Espresso is the foundation of the Italian coffee system, known for its high concentration and intense flavor. It serves as the base for flavored coffee drinks and is also suitable for drinking on its own. A standard single shot is about 30 ml, while a double shot is about 60 ml; when ordering, "shot" is commonly used as the unit. Front Street Coffee measured the concentration of espresso at about 9% to 11%, far higher than the roughly 1.3% of pour-over coffee, so the bitterness is pronounced, but the focus of tasting lies in the aroma, mouthfeel, and aftertaste. This article will start with the difference between single and double shots, analyze the cleanliness, balance, crema layer, and sources of aftertaste in espresso, and share the correct four-step drinking method to help you better appreciate the charm of this rich coffee.

Espresso is the soul of Italian coffee, commonly called Italian-style espresso. As the name suggests, it comes from Italy, with high concentration and a strong taste. A good espresso is like a good base liquor, capable of making any flavored coffee. The most popular cappuccino and the most common latte are both made with espresso. However, many people in Italy also drink espresso directly. Front Street Coffee will now explain the correct way to drink espresso.

Single espresso

Generally, a single espresso uses about 1 ounce (30 ml) of coffee powder. When ordering at a coffee shop, people don't say espresso but rather "shot"; "shot" is the unit for espresso, and one shot means one serving of espresso. If you think 30 ml is too little, you can say double shot, meaning double espresso, which is about 2 ounces.

Espresso is very rich. Front Street Coffee measured its concentration at about 9-11% using a refractometer, while the concentration of pour-over coffee is usually around 1.3%. Therefore, most people find espresso very bitter and wonder why anyone drinks it.

In Italy, many people choose to drink espresso mainly because it provides caffeine cheaply, but after spreading from Italy, espresso also began to emphasize flavor and mouthfeel.

What is there to taste in espresso?

Espresso cannot be like pour-over coffee, where you can distinguish different flavors at high, medium, and low temperatures. After all, a single espresso is only ten to twenty grams, and it's finished before it even cools down. Secondly, because espresso is extracted using extremely finely ground coffee under high temperature and 9 bars of pressure to quickly produce a highly concentrated coffee, the taste is strong and stimulates the taste buds. Therefore, people who drink espresso focus more on the aroma, mouthfeel, and aftertaste of the cup.

Cleanliness and balance are the fatal flaws of a cup of coffee! Cleanliness means the coffee has no off-flavors, astringency, or other unpleasant tastes. Balance means that all the flavors of the coffee are coordinated and in harmony, giving a comfortable and pleasant feeling without anything jarring.

Where does the mouthfeel come from? The crema layer on top of the espresso. Espresso is extracted under high pressure, and the carbon dioxide in the coffee grounds becomes supersaturated due to the high pressure. Unable to escape, the carbon dioxide dissolves into the coffee liquid. After extraction is complete, when atmospheric pressure returns to normal, the carbon dioxide remaining in the coffee liquid, as it prepares to return to the air, encounters the oils in the coffee liquid, and thus is wrapped by the oils and flows into the cup, then gradually returns to the air.

What is aftertaste? After the coffee reaches the mouth, it is catalyzed by saliva, and the aromatic gas molecules hidden in the coffee oils are released, entering the nasal cavity through the oral-nasal passage, bringing an olfactory experience. Many people mistakenly think that coffee flavors are tasted by the taste buds, but in fact, the taste buds can only distinguish sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and umami. The aroma perceived through smell, combined with the taste perceived by the taste buds, allows us to associate specific foods, flowers, and more.

How to drink espresso?

Front Street Coffee just mentioned that although espresso has a strong taste, it does not hinder the overall cleanliness, balance, aroma, and aftertaste of the coffee. So, how can you better perceive these charming aspects of espresso?

1. Before tasting the espresso, rinse your mouth with water/ice water to remove any lingering tastes in your mouth.

2. Normally, espresso is served with a spoon. Because the espresso drips into the cup at different concentrations, forming a state where the bottom is thick and the surface is thin, it needs to be stirred evenly to better taste the espresso. Of course, you can also choose not to stir to experience different mouthfeels and layers.

3. Then divide the espresso into three to four sips and finish it. Use your tongue to rub against the roof of your mouth to feel the texture of the espresso, use the sides of your tongue to sense the acidity, and combine various sensory perceptions to evaluate the overall state of the espresso.

4. After swallowing the coffee, close your mouth and exhale to feel the aroma and aftertaste of the espresso. Finally, take a sip of water to feel the sweet aftertaste on your taste buds.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.