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Introduction to Italian Espresso Varieties: Exploring the History, Culture, and Origins of Italian Coffee

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Like the passionate Italians themselves, Italian coffee is renowned worldwide for its rich and mellow character. Espresso is the most representative Italian coffee. Americans call it Espresso, which fully expresses the concept of rapid extraction. Like the passionate Italians themselves,

The Charm of Italian Coffee Culture

As is well known, Italian coffee has profoundly influenced the development of the global coffee market. Espresso is almost an essential beverage in every coffee shop. For instance, FrontStreet Coffee offers classic drinks such as Americano, latte, cappuccino, and flat white, while many other coffee shops also create more innovative specialty drinks by adding various auxiliary ingredients. Today, FrontStreet Coffee will guide you to explore the charm of Italian coffee culture.

The Origin and Evolution of Espresso

Espresso means "fast" in Italian. From production to being served to customers, it only takes a few minutes. Italians named it using the word "Express," meaning fast.

A cup of espresso is primarily made using steam pressure to force hot water through coffee grounds, resulting in a small portion of strong, aromatic coffee with a layer of golden-brown foam on top. Although we may not often see it on coffee shop menus, everyday drinks like Americano, latte, and cappuccino all involve its participation. It can be said to be the soul of a coffee shop.

In the past, coffee was brewed using immersion methods, which required finely grinding coffee beans and undergoing slow extraction, with a minimum wait time of over ten minutes. In 1884, Angelo Moriondo from Italy designed the first espresso machine with two independent brewing boilers, 1.5 bar pressure and steam, producing relatively viscous coffee liquid with a richer taste than drip coffee. As coffee machines were continuously improved, factors like water temperature and pressure were better regulated.

In 1948, Achille Gaggia, a coffee shop owner in Milan, invented a lever-driven coffee machine capable of producing what we now call crema through high pressure. Since then, crema has been considered one of the indicators of espresso quality, and espresso became specifically defined as high-concentration coffee made through pressurized methods with rich crema.

The Art of Coffee Bean Selection and Flavor

Theoretically, fresher beans, darker roasts, and equipment with greater pressure and more stable performance result in better coffee crema expression. Because Italians prefer rich, mellow-tasting strong coffee, they习惯 to roast coffee beans very dark and even add Robusta beans to make the espresso richer in crema, more concentrated in aroma, and more intense in taste. Nowadays, consumers have started pursuing more diverse flavor variations, and many fresh-tasting coffee beans are also being used in Italian coffee. For example, the espresso produced by FrontStreet Coffee uses the "Sunflower Warm Sun Blend Coffee Beans," presenting fermented wine aroma, berry sweetness and sourness, rich aroma, soft taste, and very pleasant to drink.

The Ritual of Drinking Espresso

When a customer orders "Give me a cup of Espresso," the barista at FrontStreet Coffee will begin preparing it. Two minutes later, they will serve a glass of ice water, a small spoon, and a small cup of strong coffee with a golden-brown foam layer. Drinking a glass of water before consuming espresso helps rinse the mouth and also serves to correct the sense of taste. Gently stir the coffee liquid with the prepared metal spoon to mix it evenly. The first sip tastes the dense cream with full roasted aroma. Then comes the warm coffee liquid, where you can feel rich nutty, chocolate, berry, and wine flavor notes. Drink another sip of water midway to slowly appreciate the sweet aftertaste in your mouth.

Types of Espresso: Ristretto, Normale, and Lungo

Actually, espresso is not limited to the conventional "Espresso" type. According to extraction methods and specific powder-to-liquid ratios, espresso can be divided into three different types: Ristretto (short extraction), Normale (normal), and Lungo (long extraction), all belonging to concentrated liquids quickly extracted by Italian coffee machines.

Ristretto usually refers to Italian extra-strong coffee, also called essence extra-strong coffee. Compared to common Espresso, Ristretto is more niche. The Flat White coffee we often see is made with Ristretto as the base. Ristretto means "restricted," which we can understand as "restricting" the coffee extraction amount, taking only the front-middle section of the espresso to increase coffee concentration.

For example, FrontStreet Coffee's Espresso extraction plan uses 20 grams of coffee powder to extract 40 grams of coffee liquid, with a powder-to-liquid ratio of 1:2 and time of 30 seconds. Ristretto extraction only extracts 70% of Espresso, meaning 20 grams of coffee powder extracts 28 grams of coffee liquid, and the time will correspondingly shorten. Alternatively, you can adjust the coffee grind to be finer, making the flow rate slower and the coffee liquid more concentrated. Since each coffee shop will make different adjustments according to the coffee beans used and the specific flavor profile the barista wants to present.

Normale is the most common and popular type of espresso, which is essentially what we typically mean by Espresso. Currently, most coffee shops on the market mainly produce Normale but don't emphasize it too much. According to Golden Cup standards, Normale's extraction rate is between 18%-22%, with a concentration range of 8%-12%.

Lungo is coffee made with double the normal amount of water. "Lungo" means "long, extended" in Italian, also known as "stretched espresso," meaning extending the extraction time, thereby reducing the coffee's concentration and making it taste softer. FrontStreet Coffee, after multiple adjustments and tastings, has determined that the final extraction plan for Lungo controls the powder-to-liquid ratio at 1:5. That is, using 20 grams of coffee powder, extending the extraction time to 42 seconds to extract 100 grams of coffee liquid.

Perfecting Espresso: FrontStreet Coffee's Extraction Technique

Next, FrontStreet Coffee will use the "Sunflower Warm Sun Blend" commonly produced in their stores as the extraction object to detail how to make a rich, fragrant Italian espresso.

FrontStreet Coffee uses a double portafilter capacity, with powder amount around 18-20 grams. FrontStreet Coffee uses 20 grams of coffee powder for production. The extraction ratio is 1:2, meaning 20 grams of coffee powder extracts 40 grams of coffee liquid. Time is related to the flow rate of the coffee powder. Generally, single extraction time is controlled between 20-35 seconds because coffee extracted within 20 seconds tends to taste thin, while extraction over 35 seconds can easily become over-extracted and develop burnt bitterness. FrontStreet Coffee's espresso mostly falls within the 28-30 second range.

Before extraction, you need to wipe the portafilter dry, turn on the grinder, grind a double portion of coffee powder, place it on an electronic scale for adjustment to reach 20 grams. Then use a distributor to evenly spread the coffee powder, press vertically downward with a tamper to firmly compact the coffee puck, ensuring more stable coffee extraction.

Then turn on the extraction switch and run water for 1-2 seconds to wet the group head while also carrying away any coffee grounds stuck above. Place an electronic scale under the cup for receiving Espresso and reset the weight to 0, placing it under the group head during extraction.

Gently lock the portafilter onto the group head and start the extraction switch. Observe the changes in the extraction liquid. When the electronic scale shows 40 grams of coffee liquid extracted at approximately 30 seconds, pull down the extraction switch. The brewing parameters will subtly change based on daily air humidity and coffee bean conditions, so adjustments to coffee powder amount, grind setting, and coffee liquid extraction amount are necessary.

The extracted Espresso can be consumed directly, served with a glass of water to rinse the mouth, allowing you to taste the dense crema and the rich taste of the underlying coffee liquid. If you cannot accept the strong bitterness, you can also add water or milk according to your preference to dilute and soften the intense flavor.