How to Drink Espresso Coffee - What Are You Tasting in Espresso and Why Is It So Bitter

Understanding Espresso: The Foundation of Coffee Beverages

Espresso is certainly no stranger to most of us. As the versatile base for countless coffee beverages, it's rarely sold separately on menus. Those who order straight espresso typically fall into two camps: seasoned coffee enthusiasts seeking palate stimulation and purely curious coffee explorers. The former usually down it in one go, while the latter often take just a sip and tremble...

Many people feel hesitant to ask baristas "how to drink espresso" or "what are we drinking in such strong coffee," instead silently pulling out their phones to search online... (with some internally thinking: of course espresso is drunk with the mouth!). Getting back to the point, FrontStreet Coffee will now explain how to properly taste espresso.

The Emergence and Evolution of Espresso

Espresso first appeared in early 19th century Italy. At that time, people enjoyed using work breaks to have a coffee that could be quickly prepared in a short time and had high caffeine content to boost energy. Therefore, coffee shops would select high-caffeine beans to make espresso.

The higher the caffeine content in coffee, the fewer flavors it exhibits. Additionally, due to underdeveloped roasting and extraction techniques, the extracted coffee at that time was often burnt, bitter, and intense. As coffee gradually became more refined, the quality of coffee beans and coffee itself has significantly improved in recent years. Nowadays, people drink espresso not just for caffeine intake but also for more demanding taste experiences. Those overly strong and bitter espressos have become "outdated."

What Do We Taste in Modern Espresso?

Cleanliness & Balance - Mouthfeel - Aftertaste

Espresso doesn't allow for distinguishing different flavors at high, medium, and low temperatures like pour-over coffee. After all, a serving of espresso is only about 10-20 grams, and it's finished before it can cool down. Secondly, because espresso is extracted using finely ground coffee powder under high temperature and 9-bar pressure, it produces a high-concentration coffee with intense flavors that stimulate the palate. Therefore, espresso drinkers tend to focus more on the aroma, mouthfeel, and aftertaste of the coffee.

Cleanliness and balance are crucial to a cup of coffee! Cleanliness refers to the absence of unpleasant flavors such as off-notes or astringency. Balance means that all flavor elements of the coffee coordinate with each other and exist in a harmonious state, giving people a comfortable and pleasant feeling without anything jarring.

Where does the mouthfeel come from? The crema layer on espresso. Espresso is extracted under high pressure, causing carbon dioxide in the coffee grounds to become supersaturated. Unable to release, the carbon dioxide dissolves into the coffee liquid. When extraction is complete and atmospheric pressure returns to normal, the remaining carbon dioxide in the coffee encounters oils in the liquid as it prepares to return to the air. Thus, it becomes enveloped by oils, flows into the cup, and gradually returns to the air.

What is aftertaste? After coffee enters the mouth and is catalyzed by saliva, aromatic molecules hidden in the coffee oils are released, entering the nasal cavity through the oral-nasopharyngeal passage and creating an olfactory experience. Many people mistakenly believe that coffee flavors are tasted by the taste buds, but in reality, taste buds can only distinguish sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and umami. The aromas perceived through smell combined with the tastes sensed by the taste buds allow us to associate specific foods, flowers, and more.

How to Drink Espresso?

Stop Downing It in One Go!

As FrontStreet Coffee just mentioned, although espresso may taste intense, it doesn't hinder the overall cleanliness, balance, aroma, and aftertaste of the coffee. So, how can we better appreciate these charming aspects of espresso?

1. Before tasting espresso, first cleanse your palate with plain/ice water to remove any residual flavors in your mouth.

2. Typically, espresso is served with a spoon. Because espresso drips into the cup with varying concentrations, creating a thick bottom and thinner surface, stirring is necessary to better taste the espresso. Of course, you can also choose not to stir to experience different textures and layers.

3. Next, drink the espresso in three to four sips. Use your tongue to rub against your upper palate to feel the texture of the espresso, and use the sides of your tongue to perceive the acidity and other characteristics, combining various sensory experiences to evaluate the overall state of the espresso.

4. After swallowing the coffee, close your mouth and breathe out to experience the aroma and aftertaste of the espresso. Finally, take a sip of plain water to feel the lingering sweetness on your taste buds.

Important Notice :

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