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On one of the hottest days this summer, with the low hum of an espresso machine in the background, a tanned Italian man named Mario spoke animatedly. This was the setting that transported us to a cafe in Milan as we sipped espresso and discussed Italian style coffee at the Umbria Coffee Roasters’ warehouse in South Vancouver.

With passion and flair, Mario impressed upon us the Italian coffee culture that Umbria represents: an unpretentious experience that simply allows one to enjoy a cup of good quality coffee. He and his colleague Ricardo explained the importance of consistency and balance in the beans, and the science and art behind making a great cup of espresso — the correct ground, the perfect water temperature, the well-timed brew. In addition, the amount of effort their master roaster puts in to blend different beans from across the globe is shockingly similar to what a winemaker does to achieve consistent quality of wine year after year. Mr. and I tasted a variety of their coffee, learned about the philosophy of roasting Italian style coffee, and even had a chance to play barista with their commercial espresso machine.

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According to Mario, while it is true that some coffee is more acidic and more bitter than others, the acidity and bitterness is also influenced by the grind size and brew time. The coffee may taste more acidic if the grind is too coarse and/or the brew time is too short; on the other hand, the coffee may taste more bitter if the grind is too fine and/or the brew time is too long. We watched Mario tinker with their coffee grinder and espresso machine, and sipped through multiple brews, just to get the perfect tasting coffee.

Usually you will see Umbria Coffee being served at restaurants and hotels, but did you know that you can now shop their coffee online and enjoy it at home? We went home with some of the Caffe Umbria products and of course, we put what we learned to the test. We have an entry level Cuisinart espresso machine at home with limited controls, so we can only adjust brew time but not water temperature. We also have a burr coffee grinder so we can play with grind size. At the same time, we have a stainless steel pour over coffee drip filter.

First up, pour over. Ricardo already ground our bag of Terra Sana so it was ready for pour-over coffee. The Terra Sana Blend is their 100% certified organic and Fairtrade medium roast that is suitable for both espresso and drip coffee. We have a water heater at home that keeps hot water at 203°F, which is perfect for pour over. I have gone through a few brands of coffee, and Terra Sana is the most rounded coffee I’ve tasted to-date. There wasn’t any acidity or bitterness from my brew – and usually I would taste various degrees of acidity and/or bitterness in the other beans. Terra Sana was fragrant, with an almost chocolatey flavour.

Then, we had a bag of whole coffee beans of their signature blend, Bizzarri, to experiment with our espresso machine. This one was trickier because we actually tinkered multiple times with the grind size, amount of coffee grounds, and brew time. We still haven’t perfected it yet, but we’re getting close. Grind size is currently sitting at 3 on our burr grinder, brew time at 25 seconds, and we just need to be a bit more consistent with our scoops to get perfect sips every time.

Lastly, we were given their Cold Brew Concentrate and Nitro Cold Brew. We are able to make iced coffee in seconds with the Cold Brew Concentrate. We add 3 parts iced water to 1 part coffee concentrate, topping it up with a few ice cubes, a splash of milk (or dairy substitute) and a drizzle of maple syrup for sweetness. And voila! To kick it up a notch, we actually use mint-infused iced water in the coffee, and the addition of mint makes the iced coffee even more refreshing. On a really hot day, we made a coffee float with the Nitro Cold Brew. One can of the coffee, topped with your favourite ice cream (we suggest chocolate, caramel/salted caramel or the classic vanilla), and it’s the summer treat every coffee lover needs.

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Final Thoughts

Since COVID, I have spent more time on making coffee at home and having gone through several bags of coffee. I haven’t liked all of them, and sometimes found it too acidic or bitter for my liking. After my tasting experience with Caffe Umbria, I now have a better understanding and appreciation for a good cup of joe. And so far I’m quite impressed with the Umbria products at hand – the flavours are all very rounded and balanced, and some products make it very convenient to enjoy good quality coffee at home. Tip: When you shop online for the first time on Caffe Umbria’s website, make sure to add “FREE SAMPLE” in the Notes section at checkout, indicate which 12oz bag of coffee you would like to sample, and you will receive it along with your order!

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