Drink espresso like a true connoisseur

WHAT EXACTLY IS ESPRESSO?

Coffee beans can be used to make coffee in many different ways. Using a French press, through aV60 filter or even an Aeropress. Then there's espresso. The king of all the other options. Many other drinks come from espresso, such as cappuccino, latte or espresso macchiato. And what is its exact definition?

Espresso is extracted using water and heat. The coffee for espresso must be precisely ground. Grinding is essential because it affects the extraction of the coffee. The finer the coffee is ground, the faster the extraction is and the resulting coffee tastes watery and has no crema. The coarser the grind, the longer the extraction takes and the more bitter the coffee can be.

Espresso is a carefully prepared drink. It must meet certain parameters that affect the final taste of the coffee. These include:

Pressure - the pressure of the coffee machine should be 9 bar.
Correct coffee weight
Correct grinding coarseness
Correct volume
Brew ratio - the ratio of coffee to water
Quality water
Correct water temperature - 88-95 degrees Celsius.

HOW TO DRINK ESPRESSO CORRECTLY

1. KNOW WHAT A PROPERLY MADE ESPRESSO LOOKS LIKE

When espresso is made correctly, it has a beautiful creamy foam on the surface, called crema. The crema should have a nutty-chocolate colour. It may have tiger maps on it.

If the espresso has too light and thin a crema, several things could be to blame. The beans used may have been too old, and the coffee may have run out of coffee. Another common mistake could be in the grinder settings. You may have set it too coarse and the water ran through the coffee too quickly. Or the coffee dose was insufficient. If the crema is too dark, it indicates that the coffee was ground too finely and the extraction was too long.

The coffee also needs to smell. I don't know anyone whose coffee doesn't smell. That's why smell is also one of the factors to know if an espresso is done right. The aroma of espresso should be strong, intense and above all pleasant.

2. SOURCE

Thebest lies at the bottom of the espresso cup. Therefore, stir your cup of espresso before you take a sip. This factor will give you a much more balanced experience. The crema on the surface of the coffee will disappear quickly, so stir your espresso as soon as you get your cup in front of you.

3. PREFER NO MILK

If you add milk to your espresso, then you are no longer drinking espresso. Adding milk turns it into a macchiato. Try skipping the milk and sugar for once and just drink your espresso. Explore its flavours and aromas. It's a pleasure.

4. ESPRESSO? SO FAST!

The original concept of espresso was based on making it as quickly as possible. From the Italian translation, espresso means express, hurried, on demand. And it makes sense. Because the crema from espresso disappears quickly. The crema contains different oils and acts as a kind of ceiling, preserving all the flavours and aromas from the remaining espresso.

AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING AT THE END - ENJOY!

Don't give up if you don't like the pure shot of espresso the first time. You have to drink to the espresso. And most importantly, as you already know, it must be properly prepared. No one would like a badly made espresso. Bet on your tried-and-true café and try to discover the flavours and aromas of espresso. Then you'll become a true connoisseur.