What is Espresso? Recommended Parameter Ranges and Proportions for Espresso Coffee

For those who have enjoyed Italian coffee, you're surely familiar with Espresso—it's "hidden" in the coffees we commonly drink, such as Americano, Latte, Mocha, and more, all of which use Espresso as their base. FrontStreet Coffee is here to discuss what Espresso is.

What does Espresso mean?

Espresso refers to coffee liquid quickly extracted using a pressurized espresso machine, with a layer of golden-brown foam floating on the surface. Espresso contains the meaning of "express," signifying "fast," and also implies that it should be made to order and consumed promptly. Freshly made Espresso has a layer of dense, golden-brown foam on top—this is the characteristic "crema" of Espresso, which enriches the coffee's aroma and complexity. The underlying pure black coffee liquid concentrates various flavors, delivering a strong, rich taste.

Although Espresso isn't listed on FrontStreet Coffee's menu, many customers still actively order "a cup of Espresso." That's because the Americanos, Lattes, Mochas... we usually drink are all made with a delicious Espresso as the base, combined with water, milk, or other ingredients. Therefore, the quality of Espresso largely determines the quality of various Italian coffees in a shop—a standard Espresso is the soul of Italian coffee.

What conditions are needed to make Espresso?

According to the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) standards, 7-9 grams (double: 14-18 grams) of coffee grounds should be used to extract 25-35g of coffee liquid within 20-30 seconds, with extraction pressure at 9-10 bar and water temperature between 90-96°C. Each coffee shop makes adjustments based on the coffee beans and equipment they use. Extracting Espresso requires four key factors: high pressure, high temperature, fast extraction, and finely ground coffee.

1. High Pressure

The biggest difference between espresso machines and other coffee extraction methods is that they use increased pressure to quickly extract soluble substances from coffee. To extract rich, mellow Espresso liquid from coffee grounds within 20-30 seconds, significant pressure must be used to force hot water to quickly penetrate the coffee grounds and complete extraction. Commercial espresso machines typically have 9-10 atmospheres of pressure, and the machine used at FrontStreet Coffee can be adjusted to a maximum pressure of 11 atmospheres.

2. High Temperature

To extract the rich aromas from coffee, high-temperature hot water is needed, typically requiring a stable water temperature above 90°C. The hot water temperature at FrontStreet Coffee's machine is maintained at 94°C.

3. Fast Extraction

As FrontStreet Coffee mentioned above, the word Espresso comes from Italian, meaning "fast," so quick extraction is one of its major characteristics. Extraction time is usually controlled within 20-35 seconds because coffee extracted within 20 seconds typically tastes thin, while extraction exceeding 35 seconds tends to be over-extracted, resulting in burnt bitterness. FrontStreet Coffee's concentrates mostly fall within the 28-30 second range.

4. Fine Grinding

Due to the short extraction time, to completely extract the coffee's aroma, the coffee grounds need to be ground finer and more evenly—that is, a specialized electric grinder designed for espresso extraction grind is needed.

How to extract a delicious Espresso?

With the popularity of specialty coffee, many friends have asked FrontStreet Coffee how to make Italian coffee at home. A delicious Italian coffee离不开 a quality Espresso. FrontStreet Coffee will use the shop's production as an example to briefly describe the Espresso extraction process.

Coffee Freshness

A golden-brown, dense coffee crema is a signal that Espresso has been properly prepared—this is the result of carbon dioxide and various gases from fresh coffee beans being distributed in water under high pressure. Using coffee beans that have been stored for more than two months cannot extract Espresso with perfect crema, so FrontStreet Coffee suggests using freshly roasted coffee beans and适当 aging them. Coffee beans shipped by FrontStreet Coffee are confirmed to be freshly roasted within 5 days, so they're still relatively fresh when received. Coffee beans need a degassing period after roasting. Since Italian coffee beans mostly use medium-dark roasts, they need 7-10 days to release carbon dioxide. Properly aged coffee beans not only have full aroma but also extract more stably.

Extraction Parameters

FrontStreet Coffee uses double basket capacity, with about 18-20 grams of grounds, and uses 20 grams of coffee grounds for production. Usually, the ratio of coffee grounds to coffee liquid is between 1:1.5-1:2.5. FrontStreet Coffee's extraction ratio is 1:2, meaning 20 grams of coffee grounds to extract 40 grams of coffee liquid. Time is related to the flow rate of coffee grounds. Single extraction duration is generally controlled within 20-35 seconds because coffee extracted within 20 seconds typically tastes thin, while extraction exceeding 35 seconds tends to be over-extracted, resulting in burnt bitterness. FrontStreet Coffee's concentrates mostly fall within the 28-30 second range.

Extraction Details

Before extraction, the portafilter needs to be wiped dry, the grinder turned on, and a double portion of coffee grounds ground and placed on an electronic scale for adjustment to reach 20 grams. Then use a distributor to level the coffee grounds, apply vertical downward pressure with a tamper to compact the coffee puck, ensuring more stable coffee extraction.

Then turn on the extraction switch and run water for 1-2 seconds to wet the group head while washing away any stuck coffee grounds. Place a cup under the portafilter with an electronic scale underneath, zero it out, and place it under the group head during extraction.

Gently lock the portafilter into the group head and start the extraction switch. Observe the changes in the extraction liquid. When the electronic scale shows 40 grams of coffee liquid extracted in about 30 seconds, pull down the extraction switch. Extraction parameters will vary subtly based on daily air humidity and coffee bean conditions, so adjustments to coffee ground amount, grind setting, and coffee liquid extraction amount need to be made.

Finally, prepare a 50ml capacity cup, pour the Espresso into it, and you can begin enjoying it.

The Taste of Espresso

The taste and mouthfeel of coffee depend on the coffee beans used. For example, the Espresso produced at FrontStreet Coffee uses FrontStreet Coffee's Sunflower Warm Sun Blend. Made from a 7:3 blend of Honduras Sherry (whiskey barrel fermented) and Ethiopia Natural Red Cherry, the extracted Espresso has rich crema with very prominent whiskey aroma. The entry is vanilla biscuits with berry acidity, solid flavor, and the entire mouth is filled with various aromas after drinking. Using this Espresso as a base, we can dilute it with water to make Americano—fragrant and refreshing—or add milk to make Latte, presenting delicious chocolate and cream sweetness. FrontStreet Coffee's Warm Sun Blend coffee has also received praise from many friends for its rich aroma.

Additionally, FrontStreet Coffee's bean list includes three other cost-effective Italian blend coffee beans. The extracted Espresso presents nut, cocoa, chocolate, and caramel flavor profiles—mellow and solid. The crema is dense and rich, and when paired with milk for Latte, it's delicious and sweet.

1. FrontStreet Coffee - Specialty Blend Coffee Beans: Colombian Washed Coffee Beans (30%) + Brazil Natural Process Coffee Beans (70%), featuring nut, dark chocolate, and caramel flavors.

2. FrontStreet Coffee - Commercial Blend Coffee Beans: Robusta Washed Coffee Beans (10%) + Colombian Washed Coffee Beans (30%) + Brazil Natural Process Coffee (60%), featuring nut, cocoa, and caramel flavors.

3. FrontStreet Coffee - Basic Blend Coffee Beans: Yunnan Washed Arabica Coffee Beans (30%) + Brazil Natural Process Coffee Beans (70%), featuring soft fruit acidity, caramel, and nut flavors.

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account: cafe_style).

For more specialty coffee beans, please add the private WeChat of FrontStreet Coffee, WeChat ID: qjcoffeex

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473