How Does Espresso Ratio Change Latte and Americano Flavor?

Using the same espresso coffee beans, grind size, and 20-gram dose, a brew ratio of 1:1 gave a brighter, more sour shot that turned notably sweet with milk. A 1:1.5 ratio produced a balanced, layered milk coffee, while 1:2 leaned toward over-extracted woody and smoky notes in the cup.

The test used a Colombian and Brazilian blend, a 1.9 grind setting on a Faema 900N, a single-spout portafilter, and 300 ml latte cups. At 1:1, extraction ran about 19 seconds with cream, nut, and sugarcane notes; the latte showed nut, chocolate, cream, and butter cookie tones, and the americano smelled of caramel.

The key to a delicious latte lies in the ratio of espresso to milk. Front Street Coffee used the same specialty blend beans, the same grind size and dose, to test espresso liquids at three brew ratios—1:1, 1:1.5, and 1:2—and made espresso, latte, and americano from each to compare the flavor differences. The experiment found that espresso at a 1:1 ratio was on the sour side but became remarkably sweet once milk was added, making it suitable for a milder taste; 1:1.5 offered rich layers with a balanced milk-coffee mix; and 1:2 tended to produce over-extracted woody and smoky notes. At the end, two Front Street Coffee beans suitable for making espresso are also recommended for enthusiasts to consider purchasing.

A while ago, a coffee enthusiast asked Front Street Coffee: if using the same beans, keeping the same grind size and dose, when making milk coffee, americano, or espresso, does the espresso brew ratio need to be adjusted? To answer this question, the baristas at Front Street Coffee specially conducted a comparative experiment to observe how espresso extracted at different brew ratios performs in flavor when made into milk coffee and americano. Now let Front Street Coffee discuss the mixing ratios for latte, as well as the performance of americano and espresso.

Latte coffee recipe ratios:

The cups used in this experiment are the latte cups Front Street Coffee uses for daily service, with a capacity of 300ml.

For the coffee beans, Front Street Coffee used the Front Street specialty blend composed of Colombian and Brazilian beans; the grind size was set at 1.9 on the Faema 900N; a single-spout portafilter was used to extract espresso, with the dose fixed at 20 grams, and the brew ratios tested were 1:1, 1:1.5, and 1:2.

Next, let's taste one by one what the espresso made with these three brew ratios tastes like, and how they perform when made into milk coffee and americano.

Brew ratio 1:1 — 20g dose extracting 20g of coffee liquid, extraction time: 19 seconds

[Espresso] Smooth on entry, with slightly higher acidity, aromas of cream and nuts, and a sugarcane-like sweetness that lingers for a long time.

[Latte] The aroma is mainly nutty; on entry you can taste nuts, chocolate, and cream, with a hint of butter cookie association, and the milk's sweetness is quite prominent.

[Americano] It smells of caramel; on entry it is mild and not harsh, with a smooth mouthfeel and red berry notes.

Brew ratio 1:1.5

20g dose extracting 30g of coffee liquid, extraction time: 27 seconds

[Espresso] On entry there is a berry-like acidity, with chocolate and hazelnut flavors emerging mid-palate, and a lasting sweetness.

[Latte] Distinct caramel aroma; on entry there are cream, milk chocolate, and slight nutty notes, with the milk and coffee relatively balanced.

[Americano] On entry there is a slight berry acidity, with a clear sugarcane sweetness in the finish.

Brew ratio 1:2 — 20g dose extracting 40g of coffee liquid, extraction time: 34 seconds

[Espresso] On entry there is a creamy sweet aroma, with a clean sweet finish and some rock sugar-like sweetness, but a noticeable smoky note in the aftertaste.

[Latte] Although light on entry, it has a toffee-like sweetness, with cinnamon and woody notes in the aftertaste.

[Americano] It smells slightly woody, and on entry there are cocoa and woody flavors.

[Summary]

Through this practice, Front Street Coffee found that espresso with a smaller brew ratio tastes more noticeably acidic, but once milk is added it becomes very sweet, and when made into americano it also gives a mild impression. Front Street believes this is mainly because the extraction ratio is reduced and the extraction time is shortened, essentially extracting only the early-stage substances, making over-extraction unlikely; at the same time, since the total amount of espresso liquid is reduced, under the premise of an unchanged serving volume, the amount of milk increases accordingly, so the sweetness becomes more prominent.

The cup of espresso with a larger brew ratio was on the light side on entry, with fairly noticeable sweetness, but woody and smoky flavors soon appeared. The same was true when made into a latte: although light and sweet on entry, woody notes quickly emerged just like the espresso; when made into americano, an obvious over-extracted woody flavor appeared right on entry.

The 1:1.5 brew ratio group, whether espresso or americano, was relatively richer in flavor layers; when made into a latte, the flavors of milk and coffee were also more balanced—the coffee did not overpower the milk, nor did the milk steal the coffee's spotlight, achieving an overall balanced state.

Previous articles by Front Street Coffee also mentioned that at the beginning of extraction, espresso has higher acidity and concentration, while the portion extracted from the middle stage onward gradually reveals sweetness and the flavor slowly becomes lighter. Therefore, when the brew ratio is increased, espresso is more prone to over-extraction.

Taking the Front Street specialty blend coffee beans and parameters used by Front Street Coffee this time as an example, without changing the grind size, if you want a latte with prominent sweetness, or an americano that tastes relatively mild, you can try espresso liquid at a 1:1 brew ratio; and if you want an espresso or americano with rich layers, or a relatively balanced latte, you might try espresso liquid at a 1:1.5 brew ratio.

What coffee beans are used for espresso?

As Front Street Coffee said above, making these three coffees all depends on espresso, so what kind of coffee beans extract better flavor for espresso?

Coffee beans for making espresso are usually divided into two categories: one is medium-dark roasted blends dominated by chocolate and nut aromas, and the other is medium roasted coffee beans with floral and fruity aromas.

For friends who prefer a rich, mellow coffee flavor, the Front Street classic espresso blend is recommended. This bean is composed of three origins—Brazil, Indonesia, and Vietnam—and uses a deep roast, which maximizes the coffee's rich aroma and also makes it easy to extract abundant, dense crema. It is very suitable whether for an americano diluted with water or a latte paired with milk, and can be purchased from the Front Street Taobao store or the Front Street Tmall flagship store.

If you want to make an espresso with fruity aromas, you should focus on medium roasted coffee beans. The Front Street Strawberry Candy espresso coffee beans are recommended, and can be ordered directly from the Taobao or Tmall stores. This bean combines Front Street Costa Rica Tarrazu, famous for its honey processing, with two major origins in Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee, plus Colombian coffee beans. The resulting espresso is not only not harsh, but also delivers good crema and a dense texture under the coffee machine's extraction, while possessing a sweet-and-sour taste like strawberry gummy candy.

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