How to Order Espresso at Starbucks and How to Drink It Properly

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When we order a cup of espresso in a coffee shop, how should we properly taste this espresso with its rich crema? If we really can't finish this espresso, how can we transform it into another espresso-based coffee beverage? FrontStreet Coffee is here to explain how to taste a cup of espresso.

How to Taste Espresso?

Espresso is translated from "Espresso" and is made through a short (around 20 to 35 seconds) and high-pressure (9bar) brewing process, resulting in a coffee with intense and rich flavor. When tasting a cup of espresso, we follow three steps: smell, observe, and taste.

Smell - Smell the aroma of the freshly extracted espresso

FrontStreet Coffee recommends that the first thing you do when you get a cup of espresso is to smell its aroma. Depending on whether it's made from blended coffee beans or single-origin coffee beans, different beans will produce different coffee aromas when extracted. You might smell nutty or caramel aromas, or you might detect lemon or berry-like acidic fragrances. Some espressos made with a large amount of Robusta coffee beans might have a burnt bitterness. These are all experiences full of surprises, allowing you to appreciate the beauty of espresso through your sense of smell.

Observe - Observe the condition of the crema to roughly determine the extraction state of this espresso

After smelling the aroma, you should look at the color of the crema and its thickness. An espresso with a light color and thin crema can generally be determined as under-extracted; if the color is very dark and the surface crema color is inconsistent, it can be determined as over-extracted; if there are spots on the surface crema, it can be determined as channeling causing partial over-extraction.

Taste - Taste the espresso

FrontStreet Coffee typically serves espresso with ice water. Before drinking the espresso, take a sip of ice water to cleanse your palate for better appreciation of the espresso. Next, use the provided spoon to stir the espresso. The coffee liquid at the bottom of the espresso will be more viscous, while the surface portion will be thinner. Stirring to mix evenly allows for better tasting of the espresso. Of course, you can also choose not to stir to experience different textures and layers. Then drink the espresso in 3 to 4 sips, using your tongue to rub against your upper palate to feel the texture of the espresso, using the sides of your tongue to feel the acidity, and combining various taste senses to evaluate the overall state. After drinking, close your mouth and exhale through your nose to experience the aroma and the aftertaste remaining in your mouth. Finally, take a sip of clean water to rinse your mouth and feel the sweetness of the coffee.

What to Do If You Can't Finish the Espresso You Ordered?

If you ordered an espresso and took a sip only to find you can't accept it, you can pour the espresso into ice water to dilute it, which will give you a cup of iced Americano. If you still find it unacceptable, you can also order another glass of milk, have the barista foam it, and then pour the espresso into it, which will give you a cup of macchiato coffee.

Compared to pour-over coffee, espresso is characterized by its intense and quick flavor, and you can't distinguish flavors at high, medium, and low temperatures like you can with pour-over coffee, after all, it's finished before it even has time to cool down. Secondly, the high concentration created by the low ratio also makes espresso taste rich and intense, making it more difficult to detect too many flavors (though there are also espressos with more complex and clear flavors). Therefore, for friends who don't like or can't accept intense flavors, FrontStreet Coffee suggests not directly trying espresso. Everyone can try pour-over single-origin coffee or espresso-based beverages.

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Important Notice :

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FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473