Andy Roasters is a specialty roaster out of Antwerp, running a light-to-medium roast philosophy and a tight lineup that doesn’t try to do everything. Their Blend Espresso is built on two components: a natural Brazil Diamond and a fully washed Colombia Huitaca. Medium roast, espresso-focused, €9.90 for 250g.
I first walked past Andy’s while passing through Antwerp en route somewhere else, stopped in, and had one of their single origins. It was good enough to stick in my head. I started following what they were doing, partly because the coffee was solid and partly because the branding is genuinely well done. Not a great reason to buy beans, but here we are. The Blend eventually ended up in my hopper as a morning workhorse candidate.
In the cup, this sits squarely in classic espresso territory. The roast level lands somewhere in the middle: not light enough to be fruity or acidic, not dark enough to tip into roasty or bitter. What you get is chocolate and a dry nuttiness, with a texture that’s noticeably syrupy compared to a light roast. It doesn’t have that sharp, almost watery quality you get from high-acid coffees; the body is present and it coats the palate. I’ve been pulling it mostly into flat whites and the occasional cappuccino, and it holds up well under milk. The flavours don’t dissolve into the dairy. There’s still a distinct coffee note coming through alongside the chocolate-nutty character, which is exactly what you want from a blend positioned for milk drinks.
The bag bills it as “perfect both black and white,” and I’d mostly agree, though black is where you notice the roast level most. Nothing objectionable, just less interesting than in milk.
At under ten euros for 250g, this is an easy yes for anyone who wants a reliable morning espresso without the fuss of dialling in something more temperamental. I’d buy it again.
