thecoffeefanatics.com
How to drink espresso. What is crema in espresso? Espresso flavor. Вarista tips.
What is espresso and how to drink it correctly? Crema in espresso. Density, color and elasticity of crema, over-extracted and under-extracted espresso, why drink water before espresso. The taste and volume of espresso.
How to drink espresso. What is crema in espresso? Espresso flavor. Вarista tips.
What is espresso and how to drink it correctly? Crema in espresso. Density, color and elasticity of crema, over-extracted and under-extracted espresso, why drink water before espresso. The taste and volume of espresso.
Quick page navigation
AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE If you purchase items through our links we will earn a small commission (at no cost to you) that helps support this website. Thank you if you use our links, we really appreciate it!
What is Espresso?
An espresso is a small drink made from a sufficiently large amount of compressed ground coffee through which hot water under pressure flows. In professional coffee machines, the pressure ranges from 8.5-9.5 bar. The volume of the finished espresso is about 30 ml, the weight of ground coffee is 8-10 grams, this is a world standard that was formed more than twenty years ago, within which we work.
How to drink espresso?
Drink espresso quickly enough. The first thing we do is stir the crema and espresso. The fact is that when water passes under pressure through the coffee tablet, it washes out various substances: minerals, salts, sugars, and so on. These substances inside the espresso begin to stratify, with the heavier elements going down and the lighter elements going higher and higher. If you just take a cup and without stirring take a sip, you will capture the first top layers, take a second sip and you will have a change in taste after the third and fourth sip the taste will also change slightly. In order to fully appreciate the espresso, the contents of the drink must be evenly distributed. To do this, it is enough to stir the espresso 2-3 times with a spoon to the very bottom of the cup and then try the drink.
Why do you need water for espresso?
How to drink espresso?
You should also be given water. Water is not given for you to sip after your espresso. Water is given so that you first take a sip, clean your mouth, and then take a sip of espresso to maximize the taste of the espresso. Sometimes you want to drink water after the espresso, especially if it's not very tasty, but we want it to be tasty, so water first and then espresso.
How fast should I drink espresso?
Espresso can be made from different varieties of Arabica, as well as from different countries in Latin America or Africa. And each variety of coffee behaves differently.
Some varieties are very decaying and get worse when they cool down. And then we understand that espresso will need to quickly deliver the client to the table. In a good coffee shop they will tell you about it and recommend you to drink an espresso right away. Most espresso is desirable to drink immediately, it is drunk in two or three sips.
Espresso changes taste over time.
Espresso should be prepared quickly, that is, as soon as it is prepared, it should be brought immediately. It's not good when the waiter or barista forgets and brings it to you two or three minutes after the drink has cooled down and the crema has fallen off.
Some varieties are very decaying and get worse when they cool down. And then we understand that espresso will need to quickly deliver the client to the table. In a good coffee shop they will tell you about it and recommend you to drink an espresso right away. Most espresso is desirable to drink immediately, it is drunk in two or three sips.
Espresso changes taste over time.
Espresso should be prepared quickly, that is, as soon as it is prepared, it should be brought immediately. It's not good when the waiter or barista forgets and brings it to you two or three minutes after the drink has cooled down and the crema has fallen off.
How fast should I drink espresso?
Espresso should be prepared quickly, that is, as soon as it is prepared, it should be brought immediately. It's not good when the waiter or barista forgets and brings it to you two or three minutes after the drink has cooled down and the crema has fallen off
Crema in espresso
How do evaluate cremа in espresso?
And so we made two espressos, here double portions in two cups. How do you evaluate cremа and what are they? Cremа are emulsions of essential oils that appear as water passes under pressure through a coffee tablet. The essential oils foam up and such a foam appears on the surface. It can be much or little. It can be elastic or loose. Cremа can be different colors, the color of the cremа used to be evaluated and there were certain standards for color. I remember, when we were training, we were shown a picture of the ideal cremа to which we had to strive. Now we do not evaluate the color of the creamа at all. The color can be beige, brown, reddish or tiger shades.
THE COLOR OF THE CREMА DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE TASTE OF THE ESPRESSO
THE COLOR OF THE CREMА DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE TASTE OF THE ESPRESSO
Crema in espresso
But what is definitely bad is when the cremа in the espresso are too light or too dark. Here are some reasons why crema may be light or dark after coffee extraction.
