Riposo Coffee – Delicious Meeting of Italian Tradition and the New World

_{At Beans and Burrs, we are amateur coffee lovers. We intend to write coffee reviews in a way that makes sense to regular coffee drinkers. All opinions expressed here are our own. This post may contain affiliate links that we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.}

The fun part about coffee is that there is always more delicious coffee to discover. You never reach a point where you feel you have tasted all of them, or you get bored. Therefore, when a coffee roaster reaches out to us on Instagram to propose that we try their coffee, it is always welcome because it is an excellent opportunity to try something we may have yet to find on our own.

Now the above deserve disclosure. Riposo Coffee Roasters contacted us on our Instagram account and offered to ship 2 bags of their coffee in exchange for a fair review. It is sometimes a tricky proposition: what if the coffee they send us could be better? We can promise you that we will not write a glowing review. The (positive) review that follows is entirely our opinion, and it hasn’t been influenced in any way.

We received a bag of their Classico Blend and a bag of Single Origin Ethiopia. Riposo also kindly added a mug in the package, which is always welcome attention.

Riposo Coffee Roasters

In their words: “Riposo Coffee Roasters, founded by Husband and Wife Andrew Schittone and Adriana Cabrera, where we have a deep love for all things coffee.
Adriana’s grandmother grew up on a coffee farm in Puerto Rico, and she developed a deep passion for coffee from a young age… She instilled in her grandchildren a love and appreciation for the art of coffee-making.
Meanwhile, Andrew’s father was born in Sicily and had always been surrounded by the vibrant coffee culture of the region. He passed down the Italian coffee tradition to his children.
After our travels to Italy, it left us reminiscing for the velvety smooth espresso we sipped at Italian cafes. Back at home in New Jersey, we searched to find coffee that matched our Italian experience. So, we started on a journey to recreate that perfect cup. Through a year of research and many attempts, our efforts were rewarded with the birth of the Classico blend. Together with our Grandmother’s influence and Father’s Italian heritage, this marked the beginning of our coffee journey.”

They offer four Single Origin Coffee: in Rwanda, Ethiopia, Nicaragua, and Guatemala; and four signature blends: Dolce Blend, Classico Blend, Milano Blend, and Forza Blend.

Let us taste and review the coffee, shall we?

Classico Blend

Espresso

The texture is medium and creamy with a nice crema; it presents well.
This is a perfect espresso to start the day: tasty, smooth, and very easy to sip but complex since the flavor profile is not too simple. There is this comforting sweetness that reminds me of rich milk chocolate. A moderate acidity complements it perfectly. There is almost no bitterness. Some layers of flavors, such as nuts, caramel, and fresh pastries, come to tease you. The aftertaste lingers long after drinking it; it reminds me of bitter dark chocolate with a pleasant and controlled bitterness and no off-notes – a friendly reminder of the joy you just experienced. I enjoy this blend as an espresso and suspect it would also make a delicious French press.

You might like to read this fantastic article; How to Make Your First Espresso Shots?

French press

And indeed, it works so well with the French press. Everything is about delicious black chocolate. There is a delicate sweetness that reminds me of milk chocolate. It is perfectly balanced with acidity and bitterness that reminds me… you guessed it, bitter dark chocolate. The bitterness is more pronounced than the espresso, but it is welcome because it balances so perfectly with the sweetness. It has less nutty accents than the espresso. It has a nice body with a little bit of an oily texture. The aftertaste is delicious. It tastes like you just ate a piece of dark chocolate. This Classico Blend is a perfect morning coffee to start the day. Very easy to sip for anyone new to coffee as an introduction to a blend done perfectly but also very interesting and complex for someone like me, who likes to reflect (too much) about what I am are drinking.

You might like to read this fantastic article; How to Make Your Coffee Look Sophisticated? Get a French Press!

Pour-over (V60)

I like it less than the French press and the espresso. The clean, bright notes take over the smooth milk chocolate, and I find it less balanced. It is a delicious coffee, though. It is delicate and sweet, with minimum bitterness and clean acidity.
The only thing for me is that the main star of the show, those outstanding chocolate notes, are now muted and less present. Interestingly, they reappear on the back of the tongue and linger after you drink it, but I wish they would be front and center. They could serve that to me all day, though. I only nitpick because I tried it with the press that works so well with it.

You might like to read this fantastic article; Hario V60 – The most capable coffee brewer costs less than $10

Single Origin – Ethiopia (Light Roast)

Pour-over (V60)

I suspect the pour-over is the best method to extract a light roast single origin like this one. These beans typically produce a crisp and complex cup that this method can better capture. My first impression is the crisp attack: this is unmistakably a light roast. The acidity is prominent but not overpowering; it is quickly followed by a delicate sweetness that reminds me of caramel.
I detect light notes of berries (strawberries), but they are not central, unlike some natural Ethiopian coffees with “in-your-face blueberry notes.” This coffee is delicate. After sipping it, I am left with a tart impression on the tongue, and a lemon flavor lingers. How interesting! Overall the bright notes and the lemon aftertaste make this coffee very refreshing. It is funny to taste it close to Riposo’s Classico. These 2 coffees couldn’t be more different: the Classico is sweet and comfortable with dominant chocolate notes, while this Single Origin plays with fruity lemony and crisp berry notes, making it a perfect cup for an early afternoon coffee during summer days. I like them both but would crave them for very different moments.

French press

There is much more sweetness than with the V60. The crisp acidity is better balanced by the sweetness. The delicate berry flavors come later, almost as a second wave. The sweetness reminds me of pastries. It is well-integrated and complex. The aftertaste has a little bit of everything as well. I am left with sweetness, a tinge of lemony acidity, and lingering berries flavors. It is a much more complex coffee than the Classico. I am surprised by how well it works with the press. The V60 would be the better method for this light roast, but the press shows another facet of this coffee. If you prefer sweetness, brew it with this method.

Espresso

I am always suspicious about a single-origin light roast for espresso as they can be seriously off-balanced and sour. This one works well. After dialing the setting of my espresso for a light roast (higher temperature, finer grind, and longer ratio for a better extraction), I am delighted with the excellent integration of the flavors. It is undoubtfully bright but not sour. Beautiful notes of caramel complete the acidity. Delicate notes of berries waft and make the cup complex. The bitterness is moderate. It is a great cup, but this differs from your everyday espresso; you want to focus on this one to appreciate all the delicious elaborate notes.

The Bottom Line

More, please! I love to see how roasters play with different types of beans and offer something for every preference. The Classico Blend is your perfect comfortable cup with loads of chocolate sweetness that work so well for espressos, lattes, or a bold cup made with a French press. Meanwhile, a single-origin like this Ethiopian will delight anyone willing to explore complex flavors and try something different. If you are looking to purchase beans online, do yourself a favor and try Riposo.