If Theres No Difference Why Are They Called Espresso Beans
Now that weve gone over some of the differences between coffee and espresso, lets talk about why we still call them espresso beans.
If theres no difference, why arent they still called coffee beans? The answer may be a little complicated but bear with us.
There are three different types of roasted coffee beans. These types refer to the way the beans are roasted.
- Light-roasted beans
- Medium-roasted beans
- Dark-roasted beans
Light-roasted beans have no sheen and are used for more mild coffees. Medium-roasted beans are medium-brown in color and produce a stronger brew than light-roasted beans.
The third category of roast is referred to as dark-roasted. Dark-roasted beans can be easily recognized by their dark brown, almost black color and their oily coating.
These are the beans that are used for espresso. Espresso uses dark-roasted beans for their fuller and less acidic taste. The extra oil also helps give espressos their signature foam.
So why do we call these beans espresso beans even though theyre just a dark-roasted coffee bean?
Well, all espresso is coffee, but not all coffee is espresso.
Even though dark-roasted beans are just normal coffee beans roasted in a specific way, theyre the best type of bean for making espresso.
Its much easier to just call these beans espresso beans. By calling them this, we can easily identify them as the beans that are used in espresso drinks.
Difference Between Espresso And Drip Coffee
Espresso and drip coffee theoretically have the same concept. The basics are the same: hot water is poured through ground beans through a filter of some form, and the coffee drink goes straight into the cup.
But the key difference between drip coffee and espresso is that when preparing espresso, water is passed using pressure, and in drip, water passes through ground beans simply through gravity. Therefore, the process of brewing in a drip maker takes a little longer and the output is quite different. Despite this, drip coffee still produces an excellent result.
Drip coffee, also known as pour-over, slightly reduces acidity and brings out the more complex flavors in coffee. Therefore, it gained its popularity through its preparation. And, unlike espresso with its density and layers, good filter coffee is clean and consistent. In addition to lower acidity, drinks have a moderate taste, at least when compared to espresso.
Taste: What About Their Taste
The main difference between a cup of normal coffee and espresso is in their taste. Espresso comes with a roast, well-bodied and, well-rounded flavor.
The paper filter used for brewing normal coffee takes away some of the flavors from your coffee grounds and, that’s why you don’t get to enjoy the original taste.
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What Is Drip Coffee
Drip coffee is a traditional way of brewing coffee. Water is poured over the grounds that are put in a filter. The filter makes sure that the flavors and essentials parts for our brew get through and stops the grounds from getting into the brew.
With some built-in filters, grounds get through and can ruin our coffee experience.
This way of brewing coffee is very popular, especially at work and for large households.
The grind for drip coffee is coarser than espresso because you want to have the water be able to seep through. If its too fine, this can cause your coffee to be super acidic and bitter!
How Espresso Beans Are Roasted
Beans intended for espresso are usually roasted longer and darker than most coffee beans. However, you can put an espresso roast in a regular drip coffee maker and make perfectly good coffe. You can also use a blonde roast in an espresso machine if you want. Its the process of making an espresso shot that intensifies the taste of the beans. Many baristas now experiment with the potential of lighter roasts for espresso.
Espresso comes to us from Italy, where they have long had a preference for darkly roasted beans. Thats why we sometimes call a very dark roast an Italian roast or an espresso roast.
Back in the day when most available beans werent of great quality, the dark roast was developed to mask the taste of the original bean, covering it up with toasty flavors. The espresso roast brought out sweet, smoky, and caramel tastes, even if the beans were poor. Today, farmers grow much better beans and the dark roast is traditional rather than necessary.
An espresso roast is similar to a French roast. The beans are roasted until they release their oils and become shiny. Because the oils are now outside the bean instead of inside, the beans should be used promptly. Roasted beans age quickly, losing flavor and the ability to create that foamy crema.
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The Chemistry Of Espresso Versus Coffee
The anatomy of an espresso differs from a cup of coffee. A good shot of espresso is a dark brew topped with a thick layer of crema. The crema component is a big difference between espresso and coffee, as it is only found in a perfectly extracted espresso shot.
The crema forms as a result of various reactions throughout the espresso-making process. The exposure to pressure mixed with bicarbonate ions in the water, as well as the quick change from high-pressure to low-pressure are some of the factors that help create this delicious top layer.
