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What are the Flavor Characteristics of Italian Espresso? How Does FrontStreet Coffee Blend Its Espresso? How Is Espresso Made?

Published: 2026-01-28 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/28, Bitterness alone no longer defines coffee—rediscover these beans and their new perspective. The rise of specialty coffee has completely transformed the world's perception of coffee, while specialty coffee shops have gradually begun appearing around us. Undoubtedly, Espresso (Italian concentrated coffee) has...

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Nowadays, when you walk into a specialty coffee shop and browse through the coffee selections, you'll easily notice two main categories: single-origin coffee and espresso-based coffee.

How is espresso base actually made?

Today I'd like to share some experience with everyone.

What factors affect espresso taste?

(1) Water Pressure

Modern machines use a water pump to control water output and adjustable water pressure. The ideal espresso water pressure is generally 9 BAR, which is widely recognized as the most optimal pressure.

(2) Boiler Pressure

Boiler pressure affects the water temperature for coffee making and the force of steam. Higher boiler pressure results in higher water temperature and stronger steam force; conversely, lower boiler pressure means lower water temperature and weaker steam. Boiler pressure is generally around 1 BAR, though this value remains controversial as each barista has their own understanding.

(3) Water Temperature

Water temperature needs to be determined according to the requirements of different coffee bean varieties. Some are constrained by boiler pressure, while others allow for precise, flexible settings. Based on most baristas' experience, water temperature between 90 to 92 degrees Celsius is ideal. Each barista can make flexible adjustments based on their understanding and needs, using their hands to create their own style of espresso.

(4) Tamping Pressure

Tamping comes in various styles, and it's rare to find two people who tamp exactly the same way. Generally, for heavy tamping, the required pressure would be around 25kg/m², but tamping is indeed the most flexible parameter among the golden rules. Because we use a constant pressure tamper, the tamping force is basically consistent.

(5) Coffee Grind Size

Espresso uses extremely fine grounds. The finer the grind, the slower the water flows through the coffee bed; the coarser the grind, the faster the water flows. Adjusting the grind size can change the extraction time while achieving the desired extraction volume. Consider this scenario: using a fixed 20g dose to extract 40g of espresso in 25 seconds. Everything looks perfect, but when you taste it, the body is thin and sharply acidic. Obviously, this espresso is under-extracted and low in concentration. At this point, grinding the coffee beans finer can solve the problems of under-extraction and low concentration while reducing sharp acidity and increasing body.

(6) Dose

Our single-shot espresso dose is 12-14 grams of coffee grounds, while double-shot is 20-22 grams.

(7) Extraction Time

The golden rule specifies extraction time between 25-28 seconds, but extraction time is actually a comprehensive reflection of tamping, dose, and grind size, requiring adjustment based on the barista's understanding.

(8) Extraction Yield

Our single-shot extraction yields 20-21g of liquid, double-shot extraction yields 40g of liquid, except for a few places in Italy that might use single-shot dose but only extract 15ml of coffee liquid.

(9) Crema

The complexity of coffee crema cannot be explained in just a few words. Simply put, a good espresso needs rich, golden-brown crema.

Tips:

(1) We use the Fiorenzato 900N espresso grinder and Fiorenzato E78 espresso machine, using a tamper, with basically constant water pressure, boiler pressure, and water temperature. Basically, we add fresh beans daily, shake the bean hopper to mix evenly, and grind out old coffee beans from the burrs, while using fresh coffee grounds to clean residual old powder inside.

(2) We've determined our dosing and distribution techniques, and for our blend we selected FrontStreet Coffee's Premium Espresso Blend. This espresso blend uses coffee beans from Colombia and Brazil in a 4:6 ratio, with overall flavor characteristics: sweet and aromatic, mildly acidic without being harsh, balanced sweet and sour, and medium crema.

An ideal espresso should achieve balance among all elements, with distinctive flavor profile, leaving a sweet aftertaste in the throat without bitterness. More specifically, it should have moderate acidity, bitterness, and sweetness, rich flavors, solid and thick consistency, long-lasting finish, and a refreshing citrus-like aftertaste.

Double portafilter dose 22g, extract 40g liquid, time 27 seconds

Blended beans are mostly used for espresso-based coffees such as Espresso, Americano, Latte, or Cappuccino. The coffee flavor is more balanced, smoother, and more stable, making it more appealing to the general public.

