I tried IKEA Patar Espresso Roast coffee beans: My review and photos

Ikea Patar espresso roast beans and coffee

by Nigel Ong

You may think of IKEA as a furniture store, but it offers much more than affordable furniture. IKEA also offers a wide range of food and beverage products, including coffee gear and roasts. 

Many coffee drinkers usually shun roasts from large brands and may not even want to touch IKEA’s roasts with a stick. But are IKEA Patar’s roasts that bad? Or do they deserve much better?

I picked up a bag of IKEA Patar Espresso roast in this post and reviewed it. I will brew the roast several ways and see how it tastes. I’ll also compare it against popular espresso roasts like Starbucks Espresso Roast.

About IKEA Patar Espresso Roast

The IKEA Patar is a range of coffee roasts from IKEA. These roasts come in three styles and are from 100% Arabica beans. The coffee roasts are also organic, meaning the beans are free from pesticides or synthetic additives. 

The coffee in these roasts is sourced from small Latin American farmers. This means some of your purchase will go towards supporting small farmers and not some large, faceless corporations. You can get these IKEA roasts as either beans or ground coffee. 

Measurements are a little off; they are first measured in grams. Bags start as small as 8.8 oz (250 grams) and can be as large as 17.6 oz (500g). What I have for reviewing today is the IKEA Patar Dark Roast. 

 The three roast styles in the IKEA Patar include:

  • IKEA Patar Medium Roast
  • IKEA Patar Dark Roast
  • IKEA Patar Espresso Roast

You can tell these roasts apart from other roasts by the color of the packaging. Dark roast coffee has brown-colored packaging, while medium roast comes in a turquoise-like packaging color. 

The espresso roast is brown, with a picture of an espresso maker up front. It is this particular roast that we are reviewing in this post:

How Does IKEA Patar Espresso Roast Taste?

As a start, this is an espresso roast, which means the brewing styles and approach should be different. Espresso brewing is usually quite standardized, which could explain why the packaging has no instructions. 

I will brew the IKEA Patar using my trusty Wacaco Minipresso GR, a portable, hand-held espresso maker. 

Once I have the espresso, I’ll try to turn it into some popular drinks and continue the tasting from there. These include Macchiato, Latte, Americano, and a cheeky Affogato.

First Impression

One of the first things I like about the coffee roast is the packaging. It is honest and simple and does not try to be more than what it is. I am usually wary of coffee roasts that try to use very colorful packaging.

I am also not a big fan of coffee with roast names and labels that tries to bring unrelated matters into the coffee. Some coffee roasters, for example, like to invoke imagery of events or patriotism into their roasts. 

Once I opened the bag, I liked what I saw. It is an espresso roast, which means they are darker than usual. However, the beans are not charred, as in the case of very dark roasts. 

There is some shine on the beans, meaning there’s some oil on the beans. But I don’t think it’s too excessive to the point that they may clog up your coffee grinder. I have seen oilier beans, for sure. 

The aroma is fragrant, with notes of cocoa and earthiness. I also smell a bit of acidic notes, which may mean we’re dealing with some acidic coffee here. I loaded the beans into my grinder and started making my espresso grinds. Time to start brewing.

ikea patar espresso beans and cup of espresso with minipresso machine

Espresso

To start, I loaded about 8 grams of espresso grinds into my Wacaco Minipresso GR and pumped out a shot of espresso. What I see is a beautiful cup with rich, thick crema. The color of the crema is also inviting and not too dark. 

I took a sip of the espresso. I was expecting a strong, smoky flavor. However, I do not sense a lot of smoke on the espresso. Instead, the espresso is smooth and bitter, with slight sweetness and acidity. 

As I sipped along, I noticed the bittersweet flavors may have a little cocoa flavor, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The crema also is steady and remains with the espresso even as I finish my cup.

Macchiato

Now that the espresso is fragrant and acidic, with cocoa notes, I wonder if milk can change the flavor. Foamed milk usually adds texture to the drink while also sweetening the drink slightly from the lactose. 

I made another fresh cup of espresso and added a dash of steamed milk. I do not have a milk steamer, and I used a slightly more primitive but much cheaper method. 

I heated my milk in a microwave and poured it into my IKEA Mattlig Milk Frothing Jug. Then, I frothed the milk using the IKEA Produkt Milk Frother. This combination costs less than $20, which is way cheaper than buying a coffee maker with a milk steamer. 

The milk does mellow up the espresso slightly, making it creamier and sweeter. The Macchiato tastes smooth and great, with much of the initial espresso quality intact. 

