Espresso Coffee VS Americano Coffee VS Pour-Over Coffee - Flavor Profile Changes in Different Coffee Forms

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Looking at the coffee waves in recent years, after instant coffee emerged, espresso coffee rose to prominence. It not only spread the Italian coffee spirit throughout Europe, then rode the wave of chain coffee shops to spread worldwide, but also became an important foundation for subsequent coffee development! Today, coffee shops of all sizes, including FrontStreet Coffee, offer various espresso coffee varieties. Today, let's take you to properly understand this branch system and analyze the differences between it and pour-over coffee.

Espresso Coffee

A pure, relatively strong-tasting espresso is the main character of the second coffee wave. According to legend, coffee was introduced to Italy from the East along with fruits and was loved by Italians. After substantial improvements to brewing equipment in the early 20th century, the appearance of modern espresso was established, and drinking espresso became a daily routine for Italians. Later, with continuous advancement of espresso machines, espresso expanded from Italy outward, filling all of Europe with coffee aroma and eventually spreading widely throughout the world.

According to FrontStreet Coffee's research, the "es" in espresso is actually the English "ex," meaning "fast and convenient." In traditional espresso consumption in the past, people would quickly drink the coffee within just a few minutes to ensure the coffee's flavor wouldn't be lost. At that time, this even sparked a trend of standing while drinking coffee, and the price was also more affordable than takeout coffee.

Authentic espresso is a beverage made by forcing near-boiling high-pressure hot water (approximately 92-94°C, 9 bar atmospheric pressure) through finely ground, evenly tamped coffee grounds for 20-30 seconds of extraction time to produce about 30-60ml of liquid. The surface is covered with a thick, dense layer of coffee oil foam, also called Crema, which ranges in color from golden yellow to brown, and now varies in shade depending on the roast level of the coffee.

Because the taste is very strong, many people also add sugar or milk to balance the bitterness. In 1971, the well-known chain coffee brand "Starbucks" was established, which led to the rise of new espresso variations based on espresso as a base, mixed with various flavorings such as milk, syrup, cream, spices, and more. Examples like Con Panna, Macchiato, Caramel Macchiato, Cappuccino, Latte, Mocha, Americano, and others are all representative members of the espresso coffee family!

Americano Coffee

In fact, Americano coffee was not born in America. Americano coffee originally evolved from espresso coffee—espresso diluted with hot water becomes Americano under the espresso system. During World War II, American soldiers in Europe were not accustomed to the intense pure bitter taste of espresso, so they added hot water to dilute the coffee, and the name "Americano" was thus born! In the world of espresso coffee, Americano is one of the espresso variations!

Strictly speaking, Americano can be further divided into Americano, Long Black, and Lungo/Long Shot, but because the former's fame is so great, few people notice the other two branches:

Americano: Espresso added to hot water, with a larger cup volume, so the crema on the espresso is easily diluted, resulting in a smoother taste.

Long Black: Smaller cup volume, hot water added to espresso. Because the crema is added last, it can be preserved longer and better maintain the lingering aftertaste of the coffee in the mouth.

Lungo: No additional water is added, but the extraction time is extended and water flow speed is increased, with extraction time about 30-60 seconds, achieving approximately 60ml of coffee volume. It's a coffee that's more aromatic than Americano but has a lower concentration.

Pour-Over Coffee

With the arrival of the third coffee wave, coffee has transformed from a necessity to a luxury item. Coffee enthusiasts value the coffee's origin, year, production method, bean characteristics, variety, taste... and pay more attention to various brewing parameters, which has also led to the vigorous development of specialty coffee shops worldwide.

So-called pour-over coffee is when a barista controls various parameters such as water temperature, water flow, water volume, and coffee grind size, using a steady pouring method to brew coffee grounds to complete the extraction. The extraction principle of pour-over coffee is achieved through three physical mechanisms between water and coffee grounds: "soaking and blooming, dissolution, diffusion, and ratio adjustment":

Soaking and Blooming: During the first water pour, typically only a small amount of water is added to slightly moisten the coffee grounds, allowing easily volatile aromatic substances to be retained in this small amount of water.