Blended coffee, also known as mixed coffee, involves combining various single-origin coffee beans to fully utilize the strengths of each individual bean. Blended beans are made from coffee beans of different origins to create a more balanced flavor profile.

For example, if one coffee bean is smooth but lacks aroma, another bean with rich aroma can be added to complement each other's strengths and weaknesses, creating a richer new flavor profile that either complements or enhances each other. Sometimes beans are mixed first then roasted - this is called raw blending; sometimes beans are roasted first then mixed - this is called post-roast blending.

Post-roast blending provides different degrees of roasting for each bean, allowing each component to perform at its best.

Before blending beans, you need to understand the flavor profiles of different coffee varieties from around the world, as beans have different characteristics based on their origins. Different coffee beans have different personalities due to different varieties and origins, with subtle differences in acidity, bitterness, sweetness, aroma, and body. Single-origin coffee beans often focus more on showcasing the unique characteristics of a particular coffee type.

The Rise of Single Origin Espresso (SOE) Trend:

SOE has become popular recently. SOE stands for Single Origin Espresso. While it doesn't necessarily equate to specialty coffee, if you choose single-origin coffee beans with easily identifiable flavors as SOE, you can create espresso with distinctive and typical flavors. For example, FrontStreet Coffee's Yirgacheffe's typical citrus flavors, FrontStreet Coffee's Kenya's inherent fruity flavors, etc. Additionally, espresso amplifies coffee flavors, so specific flavors become more prominent compared to pour-over. However, although SOE performance is outstanding, because it comes from a single origin, its flaws are also relatively easy to amplify. Therefore, factors like roasting and grind size all affect flavor, so it's not necessarily better tasting than blended coffee.

【Robusta】

Mainly used in espresso blends to increase body and obtain rich crema. Robusta coffee beans are elliptical, spherical, or nearly spherical in shape, with a straight center line.

【Arabica】

Arabica coffee produced from different regions, altitudes, and climates has its own characteristics, showing completely different personality flavors. Before roasting, it smells like fresh grass. After proper roasting, it reveals "fruity aroma" (light to medium roast) and "caramel flavor" (dark roast). Suitable for single-origin and various blends, and can be made using various extraction techniques.

◎Arabica coffee beans are long-elliptical and flat in shape, with an S-shaped or C-shaped center line.

How much Robusta should be added to espresso blends?

For the blended beans typically used by independent cafes, we think 10% Robusta, within 20% is more suitable. Exceeding this ratio will result in a rubbery taste.

So, how do we blend?

(1) FrontStreet Coffee Premium Espresso Blend: Uses coffee beans from Colombia and Brazil in a 3:7 ratio, 100% Arabica. Flavor characteristics: comfortable bitter-sweet taste, extremely smooth entry; light grassy aroma, lightly fragrant with a hint of bitterness; sweet, smooth, and pleasant aftertaste. Uses medium-dark roast, when making espresso, it has soft, mild acidity, clean sweetness, nutty aftertaste. Overall feeling is not too stimulating, peaceful, with medium crema. This FrontStreet Coffee Premium Espresso Blend is suitable for daily beverage production needs in coffee shops.

(2) FrontStreet Coffee Commercial Espresso Blend

Colombia: Brazil: Robusta; ratio 3:6:1, raw blend;

In terms of individual bean flavors, commercial beans' coffee taste is much inferior to specialty coffee beans. Generally, commercial beans are chosen for blending. After blending, they can also produce coffee with excellent taste, suitable for making lattes, cappuccinos, and other espresso-based coffees. Our commercial blend for espresso, because it contains Robusta beans, has richer crema, classic taste, caramel sweetness, nutty and cocoa-like, dark chocolate flavors, balanced sweet and sour, slightly bitter-sweet, with persistent aftertaste, meeting daily shop operation needs.

(3) FrontStreet Coffee Basic Espresso Blend

Yunnan AA: Brazil; ratio 3:7, post-roast blend; with soft fruit acidity, caramel sweetness, nutty and dark chocolate flavors, smooth and viscous, but taste is relatively light, suitable for shop and home users who prioritize cost and have lower requirements for coffee flavor.

Actually, adding Robusta beans to some espresso recipes can bring more caffeine, better crema, and flavor balance. FrontStreet Coffee's Commercial Espresso Blend with Robusta beans, and FrontStreet Coffee Premium Espresso Blend with 100% Arabica, actually contains less than 10% Robusta. If making milk-based coffee, you basically can't taste it, but the overall crema of the coffee will be significantly improved.