On another note, the acidity in the Macchiato did go down a bit, which may make the coffee nicer if you do not like the slightly sour flavor.

Latte

Since I already have an espresso roast, why not try to make one of the most popular espresso-based beverages – Latte? It will also be nice to see how the espresso will taste when mixed with a lot of milk. 

I steamed up my fresh cow’s milk, UHT, and brewed another fresh cup of espresso. I used the traditional 1:3 ratio this time, one part espresso and three parts milk. I tried to pour some fancy latte art but ended up botching it. 

As a result, what you see is a boring blob on the crema. This, however, should not mess with the taste. 

The milk is generous, but it does not drown out the espresso. The deep bittersweetness and earthiness remain but are well complemented by the creaminess and sweetness of the milk. 

The milk also made the espresso much smoother and silkier to sip on. The latter is hearty and should taste very well with some biscuits or sandwiches. 

Americano

Another popular, non-milk-based espresso drink is the Americano. After thinking between either an Americano or a Long Black. The reason? It is much more popular worldwide anyway.

I brewed a fresh shot of the IKEA Patar espresso and poured hot water. I kept the original ratio of 2:1, which is two parts hot water for 1 part espresso. 

I sipped the coffee quickly before the remaining crema dissipated. The coffee tastes like a regular Americano, perhaps with more sour notes. This may point to the origin of the beans, which could be acidic.

The aroma is superb, and the coffee should be an excellent perk-me-up drink for anyone wanting that. I would enjoy this Americano with a donut or a curry puff.

Affogato

Finally, I remembered having vanilla ice cream in the freezer. I immediately thought of making an affogato with the IKEA Patar Espresso Roast.

I scooped out a big fat dollop of vanilla ice cream and poured in a shot of espresso. I pulled out my teaspoon and slapped some of this goodness into my mouth. 

The espresso’s bitterness complemented the vanilla ice cream well. However, as I eat alone, I notice that the espresso’s acidic flavor may sometimes make the affogato taste a little off. 

However, this is nothing too major. In fact, you may not even notice it. Perhaps it’s just me being picky with my food.

IKEA Patar Espresso Roast vs. Starbucks Espresso Roast

When I finished everything, I washed my palate and thought I would compare the IKEA Patar with other Espresso Roasts. I pulled out a Starbucks Espresso roast bag, brewed an espresso shot, and drank it with the IKEA Patar.

I would say that the IKEA Patar Espresso is slightly sour, with less smoke. It has more clarity in flavor compared to Starbucks. 

The Starbucks’ Espresso Roast is smokier, earthier, and less sour. It also hits your palate stronger and has a stronger bittersweet cocoa note. The finish is also longer with the Starbucks’ Espresso Roast.

If you like less smoky and bold espresso, the IKEA Patat may be a better choice. However, if you seek nothing but the hardest coffee hits, the Starbucks’ Espresso Roast would be your Metallica. 

IKEA Patar Espresso Roast vs. IKEA Patar Dark Organic Roast

Finally, I thought I’ll compare the IKEA Patars, this time, between the Dark roast and the Espresso roast. Both are dark roasts and should be similar in many ways.

I brewed another cup of espresso using the IKEA Patar Dark Roast and sipped it alongside the Espresso Roast. As I sipped, I finally noticed why they were different. 

I think IKEA roasted the Espresso roast darker to bring in more smoke and make the coffee bold in flavor. The Espresso roast is also oilier, which helps to bring out more flavor into the espresso. 

Ikea patar espresso roast and dark roast

Suppose the true intention of the Espresso roast is to make espresso, while the dark roast primarily brews regular coffee. However, the dark roast also makes a good cup of espresso; I enjoyed it a lot.

Who Should Enjoy IKEA Patar Espresso Roast?

After drinking so much espresso and caffeinating myself pretty intensely in the process, I sampled the IKEA Patar Espresso Roast and had an idea about it. 

I think the IKEA Patar Espresso Roast is made with one intention: to be made into cups of espresso. The espresso the roaster has in mind is probably smooth and milder, focusing on flavor. 

I don’t think the roaster plans to punch the hell out of your palate with this espresso roast. It is meant to be an easy-to-sip, regular espresso many can enjoy. 

As a result, I think this makes excellent regular espresso to be enjoyed daily. It would also be a great espresso to serve people, such as in kitchens or cafes, as it has a mild taste. It is an espresso that is not too edgy in flavor, meaning it would not offend any palates.

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