Under-extracted espresso
(too light crema)
(too light crema)
Coarse grind
Light roasted coffee
Old coffee
Not enough coffee
Light roasted coffee
Old coffee
Not enough coffee
Over-extracted espresso
(too dark crema)
(too dark crema)
Ultrafine grind
Dark roasted coffee
High temperature
Will taste bitter
Dark roasted coffee
High temperature
Will taste bitter
How to evaluate the presence of cremа, density and elasticity?
Crema density in espresso
If you look at the crema of a freshly made espresso and see the black base of the coffee, it means that the density of the crema is not enough, the crema are more transparent than necessary. If you can't see the black base of the coffee and the crema are fluffy, then your espresso is prepared correctly.
Crema elasticity in espresso
Try to tilt the cup, and if the cremа comes back to us without tearing, then it is elastic. If you see a black coffee base under the cremа when you tilt the cup, it means that there is little elasticity.
How to drink espresso?
How much espresso should be?
In the course of my work, I have often heard guests complain when they receive a cup of espresso and there is only a little drink left in the cup. Why so little? In fact, it is not a problem for a barista to prepare a large espresso. It is very easy to skip 40-50 ml of water in coffee. It's all a matter of taste. Let's see what types of espresso are by volume.
There are derivatives from espresso:
Classic Espresso, Ristretto and Lungo.
Ristretto
Ristretto is a short espresso, an espresso that was turned off earlier than necessary.
The first substances that come out of coffee are minerals, salts, acids, sugars and caffeine. Ristretto has the most minerals, salts and acids, few sugars and virtually no caffeine. Some believe that Ristretto is the most invigorating drink, it seems so as it immediately hits the receptors. When you take the first sip, you have a crazy taste in your mouth, but you have practically no caffeine intoxication. But after 20-30 minutes the vigor effect disappears. Caffeine is not easily washed out, and the longer the water is in contact with the coffee, the more caffeine will be in the drink. One of the strongest coffee drink is Cold Brew Coffee, which is brewed for 12 hours or more.
The first substances that come out of coffee are minerals, salts, acids, sugars and caffeine. Ristretto has the most minerals, salts and acids, few sugars and virtually no caffeine. Some believe that Ristretto is the most invigorating drink, it seems so as it immediately hits the receptors. When you take the first sip, you have a crazy taste in your mouth, but you have practically no caffeine intoxication. But after 20-30 minutes the vigor effect disappears. Caffeine is not easily washed out, and the longer the water is in contact with the coffee, the more caffeine will be in the drink. One of the strongest coffee drink is Cold Brew Coffee, which is brewed for 12 hours or more.
Lungo
It is good for lungo to make the coffee grind a little coarser, but the baristas do not change the grind, basically lungo is brewed due to a longer pouring of water through the coffee tablet and we have 40-50 ml of the finished drink. Lungo has more caffeine, bitterness and a softer taste. Sometimes visitors to the cafe complained that there was not enough drink in the espresso portion, I replied that this was not a problem and that a larger portion could be made. I gave two cups to sample, one had espresso by our standards about 30 ml in the other as they asked to the brim.
The guest tried both drinks, if he likes our espresso, I said excellently our mission was accomplished; the guest likes what we consider to be a real espresso, if he said that he likes more volume, then we say that this is lungo and next time you need to order not an espresso but lungo.
The guest tried both drinks, if he likes our espresso, I said excellently our mission was accomplished; the guest likes what we consider to be a real espresso, if he said that he likes more volume, then we say that this is lungo and next time you need to order not an espresso but lungo.
Espresso flavor
If you come to the cafe and you don't like the way your drink is made, such as the crema has disintegrated or the espresso is cold, you have every right to ask for a different drink. If you don't like the taste, for example, the drink is a little bit more sour or bitter or has a different taste, you can ask the barista or the cafe worker what has changed. He may answer that we have changed the composition of the coffee. Different coffee shops have different strategies. Some seek to always have the same taste, especially large chain cafes, for them it is important that today, tomorrow or in a month there would always be the same taste.
Other coffee shops, especially small cafes, change the composition of the coffee very often. Today you have one taste of espresso in a week you will get a completely different taste of the drink simply because they ran out of one coffee and brought in another. This gives variety in the life of the coffee shop and visitors, today you can try one taste and tomorrow another. For example, if this week coffee is prepared from coffee beans brought from Ethiopia with washed processing and next week coffee from the same country but dry processing, you will already change the taste of the coffee. The taste of coffee is highly dependent on the region where the coffee beans are harvested.
