musings of a coffee ragamuffin.

Today, we had a good chance to try out the Espro Press brewer. I have to be honest, I really wasn’t expecting big things from the Espro. I mean, it’s in essence, a French Press. And I’ve never liked French Presses. I’ve never been fond of the oils, the fines, the junk you get in the cup. I like my coffee really clean, sweet, balanced. My personal preference is coffee that’s focused, with flavor notes standing out clearly. I’m a fan of good Central/Latins, and my favorites are Ethiopians, both Yirgs and Harrars. And those tend to brew better with pourovers and my favorite device, the Clever Dripper. So, my first thought when I was asked to take one and review it was, “Do you not know I hate French Presses?”

So, I wasn’t optimistic about it, to be honest. The coffee I chose to brew, was Batdorf & Bronson’s new crop Guatemala Finca El Valle. I used the directions given with the press, which include 18-22grms of coffee, (I used 20gr.), and 300grms of water. I chose the French Press grind on our lab’s Ditting grinder. After pouring in the water, It steeps for 3min, and gets a stir at the halfway point. The directions given were pretty helpful, and very clear.

The flavor was actually really good. It actually reminded me of a Clever brew. It had loads of body, very similar to a French Press, but a little lighter. The Espro features a special dual filtering system, which explains why it’s so different. When you notice the Espro’s filter, it looks like they attached a holding receptacle for the grounds to keep them out of the water, but that’s not how it works. Coffee goes in the bottom like a normal French Press, and the dual filter plunges like normal. I was very surprised at how clean the taste was, simply from the added filter. The Guatemala Finca El Valle was nice and sweet, with notes of rum and raisins.

So, to wrap up my review, I give the Espro two thumbs up! I believe it really does make a great cup of coffee that’s easy to do, and clean up was easy, as well. I really like the stainless steel construction of it. It really is a solid device you wouldn’t have to worry about breaking. The taste falls between a French Press and a Clever, closer to the Clever. I think for people who love French Press, it could be a great way to transition into a coffee profile that’s cleaner, and more balanced.

(In full disclosure, Espro sent me a device to test, simply asking me to write honestly about what I thought. These are my thoughts, and are not guided by anyone but my honest opinion.)