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How to Drink Espresso and Describe Its Flavor Characteristics - Is Espresso Bitter? What Coffee Beans Make It Less Bitter?

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, "What's so good about this bitter stuff?" This is probably many people's impression of espresso. Many people's first experience with espresso goes like this: they walk into a coffee shop, see the prices on the menu, break out in a cold sweat, and tremblingly order the cheapest coffee. Unexpectedly, they're served a

"What's so good about this bitter stuff?" This is likely many people's impression of espresso.

Many people's first experience with espresso involves walking into a coffee shop, seeing the prices on the menu, breaking into a cold sweat, and hesitantly ordering the cheapest coffee available.

To their surprise, they're served a tiny cup of coffee. They think to themselves, "How can something so small cost so much? The milk tea next door is several times larger and cheaper." Then they attempt to gulp it down in one go, only to spit it out: "Ugh! Why is this stuff so bitter!"

Is espresso really bitter?

If a coffee shop has espresso on its menu, it's likely the least-ordered item. Almost no one wants to discover the wonders of espresso. In Italy, however, espresso is a national beverage. Italians believe only the rich, caramelized aroma of espresso truly captures the essence of coffee. But in reality, many people simply treat it as a functional energy drink. They add creamer and sugar without hesitation—whatever makes it taste better.

The bitterness of espresso might only be truly understood by those from Guangdong who have tasted herbal tea (bitter herbal soup). Although many cannot accept the bitterness of herbal tea, some still appreciate its flavor, and the same goes for espresso.

Those who enjoy espresso can certainly detect its bitterness, but they can also perceive the coffee aroma that lies behind the bitterness.

The characteristic of espresso is using pressure to extract the essential compounds from coffee grounds. This results in a 30ml coffee that contains the essence of coffee—rich and aromatic. This is unmatched by other brewing methods.

When using classic Italian blends (like FrontStreet Coffee's commercial blend beans), the resulting espresso features abundant golden crema and nutty aromas. When tasting, you'll experience the caramelized bitterness of coffee, accompanied by a creamy, full-bodied texture. After swallowing, the bitterness dissipates, leaving a pleasant aftertaste.

Most of espresso's bitterness comes from coffee beans

Most espresso that people taste is made from dark-roasted blend beans. Coffee shops primarily aim to ensure that espresso-based drinks like Americanos and lattes taste good, without giving much consideration to how the espresso itself tastes when consumed alone (after all, very few people order it).

Under this approach, just because Americanos and milk coffees taste good doesn't mean their espresso base is suitable for drinking on its own. For example, you might enjoy a drink made from concentrated juice mixed with green tea, but you wouldn't voluntarily try concentrated juice by itself.

Due to the history of Italian coffee, it's often believed that dark-roasted blends offer the stability and flavor profile suitable for espresso. However, with the emergence of Single Origin Espresso (SOE), more medium and light-roasted Italian coffee beans will change the perception that espresso is only bitter.

Take FrontStreet Coffee's popular Italian blend—the Sunflower Warm Sun Blend. Its flavor profile has little connection to pure bitterness. The vanilla and sherry aromas make you realize this is no ordinary espresso from the moment you smell it. When stirred with a small spoon, the golden crema remains delicate and rich. The taste is intensely dark chocolate with strong caramel notes, and the aroma released after swallowing leaves an endless aftertaste. (Dark chocolate refers to cocoa solids content between 70% and 99%, slightly bitter)

Some coffee shops choose beans with special flavors to make espresso. To highlight the beans' unique characteristics, they won't roast them too dark. The flavors expressed in such espresso are primarily gentle acidity and the beans' distinctive aromatic qualities.

How can consumers taste flavors beyond bitterness?

1. Your daily eating habits directly influence flavor perception. People who typically eat lighter diets tend to have more sensitive palates.

2. Espresso is typically served with a glass of ice water. This ice water is meant to cleanse your palate of any residual flavors before drinking the coffee.

3. Although espresso is served quickly after extraction, these brief tens of seconds can cause the crema to separate. Additionally, since it's extracted directly into the cup, the coffee concentration may vary. Therefore, please stir the coffee with a small spoon before drinking.

4. Now you can pick up the cup and sip the espresso along with the crema, enjoying the sensation of coffee enveloping your tongue and palate.

5. After swallowing the coffee, close your mouth and breathe through your nose to experience the espresso's aroma and aftertaste. Finally, take a sip of clean water to feel the sweet aftertaste on your taste buds.

Those interested can try tasting espresso this way, but if you can't accept the bitterness, don't force yourself. After all, everyone has different preferences, and there's always a coffee that's right for you.