As coffee culture sweeps across the country, coffee shops are gradually appearing on every street and alley, with espresso-based coffee, known for its speed and convenience, being especially popular. A rich, aromatic espresso gives rise to all kinds of popular Italian-style coffees, such as Americano, latte, mocha, and so on. Today, Front Street Coffee will talk about the "soul" of the coffee shop—the characteristics of espresso.
The Main Characteristics of Espresso
Espresso, also known as Espresso, is a coffee liquid extracted by Italians using a pressure-based coffee machine at high temperature and quickly, with a layer of golden foam floating on the surface. Each shop uses different espresso beans and different extraction recipes, so the flavor will vary, but a standard espresso will have the following two characteristics.
Cream
When we order an espresso at a coffee shop and the barista brings it right after extraction, we can see a thick layer of golden foam floating on top, which we call Crema.
Coffee beans produce a large amount of gas during roasting. Water dissolves out the carbon dioxide under high pressure, but as the brewed coffee liquid gradually returns to normal atmospheric pressure, the liquid can no longer trap all the gas components, so countless tiny bubbles emerge from the liquid. These bubbles remain on the surface of the coffee liquid, looking like a stable layer of "bubbles." A rich and dense Crema means the coffee beans used for the espresso are freshly roasted. Since the gas inside the coffee beans is continuously released over time, the longer the time since the roast date, the lower the carbon dioxide content, and the thinner the foam layer during extraction.
If an espresso has no Crema on top, it is very likely that the coffee beans have been stored too long, or perhaps the espresso was made and left un-drunk for a long time, and the foam disappeared. The darker the color of the Crema, the richer the taste usually is. Because the coffee beans undergo the Maillard reaction at high temperatures, the darker the roast of the coffee beans, the darker the color of the foam layer and the richer the mouthfeel.
High Concentration
The extraction of a single espresso requires the release of a large amount of soluble substances in just a few dozen seconds, so the coffee powder needs to be ground very finely and evenly. After passing through near-boiling hot water and 9 bars of high pressure, the concentration of espresso is very high, all flavors are doubled and concentrated, and the entry presents a strong mouthfeel. After swallowing, various aromas linger in the mouth with a lasting aftertaste. Therefore, many coffee shops serve a glass of water alongside a strong espresso.
How to Make Espresso
Many coffee enthusiasts have unknowingly equipped themselves with lots of coffee gear at home, and friends who are obsessed with Italian-style coffee have even stocked up on espresso machines, ready to extract it themselves. Here, Front Street Coffee uses shop-produced espresso as a reference to briefly explain how to make an Espresso.
The coffee machine at Front Street Coffee's shop is the commercial single-group "Lelit Bianca," which can adjust extraction by changing the pressure, with a maximum pressure of 11 bar. A home coffee machine only needs to reach 9 bar of pressure to meet the functions of extraction and steaming milk foam, paired with an espresso grinder.
Front Street Coffee uses the capacity of a double basket, with a dose of about 18–20 grams, and Front Street Coffee uses 20 grams of coffee powder when producing. Usually the ratio of coffee powder to coffee liquid is between 1:1.5 and 1:2.5. Front Street Coffee's extraction ratio is 1:2, that is, 20 grams of coffee powder extracts 40 grams of coffee liquid. The time is related to the flow rate of the coffee powder. Generally, a single extraction is controlled at 20–35 seconds, because within 20 seconds the coffee usually tastes thin, while over 35 seconds it is easy to over-extract and develop a burnt bitter taste. Front Street Coffee's espresso mostly falls within the range of 28–30 seconds.
Front Street Coffee first wipes the basket dry, turns on the grinder, grinds out the amount for a double shot, places it on an electronic scale and adjusts it to reach a weight of 20 grams. Then use a tool to distribute the grounds evenly, tamp the coffee puck firmly, ensuring a more stable extraction. Then turn on the extraction switch to release water, wetting the group head while washing away the coffee grounds stuck on it. Gently and slowly lock the portafilter onto the group head and start pulling the extraction. When the electronic scale shows that 40 grams of coffee liquid has been extracted, at about 30 seconds, you can pull down the extraction switch. Pour the coffee liquid into an Espresso cup and enjoy.
The taste and mouthfeel of Espresso are related to the coffee beans used. The espresso produced by Front Street Coffee's shop usesFront Street Sunflower Warm Sun Blend. It is blended from Front Street Honduras Sherry coffee and Front Street Ethiopia Natural Red Cherry at a ratio of 7:3. Made into Espresso, it has rich crema,with a very obvious whiskey aroma; on the palate there are vanilla cookies and the acidity of berries, with a solid flavor, and after drinking, the whole mouth is filled with various aromas.
Espresso can also be diluted with water, which is the Americano commonly seen on menus, fresh and fragrant. Add milk and it becomes a latte, presenting the sweet deliciousness of chocolate and cream.
Espresso Blend Coffee Bean Recommendations
In addition to the whiskey-flavored Front Street Sunflower Warm Sun Blend coffee, Front Street Coffee's bean list also has three cost-effective Front Street espresso blend coffee beans for everyone to choose from. The extracted espresso mainly presents nutty notes, and each blend has subtle differences due to the different proportions used.
1. Classic Rich Type — Front Street Commercial Blend Coffee Beans
Robusta washed coffee beans (10%) + Colombia washed coffee beans (30%) + Brazil semi-washed coffee (60%)
The resulting espresso has rich golden crema and nutty aromas. When tasting, there is a roasted coffee bitterness, but accompanied by more of a creamy, full-bodied mouthfeel, and after swallowing, the bitterness dissipates, leaving a lingering fragrance on the lips and teeth. Suitable for the daily output of coffee shops.
2. Slightly Sour Rich Type — Front Street Dark Cocoa Blend Coffee Beans
Yunnan washed small-bean coffee (30%) + Brazil semi-washed coffee beans (70%)
Yunnan small-bean coffee with a soft acidity combined with the rich aroma of Brazil Cerrado coffee, the espresso has the taste of caramel, nuts, and a soft plum acidity. This cost-effective espresso blend coffee bean is suitable for shop owners and home users who prioritize cost and have average flavor requirements.
3. Balanced Rich Aroma Type — Front Street Specialty Blend Coffee Beans
Colombia washed coffee beans (30%) + Brazil semi-washed coffee beans (70%)
Adding Colombian coffee to the nutty notes of classic Brazilian coffee, the espresso presents a dark chocolate flavor, caramel sweetness, and a full roasted aroma, meeting the daily needs of running a shop.
Finally, if you want the extracted espresso to present the various flavors described by Front Street Coffee, Front Street Coffee recommends choosing freshly roasted coffee beans. Coffee beans need a few days of degassing after roasting, then enter a period of full aroma, when the extracted espresso is more stable. To ensure everyone can drink freshly roasted coffee beans after ordering, all coffee beans shipped by Front Street Coffee are freshly roasted within 5 days, so that when you receive them they are still at the stage of rich aroma.
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The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
