How to Taste and Appreciate Espresso? What are the Characteristics, Taste, and Flavor Requirements of Standard Espresso?

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Understanding Espresso Coffee Concentration

The most distinctive characteristic of espresso coffee is its concentration! The concentration of most espresso coffees falls within the range of 7% to 12%, meaning the water content is 88%-93%. In contrast, drip coffee typically has a concentration between 1.2%-1.8%, meaning its water content is 98.2%-98.8%.

FrontStreet Coffee believes that a good espresso should typically present a rich and mellow flavor with a smooth mouthfeel, no graininess, and finish with a perfect sweet aftertaste, with noticeable sweetness on both the throat and tongue.

The Impact of Coffee Concentration on Flavor Expression

Rich without being bitter or burnt is the fundamental standard for evaluating a good espresso. Coffee concentration plays two main roles in our taste experience. The first is the intensity of flavor. The second is the coffee's texture, or more specifically, its consistency and richness.

Concentration also affects our perception of taste. As coffee concentration increases, our ability to distinguish various flavors in the coffee significantly weakens. At higher concentrations, the perceived intensity of coffee flavor rapidly increases. Although the flavor compounds present in the same coffee at different concentrations are identical, the experience on your taste buds will be quite different.

Lower concentration coffee doesn't necessarily mean it's tasteless or weak. Sometimes, lower concentrations allow us to enjoy more subtle flavors that would be masked at higher concentrations. An espresso with lighter flavor and more subtle notes might have lower flavor intensity but can sometimes be more enjoyable to drink than one with strong flavors.

The Importance of Mouthfeel in Coffee

Mouthfeel elements are the most important part of a good coffee. When tasting coffee, everyone expects some degree of mouthfeel, texture, or richness. This may vary by region and cultural preferences, but fairly speaking, espresso should generally be rich and textured enough for the taster to perceive its fullness. Drip coffee should also have some mouthfeel and texture to avoid tasting like weak water.

The Key to Delicious Espresso - Freshly Roasted Coffee Beans

To extract a delicious espresso, the most important requirement is to use freshly roasted coffee beans and grind them immediately before extraction. After roasting, coffee beans contain large amounts of carbon dioxide, which is essential for preserving coffee flavor. After roasting is complete, carbon dioxide continuously releases over time, carrying flavor molecules from the coffee. Therefore, the longer coffee beans are stored, the weaker their aroma becomes.

A package of freshly roasted medium-dark roast coffee beans has an optimal flavor period within 40 days after roasting, while light-medium roast coffee beans have their best flavor period within 30-35 days. The four espresso blend coffee beans sold by FrontStreet Coffee are all medium-dark roasted and guaranteed to be shipped within 5 days after roasting.

"Warm Sun Blend Coffee Beans": Ethiopian natural red cherry coffee beans (30%) + Honduras sherry barrel coffee beans (70%), featuring rich wine aroma, vanilla cream, sweet and tart berries, and roasted nut flavors.

"Specialty Blend Coffee Beans": Colombian washed coffee beans (30%) + Brazilian natural processed coffee beans (70%), featuring nut, dark chocolate, and caramel flavors.

"Commercial Blend Coffee Beans": Robusta washed coffee beans (10%) + Colombian washed coffee beans (30%) + Brazilian natural processed coffee (60%), featuring nut, cocoa, and caramel flavors.

"Basic Blend Coffee Beans": Yunnan washed small bean coffee (30%) + Brazilian natural processed coffee beans (70%), featuring gentle fruit acidity, caramel, and nut flavors.

Beyond being the key to locking in flavor, carbon dioxide is also crucial for forming espresso crema. After extraction, the espresso surface is covered with a layer of fine golden-brown crema, which is an oil foam created when carbon dioxide from coffee particles combines with coffee oils and emulsifies in a vacuum environment. This is also why immediate grinding after roasting is essential.

Ground coffee powder quickly releases carbon dioxide. Therefore, if not used promptly after grinding, the significant release of carbon dioxide prevents the espresso from extracting appealing crema, resulting in weak flavor and thin texture.

How to Make Espresso Coffee?

According to the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) standards, use 7-9 grams (double: 14-18 grams) of coffee grounds 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 up or down based on the coffee beans and equipment they use.

FrontStreet Coffee's in-store production uses "Sunflower Warm Sun Blend Coffee Beans," with 19.8g of extra-fine ground coffee extracted under pressure to produce 38g of coffee liquid, with extraction time around 28-32 seconds. The espresso presents vanilla cream-like smoothness, slight berry tartness, fermented wine aroma, and the sweetness of hazelnut and caramel.

How to Drink Espresso Coffee?

Before tasting, first drink a sip of ice water to cleanse the palate and allow the tongue muscles to contract slightly.

After the barista presents the espresso, you can stir it with a spoon to make it more uniform. Then taste it in three sips. The first sip is to taste the flavors, the second sip is to experience the richness, and the third sip is to feel the coffee's aftertaste and lingering notes.

Important Notice :

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FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473