How to Drink Espresso Correctly - Italian Espresso Coffee Powder-to-Water Ratio, Characteristics and Flavor

Understanding Espresso Coffee

Espresso coffee is familiar to many, as it serves as the coffee base for numerous milk-based beverages, created by pressure-extracting concentrated coffee through an espresso machine and adding milk. Many beginners also ask FrontStreet Coffee whether espresso can be consumed directly. Why would anyone drink something so bitter as espresso? What are we really looking for in this intense coffee experience?

First, let's understand the composition of espresso coffee

Espresso Component 1: Crema

After extracting a shot of espresso, the first thing we observe is a brownish layer of crema. It consists of carbon dioxide produced in coffee during roasting and oils from the coffee itself. Crema is a crucial component of extracted espresso, adding a pleasant creamy texture and enhancing the coffee's body and richness. The crema is primarily composed of carbon dioxide and insoluble oils from the coffee grounds.

When FrontStreet Coffee's baristas extract coffee using a Pegasus espresso machine, they create 9 bar pressure to "squeeze" the coffee puck. The carbon dioxide in the coffee grounds cannot escape due to the excessive pressure, causing water to become supersaturated with CO2, which directly dissolves into the coffee liquid. During this process, fats in the coffee become emulsified, encapsulating the carbon dioxide. Being lighter than water, these gradually separate, forming the beautiful golden crema that floats on the surface.

Espresso Component 2: Coffee Oils

FrontStreet Coffee notes that after skimming off the top layer of crema, there's a slight oily sheen on the coffee's surface, which is actually the manifestation of natural sugars in the coffee. According to food scientists, sugar molecules in roasted coffee break down at 190°C, causing the coffee to enter caramelization during roasting. When coffee is roasted correctly, it develops a natural sweetness internally.

Espresso Component 3: Coffee Solubles

In a coffee bean, 30% consists of soluble substances, while 70% is woody fiber. These 30% solubles include acidic molecules, sweet molecules, and bitter compounds. The extraction order of flavors follows: acidity - sweetness - bitterness.

How does FrontStreet Coffee extract espresso?

Now that we understand the composition of espresso coffee beans, how does FrontStreet Coffee extract espresso?

FrontStreet Coffee first uses a blend of Ethiopian natural Red Cherry coffee beans and Honduras Whiskey Barrel-aged Sherry coffee beans for extraction. The ratio is 7:3, with 70% Honduras Sherry barrel-aged beans providing flavor and body to this blend, while 30% natural Yirgacheffe offers more aroma and acidity.

How does FrontStreet Coffee roast this "Warm Sun" blend coffee beans?

FrontStreet Coffee's roasters use a gradual heat reduction method when roasting these beans, allowing the beans to develop more uniformly during the roasting process. Beans are charged at 210°C with the air damper set to 4, heat at 200, reaching the turning point at 1'30" and 92°C. When the drum temperature reaches 140°C, the damper is opened to 6. At this point, the bean surface turns yellow, grassy aromas completely disappear, and the dehydration stage begins. When the drum temperature reaches 180°C, the heat is adjusted to 10, and the damper is opened to maximum (10). At 9'30", the bean surface shows ugly wrinkles and black spots, with the distinct bread aroma transforming into coffee fragrance, which can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this point, listen carefully for the sound of first crack. First crack begins at 10'38", with a 3'40" development after first crack, ending at 197.5°C.

How does FrontStreet Coffee extract this "Warm Sun" blend coffee beans?

Pressure: 9 bar
Temperature: 90.5-96°C
Time: 20-30 seconds
Dose: 20g (double shot espresso)
Yield: 40ml
Espresso flavor profile: Smooth texture, medium body, with distinct fruit acidity accompanied by subtle berry aromas, whiskey fragrance, rich chocolate flavors, and a noticeable aftertaste.

How do we properly taste a shot of espresso?

After extraction, as the coffee settles and the crema sits on the surface, the coffee begins to layer in the cup. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee recommends using a stirring motion to recombine all the layered soluble substances in the coffee, creating a more balanced and complete flavor experience. Stirring and slightly cooling the coffee helps further enhance its flavors and avoids encountering overly bitter coffee on the first sip.

What are we really looking for when drinking espresso?

Compared to pour-over coffee, espresso is characterized by its intense and quick flavor profile. Unlike pour-over coffee, where you can distinguish flavors at high, medium, and low temperatures, espresso is typically finished before it has time to cool. The high concentration created by FrontStreet Coffee through the low water-to-coffee ratio and high-pressure extraction makes espresso taste rich and intense.

Additionally, espresso's high-pressure extraction creates its unique product - the "crema" - which provides espresso with its distinctive mouthfeel experience. Therefore, when drinking espresso, we tend to focus more on appreciating its texture, mouthfeel, aroma, and aftertaste, along with several prominent 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