Differences Between Espresso and Single-Origin Coffee Beans: Espresso vs. Regular Coffee, Brewing Recommendations

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Understanding the Difference Between Espresso Blends and Single-Origin Coffee

Coffee beans can be categorized based on their origin: either blended beans or single-origin beans. Blended beans are typically used only for making espresso, so in a narrow sense, calling blended beans "espresso beans" is acceptable. So what's the difference between espresso and single-origin? Can single-origin beans be used to make espresso? Today, FrontStreet Coffee will provide you with an overview:

Espresso Blends: Balanced Flavors Through Expert Combination

Espresso blend beans, also known as comprehensive beans, are created by mixing various single-origin coffee beans to fully leverage the strengths of each bean while masking some flawed flavors. These comprehensive blends are made from coffee beans of different origins to achieve a more balanced taste. For example, if one coffee bean lacks richness and body, another with full body can be added to complement each other's strengths, creating a richer new flavor profile either through complementarity or enhancement. Sometimes beans are mixed before roasting—this is called "raw blending"—while other times they are blended after roasting, known as "roasted blending." These blended beans are typically used for making espresso, so they are generally called espresso beans or concentrated coffee beans.

Whether raw blending or roasted blending, before creating blends, one must understand the flavor profiles of different coffee varieties from around the world, as beans from different origins have distinct characteristics. Different coffee beans have different personalities due to varying varieties and origins, with subtle differences in acidity, bitterness, sweetness, aroma, and body. To create better blends, roasters must not only have a thorough understanding of coffee bean characteristics but also master high-level roasting techniques. Therefore, creating a good blended bean is quite challenging.

Generally, blended beans are commonly used for espresso drinks such as Espresso, Americano, Latte, or Cappuccino. The coffee flavor is more balanced, smoother, and more consistent, making it more appealing to the general public.

Single-Origin Coffee Beans: Tracing the Source

Single-origin coffee beans refer to beans from a single variety. With the third wave of specialty coffee, more and more coffee shops are offering single-origin coffee. According to SCAE, the emergence of single-origin coffee emphasizes traceability, allowing coffee enthusiasts to understand the unique characteristics of the estate where this high-quality coffee comes from, and the flavor represents the origin, region, and bean variety. The third wave of coffee, which emphasizes pursuing coffee knowledge such as brewing methods and origin flavors, has made single-origin coffee more popular. Single-origin beans are generally suitable for pour-over, cold drip, and cold brew.

SOE: Single Origin Espresso

The recently popular SOE is actually an abbreviation for "Single Origin Espresso," which in Chinese means: single-origin concentrated coffee. It's not actually any profound coffee concept—it simply replaces the "blended coffee beans" typically used for espresso with "single-origin coffee beans," still producing an espresso through high-pressure extraction using an espresso machine.

SOE can create uniquely characteristic espresso. For example, the typical citrus flavor of FrontStreet Coffee's Yirgacheffe or the fruity notes of FrontStreet Coffee's Kenya beans, plus the fact that espresso amplifies coffee flavors, making specific characteristics more prominent compared to pour-over. However, because it comes from a single origin, the drawbacks are also relatively easy to amplify, so SOE is not necessarily better than blended espresso.

Espresso vs. Regular Coffee: Key Differences

Before discussing the differences, let's first talk about their similarities.

First, you must know that both "regular coffee" and "espresso" are made from coffee beans. The regular coffee or espresso you drink may be made from different types of coffee beans blended together, or they may use beans from the same variety, but overall, regardless of the coffee type, they are all made from roasted and brewed coffee beans.

◆ What truly distinguishes them is actually the brewing method. Let's take a look at how these two coffees are brewed!

First, what many people refer to as "regular coffee" is actually drip coffee. Drip coffee has a broad scope, including pour-over, French press, drip coffee machines, and more. Regardless of the method used, the principle of coffee brewing is the same.

To brew drip coffee, you need to use medium-ground coffee powder and filter it through filter paper. The water temperature should be around 93°C (200°F), and under the effect of gravity, hot water filters through the coffee powder, extracting its essence, and the coffee is brewed.

Coffee brewed using the drip method has a fragrant, long-lasting flavor and is relatively simple to prepare, making it very common worldwide.

The brewing method for espresso, however, is completely different.

When making espresso, you need to grind the coffee powder finer. Once grinding is complete, you need to pour the coffee powder into the portafilter basket and use a tamper with 30-40 pounds of pressure to compress the grounds. This way, the water won't damage the shape of the coffee puck, allowing for more even and thorough extraction.

People typically enjoy espresso in small ceramic or glass cups and drink it quickly. The extraction time for coffee is also shorter, usually between 15-20 seconds, and the duration directly affects the taste of the coffee.

Espresso can generally be divided into three parts:

• Heart: The deeper part at the bottom of the coffee cup
• Body: The light brown coffee solution
• Crema: The delicate-textured foam on the surface

Espresso must be consumed entirely within a short time; otherwise, the coffee's flavor will begin to deteriorate.

◆ Next, let's talk about total volume and caffeine content.

Besides brewing method, the most intuitive way to distinguish between coffee and espresso is the total volume. Additionally, their caffeine content also differs.

Typically, a cup of regular coffee (i.e., drip coffee) has a total volume of about 8 ounces, while a standard espresso has a total volume of 1 ounce. Depending on the specific brewing method, an 8-ounce cup of drip coffee contains between 80-185 milligrams of caffeine, while a standard espresso contains 40-75 milligrams of caffeine.

In terms of total volume, drip coffee has a higher caffeine content than espresso; but in terms of concentration, espresso is superior.

◆ Finally, let's discuss flavor.

Flavor is actually the biggest difference between "coffee" and "espresso." Espresso has a balanced flavor and a fuller mouthfeel, while drip coffee tends to highlight certain special flavors with a relatively thinner mouthfeel, because drip coffee production uses filter paper or screens that filter out some soluble substances.

In the end, both espresso and drip coffee have large numbers of loyal fans. Though they share the same roots, their expressions are different, and the choice of coffee depends on personal preference.

END

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