Shellback Espresso - Fire Dept. Coffee Review

Named for the men and women of the US Navy, who are trained as firefighters as well as sailors, Shellback Espresso takes beans from the equator and roasts them with American pride.

As soon as you open the bag, there is a forward smoky aroma, followed by the hint of something delicate and sweet, reminiscent of vanilla or honey. Once brewed, Shellback Espresso brings the dark roasted qualities of espresso to light and the smoke flavor shines through. The gentle sweetness hinted at in aroma comes through in flavor, tasting like a gentle sugarcane which adds a nice contrast to the dark roast flavors. It has a dry finish with a medium-body and is a perfect daily drinker.

Barista Note: We brewed Shellback Espresso in our French press, just black, and it is a delicious cup of coffee. But we couldn’t give an honest review of an espresso without brewing it in our Moka pot. Because of its naturally dark qualities, it makes an excellent espresso. We added some salted caramel and mocha to make lattes and thought it quite satisfying.

We’ve tried a few different coffees from Fire Dept. Coffee and Shellback Espresso takes the lead as my favorite. It is dark and well balanced between smoke-forward and sweet flavors. The quality and pride in what this company does on a daily basis is evident in this coffee.

Cheers,

Mrs. Brew