Espresso 101: Learn the basics of espresso
Jan 07, 2022
What is Espresso?<\/h3>
Espresso is a type of coffee brewing method. Espresso is not specific coffee beans or roast type. What distinguishes espresso from other types of brewing methods is the pressure. To brew espresso, hot water is forced through compact finely ground coffee under high pressure. Normally between 6 to 9 bar. Because the coffee is brewed at such a high temperature, all natural aromas and gases are extracted from the coffee quickly and efficiently. The result is a concentrated small coffee drink with a very complex flavor and an aromatic top layer which is also called crema.<\/div>
Espresso has a higher dose of caffeine per ml compared to brewed coffee. A cup of regular brewed coffee of 15cl contains about 70mg of caffeine while a double espresso of 36ml contains about 150mg of caffeine.<\/div>
So what is crema?<\/h3>
<\/p>
Crema is the top layer of foam on espresso and is an essential and unique characteristic of espresso brewing. Crema is formed because there is carbon dioxide in the coffee that is released by the high brewing pressure. The carbon dioxide gas itself is formed during the roasting process. Even if About espresso is brewed correctly, the amount of crema can vary due to different factors such as roast profile and bean type. Generally, Arabica beans tend to produce less crema compared to Robusta coffee beans. Lightly roasted beans also yield less crema than medium and dark roasted beans. The color of the crema also indicates how strong your espresso is in terms of caffeine content. Thus, the darker the color, the higher the caffeine content your espresso will have.<\/div>
How do I drink espresso?<\/h3>
Espresso is often characterized by a bitter or sour aftertaste. However, depending on the choice of beans, you can produce fantastic espresso that have neither a bitter nor sour aftertaste with complex flavors such as fruit, sweetness, chocolate, and nuts. Compared to regular brewed coffee, espresso is experienced as much stronger simply because the coffee drink is much smaller but more concentrated. Thus, espresso is in a nutshell a compressed version of brewed coffee. For someone who is not used to drinking pure espresso, the taste experience can be overwhelming. Being able to enjoy the complex flavors that espresso offers takes time but is very rewarding once you have developed and refined your taste buds.<\/div>
Espresso can be combined with hot water which is called americano and is the drink that resembles brewed coffee the most. By adding frothed milk to espresso, you can create a variety of coffee drinks such as latte, cappuccino, macchiato, and so on. There are plenty of different recipes ranging from cold and sweet coffee drinks to small drinks like Cortado.<\/div>
How do I brew espresso?<\/h3>
<\/p>
Espresso is brewed by an espresso machine that can press through a compact finely ground coffee with 9 bars of pressure. To achieve a well-balanced espresso, there are a few important components. Generally, it is said that you should have a ratio of 1:2 between ground coffee and the volume of espresso. So About if you grind 18g of coffee, you should aim for about 36g of espresso and the time to extract that amount of espresso should take between 25 to 30 seconds. Then you can always refine the recipe by increasing or decreasing certain parameters. There is no fixed recipe or rule, but this is a start to get going and achieve a good result.
Espresso has a higher dose of caffeine per ml compared to brewed coffee. A cup of regular brewed coffee of 15cl contains about 70mg of caffeine while a double espresso of 36ml contains about 150mg of caffeine.<\/div>
So what is crema?<\/h3>
<\/p>
Crema is the top layer of foam on espresso and is an essential and unique characteristic of espresso brewing. Crema is formed because there is carbon dioxide in the coffee that is released by the high brewing pressure. The carbon dioxide gas itself is formed during the roasting process. Even if About espresso is brewed correctly, the amount of crema can vary due to different factors such as roast profile and bean type. Generally, Arabica beans tend to produce less crema compared to Robusta coffee beans. Lightly roasted beans also yield less crema than medium and dark roasted beans. The color of the crema also indicates how strong your espresso is in terms of caffeine content. Thus, the darker the color, the higher the caffeine content your espresso will have.<\/div>
How do I drink espresso?<\/h3>
How do I drink espresso?<\/h3>
Espresso is often characterized by a bitter or sour aftertaste. However, depending on the choice of beans, you can produce fantastic espresso that have neither a bitter nor sour aftertaste with complex flavors such as fruit, sweetness, chocolate, and nuts. Compared to regular brewed coffee, espresso is experienced as much stronger simply because the coffee drink is much smaller but more concentrated. Thus, espresso is in a nutshell a compressed version of brewed coffee. For someone who is not used to drinking pure espresso, the taste experience can be overwhelming. Being able to enjoy the complex flavors that espresso offers takes time but is very rewarding once you have developed and refined your taste buds.<\/div>
Espresso can be combined with hot water which is called americano and is the drink that resembles brewed coffee the most. By adding frothed milk to espresso, you can create a variety of coffee drinks such as latte, cappuccino, macchiato, and so on. There are plenty of different recipes ranging from cold and sweet coffee drinks to small drinks like Cortado.<\/div>
How do I brew espresso?<\/h3>
<\/p>
Espresso is brewed by an espresso machine that can press through a compact finely ground coffee with 9 bars of pressure. To achieve a well-balanced espresso, there are a few important components. Generally, it is said that you should have a ratio of 1:2 between ground coffee and the volume of espresso. So About if you grind 18g of coffee, you should aim for about 36g of espresso and the time to extract that amount of espresso should take between 25 to 30 seconds. Then you can always refine the recipe by increasing or decreasing certain parameters. There is no fixed recipe or rule, but this is a start to get going and achieve a good result.
Espresso can be combined with hot water which is called americano and is the drink that resembles brewed coffee the most. By adding frothed milk to espresso, you can create a variety of coffee drinks such as latte, cappuccino, macchiato, and so on. There are plenty of different recipes ranging from cold and sweet coffee drinks to small drinks like Cortado.<\/div>
How do I brew espresso?<\/h3>
<\/p>
Espresso is brewed by an espresso machine that can press through a compact finely ground coffee with 9 bars of pressure. To achieve a well-balanced espresso, there are a few important components. Generally, it is said that you should have a ratio of 1:2 between ground coffee and the volume of espresso. So About if you grind 18g of coffee, you should aim for about 36g of espresso and the time to extract that amount of espresso should take between 25 to 30 seconds. Then you can always refine the recipe by increasing or decreasing certain parameters. There is no fixed recipe or rule, but this is a start to get going and achieve a good result.
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