Differences Between American Coffee and Espresso Coffee Characteristics of Espresso Coffee

"What's so good about this bitter stuff?" This is probably 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 out in a cold sweat, and tremblingly ordering the cheapest cup of coffee.

Unexpectedly, they're served a tiny cup of coffee, thinking about how such a small portion costs so much when the milk tea next door is several times larger and cheaper. Then they plan to gulp it down in one go—"Spit! How 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 mystery of espresso. In Italy, espresso is a national beverage—they believe only the rich, roasted aroma of espresso truly fits the definition of coffee. But in reality, many people simply treat it as a functional energy drink. Adding creamers and sugar without hesitation, adding whatever makes it taste better.

The bitterness of espresso is perhaps something only those who have drunk herbal tea in Guangdong can truly empathize with. Although herbal tea is a bitterness that many cannot accept, some people still enjoy its taste, and the same goes for espresso.

Customers who love espresso can certainly taste its bitterness, but they can also perceive the coffee aroma behind the bitterness.

The characteristic of espresso is using pressure to extract the essential substances from coffee grounds, which results in this 30ml coffee containing the essence of coffee—rich and aromatic. This is unmatched by other brewing methods.

If using classic Italian blends (like FrontStreet Coffee's commercial blend beans), the produced espresso has abundant golden crema and nutty aroma. When tasting, there's a roasted coffee bitterness, but it's accompanied more by a creamy, full-bodied texture. After swallowing, the bitterness dissipates, leaving a fragrant aftertaste.

The Bitterness of Espresso Mostly Comes from Coffee Beans

Most espresso people taste is made using dark-roasted blend beans. Coffee shops' main purpose is to consider how espresso performs as a base for Americanos and lattes, without much consideration for 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 alone. For example, you might enjoy a drink made from concentrated juice mixed with green tea, but you wouldn't actively try the concentrated juice by itself.

Due to the history of Italian coffee, deep-roasted blend beans are often considered stable and suitable for making espresso. But now with the emergence of Single Origin Espresso (SOE), more medium to light-roasted Italian coffee beans will change the notion that espresso is only bitter.

Take FrontStreet Coffee's popular Italian blend—Sunflower Warm Sunshine Blend. The flavors it expresses have little connection to pure bitterness. The vanilla and sherry wine aroma make people feel this is no ordinary espresso from the first smell. Using a small spoon to stir the espresso evenly, the golden crema on the surface remains delicate and rich. When tasted, it's a very intense dark chocolate flavor with strong caramel notes. The aroma released after swallowing is endlessly memorable. (Dark chocolate refers to cocoa solids content between 70% and 99%, slightly bitter)

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

Americano coffee belongs to the Italian coffee system—it's made by adding a large amount of water to espresso. It tastes less concentrated and comes in a larger cup. For those who dislike strong bitterness but need caffeine, Americano is an excellent choice.

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