Dissolution: Water pouring after blooming, where hot water dissolves hundreds of soluble molecules in coffee that affect flavor, including caffeine, acids (sourness), aroma, oils, sugars (sweetness), carbohydrates (bitterness), and more.

Diffusion and Ratio Adjustment: Dissolved molecules diffuse into the water and are appropriately adjusted through subsequent water pouring to become our fragrant and rich coffee beverage.

Changes in any of these factors will affect the flavor of the entire cup of coffee, so pour-over coffee is a coffee brewing method that requires great skill.

The reason why everyone so highly regards pour-over coffee, besides the fact that freshly ground and freshly brewed coffee is most aromatic and fresh, is more importantly that skilled baristas can perfectly interpret the advantages of coffee beans, delicately adjusting and expressing the substances in coffee grounds through technique, highlighting the characteristic flavors of coffee, rather than focusing on concentrated and strong extraction methods. Experiencing different layers of flavor changes from the top notes, middle notes, and aftertaste allows coffee drinkers to fully immerse themselves in the elegant world of black coffee.

Because of this, drinking coffee is no longer just about pursuing fast and simple drinking rules, but a process from preparation to consumption, forming an interesting lifestyle. Below, FrontStreet Coffee will use Golden Mandheling coffee beans as an example to show everyone how to brew a rich, sweet black coffee.

"Golden Mandheling" is the exclusive brand of Indonesia's Pwani Coffee Company (PWN). There are many different types of Mandheling products on the market. Since PWN company registered "Golden Mandheling" in English as the company's trademark, only Golden Mandheling coffee produced by PWN company is truly Golden Mandheling in the true sense.

Medium-dark roasted Mandheling coffee exudes a rich "coffee flavor," similar to the complex aroma of nuts, dark chocolate, roasted chestnuts, and spices like cinnamon. It tastes smooth and thick like caramel and cream, completely filling the entire mouth with a solid texture and sweet aftertaste. It's one of the preferred single-origin coffees for friends who love strong, bitter black coffee.

FrontStreet Coffee's brewing approach for each coffee bean is based on the characteristics presented during cupping. For Golden Mandheling, which emphasizes rich texture, FrontStreet Coffee will prioritize using Kono or cake filter cups. Compared to conical filter cups, cake filter cups have a "large flat surface" where coffee grounds can be evenly spread at the bottom, which increases the water absorption time of coffee particles, resulting in more uniform overall extraction and enhanced rich texture. It's also more friendly for beginners who are not yet familiar with flow control.

Because dark roasted coffee beans are more porous and have strong water absorption, they can easily lead to over-absorption and over-extraction, resulting in bitter and astringent brewed Mandheling coffee. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee will adjust the grind to be coarser and use water at a lower temperature for brewing.

Recommended brewing parameters: Water temperature: 87-88°C; Coffee grounds: 15g; Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15; Grind size: Medium grind (70% pass rate through China standard #20 sieve)

The brewing method uses a three-stage pouring approach. Dividing into three stages can better express the rich texture and caramel sweetness of FrontStreet Coffee's Golden Mandheling. The first stage is blooming with 30ml of water, which completely wets the coffee grounds for degassing, to better extract the flavor substances in subsequent steps. The second stage injects 100ml, which mainly brings out the golden foam of Mandheling and raises the coffee grounds layer. The final stage gently pours 95ml at the center. Wait for all the coffee liquid to filter through, then remove the filter cup and gently shake the coffee in the pot to mix evenly.

Hand-brewed FrontStreet Coffee PWN Golden Mandheling tastes very rich, emitting spice and herbal aromas, overall presenting a solid rich texture, with caramel sweetness and chocolate and nut flavors.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473