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When you usually drink fancy coffee, where does the coffee flavor come from? Actually, it comes from our espresso. The high-pressure and fast coffee extraction method is called Espresso. It refers to a coffee-making method, and the coffee made by this method is calledEspresso.

Although espresso does not have as long a history as wine, it is still sought after by fans from all over the world. From Italy, to all of Europe, and then to the whole world, it can be said that riding the second wave of coffee, it has become the most produced coffee beverage in the world today. Since then, espresso has become a classic symbol of Italy, capturing the hearts of generation after generation.

EspressoWhat coffee beans are used to extract it?

Espressois generally made using blended coffee beans, but in recent years it has been found that espresso made with single-origin coffee beansespressohas gradually become a popular trend, which is the SOE mentioned in the title.

SOE coffee means Single Origin Espresso, which means single-origin espresso. During the coffee brewing process, only coffee beans from the same origin are used for brewing. SOE is relative to Espresso Blend, which means that during the coffee brewing process, coffee beans from multiple origins are mixed for brewing.

Whether it is Espresso or SOE, both refer toItalian espresso. By grinding the coffee into an extremely fine powder, then tamping it into a firm "puck," and then using 9-10 bar of pressure and hot water above 90 degrees Celsius, a highly concentrated coffee liquid is extracted within tens of seconds at a 1:2 coffee-to-water ratio.

The difference is that the Espresso commonly found in coffee shops is extracted from medium-dark roasted blended coffee beans, while SOE specifically refers to espresso extracted from light-to-medium roasted coffee beans from a single origin. Front Street Coffee believes that the biggest difference between the two lies in the fact that espresso made with blended coffee beans and extracted properly will have a richer and more solid mouthfeel and overall flavor, rich and sweet without burnt bitterness.

The characteristic of blended coffee beans is that the barista, through understanding coffee beans from various origins, then uses different proportions to blend a coffee bean with balanced flavor by making up for each other's strengths and weaknesses, reducing the instability of single-origin coffee beans during extraction.

The coffee liquid extracted from single-origin coffee beans has a more prominent flavor, with obvious acidity and sweetness. However, because the coffee flavor needs to be highlighted, most coffee shops will choose light-to-medium roasted coffee beans. Due to the shorter roasting time, the coffee has not formed too many rich and heavy substances. Under high-pressure rapid extraction, the mouthfeel of SOE will appear slightly thin. At the same time, because it is an agricultural product, the flavor will be affected by the terroir and climate each year, so it cannot have long-term stable flavor.

Is SOE necessarily better tasting?

Not necessarily~ The espresso made from the two types of coffee beans has its own characteristics. If you like espresso that is not sour, Front Street Coffee suggests that you choose blended coffee beans. If you want to drink espresso with a rich flavor and mouthfeel, you can choose espresso made from single-origin coffee beans.

Some baristas will tell you: Our latte is made with coffee beans blended from SOE beans! This statement is not standard. SOE beans are single-origin coffee beans, and blended beans are beans made by blending two or more single-origin coffee beans. Since they are blended beans, they cannot be called SOE beans. There is no contradictory term like SOE blended beans.

If a barista says this, it may be to ride the trend and use the reputation of SOE to increase the value of their coffee; it may also be because they do not understand SOE well enough. Perhaps they just want to tell you that their blended beans all use Arabica beans, with no Robusta beans. But can't Robusta beans be single-origin beans? Can't espresso made with Robusta beans be called SOE? Obviously it can!

SOE, which began to be popular in 2007, had gradually matured by 2010. Consumers in North America have become accustomed to going to cafes and ordering a cup of seasonal single-origin espresso. The influence brought by SOE has also gradually spread. The popularity of SOE has made people realize that as long as there are exciting good beans, the formula for espresso does not need to be complicated. Through simple yet clever combinations, complementary and multiplicative effects can often achieve the effect of one plus one equals three, or even five!

Why isSOE coffeeso popular?

The mainstream espresso bean formulas loved by consumers are becoming simpler and simpler. The popularity of simplified formulas means that consumers have been able to accept the idea that "good coffee is a product with seasonal flavors." Fewer component types mean that each replacement of a "part" will cause a great change in the overall flavor performance.

Stability and consistency of taste are no longer the primary considerations; consistency of "concept" is the key point. The roasting method of coffee beans used to make SOE is very different from that of coffee beans used for pour-over. This is the pursuit of roasting skill and also a further pursuit of specialty coffee, because coffee beans that can be roasted for SOE must have many excellent qualities. Of course, everyone should not misunderstand that blended coffee beans are bad.

How do you make a cup of SOE coffee?

This timethe SOE coffee demonstration willuse a Front Street Gudingding coffee bean from Ethiopia in Africa. This single-origin bean has an obvious tea-like feel in pour-over coffee, and the full-bodied berry juice flavor is unforgettable.

Front Street Gudingding Cooperative Washed Coffee Beans

Origin: Ethiopia Yirgacheffe

Cooperative: Gudingding Cooperative

Variety: Ethiopian heirloom
Growing altitude: 2000m

Processing method: Washed
    

Front Street Gudingding SOE Espresso Extraction Parameters: 20g extremely fine ground coffee to extract 40g espresso liquid, extraction time 30 seconds.

Coffee beans: Front Street Gudingding Cooperative

Coffee powder amount: 20g

Coffee liquid amount: 40g

Coffee-to-liquid ratio: 1:2

Extraction time: 25～30 seconds  

Grind setting: Galileo 1.6

The coffee machine used by Front Street has a double shot basket capacity, and 20 grams of coffee powder is needed each time. The extraction powder-to-liquid ratio is 1:2, that is, 40 grams of coffee liquid is produced within a reasonable time. The extraction time is related to the flow rate of the coffee powder. Generally, a single extraction time is controlled between 20 and 35 seconds. If it is less than 20 seconds, the coffee taste is likely to be thin and bland, while if it exceeds 35 seconds, it is easy to over-extract and cause a burnt bitter taste in the coffee. Therefore, when Front Street produces it, the espresso time is controlled within the range of 26 to 32 seconds.

Before extraction, we need to first wipe the portafilter basket dry, turn on the grinder, grind a double shot of coffee powder, and place it on an electronic scale to measure and adjust until it reaches 20 grams. Then use a distribution tool to spread the coffee powder evenly, and use a tamper to press vertically downward with force to tamp the coffee puck firmly, ensuring more stable coffee extraction.

Then turn on the extraction switch and let water run for 1 to 2 seconds to wet the group head, while also removing the coffee grounds stuck on it. Place an electronic scale under the cup receiving the Espresso, and reset the weight to 0. During extraction, place it together under the group head.

Gently lock the portafilter onto the group head, and begin by turning down the extraction switch. Observe the changes in the extracted liquid. When the electronic scale shows that 40 grams of coffee liquid has been extracted, at about 30 seconds, turn off the extraction switch.

Flavor description of Gudingding SOE Espresso: medium acidity, medium-low bitterness, medium-low sweetness, syrupy mouthfeel, berry juice flavor, slightly obvious tea-like note, and a long finish.

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