Coffee Guides & Journal | Brew Better with Acorns Coffee

Vintage espresso machine on a wooden counter with coffee beans and notes.

Best Coffee Beans for Espresso

Espresso is one of the most concentrated and flavourful ways to enjoy coffee, which means the beans you choose make a huge difference to the final cup. From smooth chocolatey blends to brighter, fruit-forward single origins, different coffees can completely change the character of an espresso.

The best coffee beans for espresso are typically those with enough sweetness, balance and body to create a rich, satisfying shot, whether enjoyed black or paired with milk. In this guide, we’ll explore what makes a coffee suitable for espresso, the flavour profiles to look for, and how to choose beans that match your personal taste and brewing style.

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A guide of fruity and chocolatey coffee on a wooden desk with fruits and cocoa

Fruity vs Chocolatey Coffee Beans

Coffee flavour often comes down to two key profiles: fruity and chocolatey. Understanding the difference between them is one of the simplest ways to find a coffee you’ll genuinely enjoy.

Fruity coffees are bright, lively and expressive, often showing notes of berries, citrus and stone fruits. Chocolatey coffees are smoother, richer and more comforting, with flavours like cocoa, caramel and nuts.

Neither is better than the other — they simply offer different experiences. This guide will help you understand how they differ, how they’re developed, and most importantly, which style suits your taste and brewing preference.

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Display of coffee beans and a chart on a wooden surface with a world map and lantern.

How Roast Level Affects Coffee Flavour

Roast level plays a huge role in how coffee tastes. From bright and fruity light roasts to rich and intense darker roasts, the way coffee is roasted can dramatically shape flavour, body and overall drinking experience.

While many people assume darker roasts are always stronger or more flavourful, the reality is far more nuanced. Roast level influences sweetness, acidity, texture and how much of the coffee’s natural origin character remains in the cup.

In this guide, we’ll explore how different roast levels affect flavour, what makes light, medium and dark roasts unique, and how to choose the right roast style for your personal taste and preferred brewing method.

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Coffee-making setup with Acorns Coffee Roastery branding on a rustic wooden table.

How to Brew Better Coffee at Home

Great coffee at home doesn’t have to be complicated. Small changes to how you grind, brew and store your coffee can dramatically improve flavour, balance and consistency, regardless of the equipment you use.

From choosing the right coffee beans to understanding brew ratios and freshness, this guide covers the core principles that help transform everyday coffee into a far better cup. Whether you’re using a cafetière, espresso machine, AeroPress or filter brewer, these foundations apply to every brewing method.

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Coffee brewing guide with cafétière, coffee beans, and a notebook on a wooden table.

How to Brew Coffee with a Cafetière

A cafetière, also known as a French press, is one of the simplest and most reliable ways to brew rich, full-bodied coffee at home. It requires no complicated equipment, just coffee, hot water and a few minutes of patience.

Because the coffee is fully immersed in water during brewing, the cafetière produces a heavier, more textured cup compared to filter methods. This makes it especially well suited to coffees with chocolate, caramel and nutty flavour profiles.

In this guide, we’ll walk through how to brew cafetière coffee properly, including grind size, ratios, timing and common mistakes to avoid — so you can consistently make a smooth, balanced cup at home.

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Coffee v60 brewing setup with a coffee maker, coffee beans, and a guide on a wooden table.

How to brew with a V60

A V60 is one of the most popular pour-over brewing methods in specialty coffee, known for producing a clean, bright and highly expressive cup. Unlike immersion methods such as a cafetière, the V60 relies on controlled pouring and gravity to extract flavour, giving you much more precision over the final result.

Because of this, the V60 highlights clarity, acidity and subtle flavour notes that can sometimes be hidden in heavier brewing methods. It’s especially well suited to lighter, fruit-forward coffees, where the origin character and complexity can really shine.

In this guide, we’ll walk through how to brew with a V60 step by step, covering grind size, ratios, pouring technique and key tips to help you consistently achieve a balanced, flavourful cup at home.

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