentages of Robusta and Arabica.
And speaking about Robusta coffee beans. They get a lot of bad publicity and it is unfair. Firstly, not all Robustas are the same. There are really amazing Robusta coffees out there, but these are a bit more expensive to produce than the bad ones. In an attempt to cut costs, inexperienced roasters used bad Robustas, assuming that they are all the same.
The reason Robusta is great in a blend is because it gives boldness to your cup, and it produces more crema than Arabicas. And some Robusta origins have their unique flavor profile that you will not find in any Arabicas. If you would like to learn more about coffee flavor profiles and coffee terminology, take a look at out Coffee Flavor Terminology Dictionary.
Let's not forget that Robusta give you a better morning kick. They contain almost double the caffeine for the same amount of coffee. Let me get this straight; personally, I don't care much for the caffeine content. I can drink a second cup if the first one didn't do its job. But I know a lot of people who do care about their caffeine intake, so I think it's good to mention it.
Each blend in the Crema e Gusto range can be purchased as whole beans or pre-ground. The whole beans come in a 2.2 pound bag. The pre-ground blends are packaged in an 8.8 ounce brick and sold in a pack of 4.
Ideal Brewing Methods for Crema e Gusto
As mentioned, this product is a dark espresso blend – making it the ideal for brewing methods that create rich, strong coffee, such as espresso. The four blends are really versatile, and can be brewed any way you want, but they are mostly recommended for people who want a bold cup. If you would like to perfect your espresso making technique once you pick your favorite beans, take a look at our espresso pulling article.
Crema e Gusto for Espresso Brewing
The Crema e Gusto blend is perfect for espresso. When you pull an espresso shot with Crema e Gusto, you get the best balance between flavor and crema. There are espresso blends that taste great, but they have too little crema. And I don't know about you but a thick layer of crema makes your espresso shot stand out. And the crema is ensured by the quality Robusta coffee beans in the blend.
The Arabica beans are responsible for the aroma and flavor of your shot. Not that Brazilian beans don't produce crema, they do, but they are renown for their chocolate and caramel notes, typical to a classic espresso.
Brewing Crema e Gusto in a Moka Pot
Besides espresso, Lavazza actually most recommends the Stovetop Moka Pot as the ideal brewing method for Crema e Gusto. The Moka Pot is quintessentially Italian. It makes bold coffee with intensity that is similar to espresso. You will probably find one of these classic coffee brewers in every Italian household.
Crema e Gusto Blend in the French Press
Crema e Gusto coffee also tastes fantastic brewed in a French press . This is another method of brewing that really brings out the richer notes from a coffee bean.
All in all, these beans from Lavazza are extremely versatile. They work equally well in any brewer; whether that be an espresso machine or an automatic drip coffee maker.
Lavazza Crema e Gusto Classico Whole Beans
The standard Classico blend is a mix of Arabica and Robusta beans and is the ideal espresso blend for coffee lovers everywhere. The beans are mainly from South America and India.
The Robusta coffee gives the espresso a lovely crema. The Brazilian arabica beans then offer a fragrant flavor, with delicious notes of chocolate, as well as notes of spices. This cup of coffee leaves you with a gorgeous syrupy mouth feel after drinking.
The perfect combination of South American and Asian beans cause this dark roast to have an extremely well-balanced aroma.
The Classico blend is very versatile, and can be successfully brewed in lots of different ways. As an espresso blend, the Classico beans taste particularly amazing when brewed with espresso machines.
Lavazza Crema e Gusto Classico Ground – 8.8 oz. Brick
The Classico beans can also be purchased pre-ground, for convenience. This product is sold as a vacuum packaged brick in a pack of 4 that each weight 8.8 Oz ground.
We typically advice you to stay away from pre-ground coffee, and we reiterate that advice. However, the reality is some don't have a choice. These vacuum packed, small packages are one of the best choices for espresso ground coffee.
The grind size is appropriate for all brewing methods that require medium to finely ground coffee. This makes the ground coffee a perfect choice for your drip coffee maker.
Lavazza Crema e Gusto ground coffee is suitable for all different types of drinkers and taste palettes.