Other coffee shops, especially small cafes, change the composition of the coffee very often. Today you have one taste of espresso in a week you will get a completely different taste of the drink simply because they ran out of one coffee and brought in another. This gives variety in the life of the coffee shop and visitors, today you can try one taste and tomorrow another. For example, if this week coffee is prepared from coffee beans brought from Ethiopia with washed processing and next week coffee from the same country but dry processing, you will already change the taste of the coffee. The taste of coffee is highly dependent on the region where the coffee beans are harvested.
Espresso flavor
If you don't like the way your drink is made, such as the crema has disintegrated or the espresso is cold, you have every right to ask for a different drink. The taste of coffee is highly dependent on the region where the coffee beans are harvested. Today you have one taste of espresso in a week you will get a completely different taste of the drink simply because they ran out of one coffee and brought in another.
Changing volume of espresso
How to drink espresso?
I've mentioned several times that the espresso should be about 30 ml, why approximately?
The thing is that the crema that is in the espresso can be different volumes. We made a double espresso and it was about 45 ml of coffee and 15 ml of crema, for a total of 60 ml. If you leave the drink for a while the volume of the drink will decrease slightly and you will have about 50 ml. If we take coffee beans of a different roast, the amount of crema and the volume of coffee may be different. So do not pay attention to the volume, judge the coffee by the taste, it must be delicious.
The thing is that the crema that is in the espresso can be different volumes. We made a double espresso and it was about 45 ml of coffee and 15 ml of crema, for a total of 60 ml. If you leave the drink for a while the volume of the drink will decrease slightly and you will have about 50 ml. If we take coffee beans of a different roast, the amount of crema and the volume of coffee may be different. So do not pay attention to the volume, judge the coffee by the taste, it must be delicious.
Best whole bean coffee for espresso
If you want your espresso to be the cream of the crop, whole bean coffee is the way to go. Pre-ground coffee loses its flavor quickly, leaving you with a lackluster cup of joe. But when you grind whole beans right before brewing, the resulting espresso has a richer and more complex taste. Plus, grinding your own beans allows you to customize every cup to your personal preferences. So why settle for subpar pre-ground coffee when whole bean makes such a huge difference? Don't be afraid to bring out your grinder and start making barista-worthy espresso at home. Trust us, it's worth the extra effort. Who knows, maybe one day we'll be seeing your name on those little candy canisters at the café! Happy brewing!
More products
Don't have a coffee grinder? Here is the best espresso ground coffee ready to use.
Are you tired of drinking subpar espresso because you don't have a coffee grinder? Look no further, because this espresso ground coffee is the perfect solution. It's ready to use and guaranteed to give you a delicious shot of espresso every time. No need to invest in expensive equipment or worry about grinding your beans too finely or not finely enough. Just scoop, brew, and enjoy! So go ahead and treat yourself to a truly satisfying cup of espresso without the hassle.
![DEATH WISH COFFEE Dark Roast Coffee Grounds [16 oz.] The World's Strongest Coffee, USDA Certified Organic, Fair Trade, Arabica, Robusta (1-Pack)](https://thb.tildacdn.net/tild3561-6336-4462-b761-316232313832/-/empty/DWSDFZGSDFG.jpg)
![Skull Crushing Espresso High Caffeine Coffee, Espresso Drip Brewer Grind [12 Ounce]](https://thb.tildacdn.net/tild3236-3338-4338-b063-353337383730/-/empty/skdfg.jpg)
More products
Most complete selection of refurbished espresso machines from one of the world's most famous brands.
If you've been looking for a great deal on a Jura machine, look no further. Some are over $1000 less than a comparable new model.
And all refurbished Jura carry a full one year warranty! They have all been factory refurbished and tested to be in perfect working order. 1st in Coffee has the most complete selection of refurbished Jura espresso machines.
And all refurbished Jura carry a full one year warranty! They have all been factory refurbished and tested to be in perfect working order. 1st in Coffee has the most complete selection of refurbished Jura espresso machines.
Recommended for you
Coffee style clothing, gifts for baristas and coffee lovers
Coffee style clothing, gifts for baristas and coffee lovers
Coffee style clothing, gifts for baristas and coffee lovers