How Espresso is Extracted: Espresso Coffee Extraction Principles, Characteristics, and Flavor Profile

The Mystery of FrontStreet Coffee's Alcoholic-Scented Latte

Those who have tried FrontStreet Coffee's latte often ask with curiosity: "This coffee really doesn't contain alcohol, does it?" To their disappointment, FrontStreet Coffee truly only sells coffee—there's absolutely not a single drop of alcohol in it. The enticing alcoholic aroma comes from the fact that FrontStreet Coffee's espresso beans are blended with coffee beans that have undergone barrel fermentation.

After hearing about the uniqueness of FrontStreet Coffee's espresso blend, many customers want to investigate further. To verify that distinctive alcoholic aroma in the coffee beans, some will actually order a shot of espresso. However, not everyone can accept the intense flavor of espresso.

Understanding Espresso: Intensity and Concentration

Espresso is made by grinding coffee beans into fine powder, then applying high pressure to force hot water through the coffee puck, extracting a concentrated coffee liquid. The resulting product has a very rich and thick flavor profile. The word "concentrated" implies that the coffee is thick and the flavors are overly intense, so most people need to dilute it with milk or water to make it palatable.

The Evolution of Espresso Technology

Actually, thanks to technological advancements, we can enjoy such unique coffee today. As early as the beginning of the 20th century, the espresso consumed by Europeans was nearly identical to coffee made with today's moka pots—boiling hot water, extremely low extraction pressure close to atmospheric pressure, and longer extraction times. The characteristics of espresso from that era were thin texture with prominent bitterness, similar to what people often call "pot-rinsing water." It wasn't until 1961, when Faema introduced the Faema E61 espresso machine, that the definition of espresso began to closely resemble what we know as espresso today.

The Art of Drinking Espresso

Customers who have ordered espresso at FrontStreet Coffee may have noticed that the coffee is served with a glass of ice water and a small spoon. So, what's the correct way to drink espresso? What are the ice water and small spoon used for? Should you pour the espresso directly into the ice water and stir with the spoon?

When customers pour espresso into ice water, FrontStreet Coffee's baristas will likely stop them. "What happened to drinking espresso? How did it become iced Americano?"

The proper way to drink espresso is to first take a sip of ice water before tasting to cleanse the palate and prepare for the espresso experience. The small spoon is optional—it can be used to check the crema and to stir the espresso evenly.

Step-by-Step Espresso Tasting Guide

1. First, take a sip of ice water to clear the flavors in your mouth.
2. Use the small spoon to gently insert into the cup to check the condition of the crema.
3. Take a small sip of espresso, letting the coffee liquid linger in your mouth, using your tongue to fully experience the flavor and texture of the concentrated coffee.
4. Before taking the next sip of espresso, you can drink another sip of ice water to experience the different textures of the espresso from top to bottom.

FrontStreet Coffee's Signature Espresso Blend

FrontStreet Coffee's espresso beans have a rich alcoholic aroma because the store uses the "Sunflower Warm Sunshine" blend, composed of 70% Honduras Sherry coffee beans and 30% Ethiopian natural red cherry coffee beans.

FrontStreet Coffee Sunflower Warm Sunshine Blend

Origin: Honduras & Ethiopia
Varieties: Caturra, Catuai, Pacas, local native varieties
Processing: Washed & Natural

The Honduras Sherry coffee beans are low-temperature fermented in sherry whiskey barrels for 30 to 40 days, allowing the sweet aroma of sherry whiskey to penetrate the green coffee beans. The Ethiopian natural red cherry coffee beans use the most traditional and original natural processing method, which gives the coffee beans a more intense fruity sweetness.

The Science of Espresso Extraction

Different beans require different brewing parameters. Different time periods and humidity levels can cause changes in grinding degree and a series of other parameters.

Key Extraction Parameters

Dose Amount: The amount of coffee is generally determined by the size of the portafilter. FrontStreet Coffee uses a 20-gram portafilter, so they also use 20 grams for extraction.

Dose-to-Yield Ratio: As coffee extraction progresses, substances are extracted, and the extracted coffee substances become progressively fewer. The earlier portions of espresso extraction have more concentrated flavors and thicker texture.

Time: Flavor compounds in coffee begin to react when they contact water. Acidic and sweet compounds are extracted first. As time progresses, bitter compounds in coffee also begin to emerge. FrontStreet Coffee extracts espresso between 26 to 28 seconds.

Grind Degree: The finer the coffee powder, the larger the surface area contact with water, and the more flavor compounds are extracted. Too fine a grind risks over-extraction; too coarse a grind results in under-extraction with sharp acidity or even watery texture.

After parameter adjustments, FrontStreet Coffee uses 20 grams of coffee powder to extract 40 grams of espresso liquid when making espresso with this blend, with an extraction time of approximately 27 seconds.

The flavor features a rich whiskey aroma with berry-like acidity. As the temperature slightly decreases, vanilla and cream flavors begin to emerge, with a dark chocolate aftertaste. The overall experience is balanced, with rich and smooth texture.

Espresso Beans vs. Pour-Over Beans: The Baking Difference

Some customers who regularly drink pour-over coffee might have an idea: since it's a blend of Honduras Sherry and Ethiopian natural red cherry, couldn't they just buy a bag of Honduras Sherry pour-over coffee beans and a bag of Ethiopian natural red cherry pour-over coffee beans, solving both pour-over and espresso needs at the same time?

This thinking should be avoided. Coffee bean roasting is the same principle as cooking. Dishes cooked with low heat and high heat taste completely different. When FrontStreet Coffee roasts Honduras Sherry pour-over beans and Ethiopian natural red cherry pour-over beans, they typically use light to medium roast levels to highlight acidity and aroma. However, when making espresso blend beans, they use medium-dark roast levels to achieve thick, smooth texture and rich aroma.

Therefore, if you want to buy two types of pour-over coffee beans to blend at home, you won't get the same flavor as FrontStreet Coffee's store. So, can this espresso blend be used for pour-over coffee? When FrontStreet Coffee designed this espresso blend, they considered this question, so this Sunflower Warm Sunshine blend can meet the needs of both espresso and pour-over coffee preparation.

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Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473