The Lavazza coffee company also have quality standards ensure that insure that their coffee producers are looked after and treated fairly. The Lavazza company is proud of being one big family, from the producers to employees.
This item sells for a decent price, compared to other blends. Crema e Gusto coffees really are are highly rated, well priced products.
The pre-ground coffee is vacuum packed, which ensure maximum freshness until you open it. This means you have to consume that coffee fast. Ground coffee loses its aroma faster than beans, so ideally, when you open a package of ground coffee, you should finish it under one week.
You should store that ground coffee in an airtight container, in order to minimize exposure to air.
Lavazza Crema e Gusto Forte
The Forte blend is a good option for drinkers who enjoy a really strong coffee with a rich, full-bodied finish. This dark roast is perfect for the morning – it will really get you going!
The Forte beans are a combination of beans from Asia, Africa, and the Americas. This blend provides us with earthy flavors of wood and tobacco. The drinker will experience a velvety aroma and a richer flavor than the Classico blend.
As with the other blends in the range, the Forte beans are processed by expert coffee roasters in Settimo Torinese, giving us a delicious coffee and the unforgettable Italian coffee taste.
Lavazza recommends the Moka pot as the ideal brewing method for the Forte beans. This brewer helps to bring out the oaky flavors from this tasty blend.
Lavazza Crema e Gusto Ricco
This aromatic blend has the perfect combination of intensity and the fragrant flavor of jasmine flowers, complete with a fruity finish. The 100% arabica beans are the ideal option for those who prefer a more medium intensity to their espresso. Ricco makes for a lighter morning cup, compared to the Forte beans.
This medium roast coffee is delicious when brewed as French press or plunger coffee. As a slightly lighter roast compared to the Forte, the Ricco blend also works particularly well in a drip coffee machine. Filter brewing brings out the more aromatic notes that are present in this beautiful coffee.
The Ricco blend provides the nose with the fragrant aroma of caramel and chocolatey notes.
The Ricco blend is an European blend so you will have a hard time finding it in US. The link is to the Amazon UK store.
Why is Crema E Gusto the Perfect Espresso Blend?
Crema e Gusto is the perfect all-round espresso blend for many reasons. Principally, this blend wins the day because of its versatility. It is suitable for all types of tastes. Whether you prefer intense coffee with a rich flavor and chocolate notes, or a medium brew with a creamy flavor and hidden notes of hazelnut, you will be sure to find what you are looking for in this brilliant product range.
There is also a different blend to suit all types of regular coffee brewing. There is a blend to suit French press coffee, just as there is an ideal option for automatic drip coffee.
These beans can be prepared just as easily by a beginner as by an expert coffee maker. This makes them ideal gift coffee beans.
As I previously said, I am extremely impressed with the Indonesian Robusta coffee beans that are part of this blend. These give us the amazing spiced aftertaste, which makes this blend so accessible, yet so unique.
Witness are the 5 stars review across the board on Amazon. You can't really go wrong with these coffees, unless you are a single origin coffee lover.
Roasted by Italians, for Americans
These coffee beans are roasted by Italians. However, the blend is chosen with the American coffee drinker in mind.
Lavazza knows that Americans like their coffee strong and “Crema e Gusto” was crafted to have a bold flavor profile. The various Crema e Gusto are also sold in Europe, with some exclusively there like the Ricco blend.
Lavazza is Italy's favorite coffee and it's the favorite coffee of over 3/4 of Italian households. This says a lot about the quality of the coffee.
The Flavor Profile
So why is Lavazza Crema e Gusto the perfect espresso blend?
The Crema e Gusto blend is roasted in Italy. This gives this coffee its signature Italian coffee flavors and aromas.
As is traditional with Lavazza coffee, the blend yields rich and full notes of chocolate in the cup, without any bitterness. Dark flavors such as these are typical of Brazilian arabica beans. This particular espresso blend also gives the drinker a silky, syrupy mouth feel when drinking – delicious!
The Asian coffee beans, mainly from India, provide a complex and unique addition to this espresso blend. It is not so common to find Indonesian coffee beans these days. My local roaster recently started roasting and selling coffee beans from India. I am totally addicted to them – the aromas are irresistible!