Many of us have tried espresso. It is the base ingredient of our favorite lattes, cappuccinos, and mochas. The longer you are in coffee however, you realize how misunderstood espresso is.
Espresso is often referred to as a type of bean. This assessment is totally fair because of the branding of products like chocolate covered espresso beans or even our Golden Horseshoe Espresso blend. We must confess, that the food and beverage industry has caused a misunderstanding.
So it is time to set the record straight. At the end of the day, espresso is basically a coffee brew method. It is a way to make your daily cup. Espresso tends to refer to two things: the liquid that comes out of the espresso machine and the process required to make espresso.
In general, a shot of espresso is a cup of coffee like any other in that it is a ratio of coffee to water. Unlike a 12-ounce cup of drip though, espresso is small (about 2-ounces), thick, and concentrated.
Moreover, the way espresso is made is significant to the end product. Think of it like this – if you are serving a friend a French press brewed cup of coffee, it has to be made in a French press. Espresso is the same way. It needs to be made in a machine where a few things can happen: First, the fine coffee grounds need to be tightly packed. Second, water needs to be maintained by the machine at a consistent temperature. Finally, the water needs to be forced through the coffee grounds at a fairly high pressure and in fairly short amount of time. This machine is also commonly known as an espresso machine. What is important to mention though like with any methods of brewing coffee, the amount of pressure, water, temperature, etc. can range depending on preference.
One more aspect of espresso to address is taste. Most American think espresso should be super strong and dark in flavor. This doesn’t have to be the case. It can be light and sweet as well. Because Americans tend to like darker cups of coffee, “espresso blends” of beans tend to be made with darker beans. That said, since espresso is more of a brew method and not a bean, you can use whatever kind of bean you want to make a shot. The espresso can taste however you want, as long as it is brewed in a certain way.
Craving Espresso now? Purchase a bag of our Golden Horseshoe Espresso online.