Stella Espresso – Boxcar Coffee Roasters

Boxcar Coffee Roasters is based in Denver, Colorado and joins the long list of other great roasters I’ve been able to try from the Denver region. While they offer a lot of unique single-origin options, Stella Espresso is their “workhorse blend that [they] serve all day, every day in [their] cafes.”¹

I tried the Stella as both a pour over with my v60 and espresso with my Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine. The below review is a combination of both techniques since both brought out different qualities of the blend.

The coffee begins with a chocolate aroma that was especially sweet with the espresso. The chocolate carries through to the flavor profile as the dominate flavor note, but I also tasted sweet cherries especially as the coffee cooled. The coffee has a sharp, citrus acidity at the front that mellows out in the middle of each sip and then swells up again in a bright, lingering finish. The coffee has a smooth, steady sweetness that carries throughout and really helps unify the coffee.

The Bottom Line

While Stella is anything but exotic and unique, it is a perfect flagship coffee that is extremely versatile and works well in a variety of brew methods. If you enjoy a balanced, sweet-toned coffee that will work for whatever brewing technique you throw at it, Stella Espresso from Boxcar is a great option for you.