Coffee and espresso differ in caffeine content. Despite the intense taste of espresso, one shot only contains about 63mg of caffeine, compared to the roughly 95mg in an 8oz cup of coffee. Of course, we dont recommend drinking 8oz of espresso, as espresso has more caffeine per volume compared to coffee. But if you prefer a shot of espresso over a cup of coffee in the mornings or as a midday boost, you dont have to fear the amount of caffeine. All things in moderation!1
Convenience Of Coffee Pods
We have seen how our espresso vs. coffee exposition unfolded. We now know that espresso is called such but not because of particular caffeine beans. However, coffee enthusiasts will prefer special preparation made for certain beans or a blend of different ones, to be the beans of choice for their espresso-machines.Espresso is based on the preparation of the coffee and espresso beans and how the liquid coffee is extracted. In contrast to regular coffee, espresso is a caffeine-loaded shot of concentrated caffeine with rich and thick dark brown liquid with crema on top. This liquid coffee is the one that will give you authentic coffee with a complex and aromatic taste you have learned to love.
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How To Drink Espresso
Lets start with ordering the espresso. If you ask for an espresso at your local shop, chances are youre actually going to be served a double shot, or doppio, by default. However, some shops will ask if you want a single or double. If its the only coffee youre drinking today, go for a double.
Regardless of which you go for, your espresso should come out in a ceramic demitasse cup. Also, it will probably be served with water. If not, its a good idea to get some to cleanse your palate for the delicious espresso youre about to drink.
Now, were onto the crema. You have a couple of different options here. Some people choose to skim the tan foam off to avoid its rather acidic flavor. However, other people choose to simply stir it in before drinking.
Speaking of stirring, you should probably do that anyway. The thicker, syrupy bits will often sink to the bottom, leaving lighter and brighter flavors up top. Therefore, if you want a more balanced cup, give it a nice little stir.
Now its time to drink! The biggest thing is to not take it like a shot of alcohol. Instead, sip this drink slowly. Pay attention to the flavor profile, the aroma, the aftertaste, and make sure youre really getting the most out of the experience. Above all, make sure to enjoy yourself.
The Different Brewing Methods
Pour Over coffee can be made in a variety of ways for example with aV60 or Chemex but the idea is the same for letting gravity do the work. It doesnt require any pressure in order to brew coffee
Because filter coffee is brewed using gravity, it needs to brew for longer in order for the hot water to filter through the coffee beans and saturate the beans for enough time to bring out the qualities of the coffee beans.
Espresso coffee requires an special espresso machine to brew it. This machine forces the hot water through the coffee grindings with 9 atmospheres of brewing pressure, which quickly separates out the coffee that you will drink and results in a much stronger brew in the process.
Generally, you need to let filter coffee brew for about 4 minutes, but an espresso machine can make a cup of espresso in around 30 seconds.
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How To Make Espresso Without An Espresso Machine
For those lucky enough to have an espresso machine the process is simple, but not everyone has the space or the money to buy a machine that takes up a lot of space and only serves one function. So, you may need to find other ways to make your favorite cup of espresso.
Keep in mind that these methods will not produce a true espresso, but will allow you to get as close as you can without getting a real machine or going to a coffee shop to have the local barista pull you a shot.
Is Espresso Stronger Than Dark Roast
As a recap, espresso is a coffee extraction method while dark roast coffee is coffee that has been roasted at high temperatures for a long time. Stronger coffee can mean many things: high in caffeine, bitter, flavorful, etc. To the coffee experts at Bean & Bean, a strong cup of coffee will have a lot of flavor and be high in caffeine. Contrary to popular belief, caffeine between the different roasts are actually the same. What makes a more caffeinated cup of coffee is actually the way you brew it, both in method and how you measure your coffee out.
So the easy answer is: maybe. Sometimes, espresso shots can be stronger than dark roast that was brewed using a French Press, but not stronger than a dark roast coffee that was brewed using a drip method .
Ultimately, whether you want a strong brew or not, taste is subjective and you know what you like best.
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Do Filter & Espresso Roasts Require Different Packaging
For specialty coffee roasters, its important to make sure customers know precisely what it is theyre buying and how to achieve the best results when brewing.
As well as labelling it as espresso roast or filter roast, roasters can also include specific brewing instructions. These let customers know which brewing methods are best suited to the coffee in order to make the most of its unique flavours.
Christian says that its also important to display the coffee producers and the origin of the coffee to present consumers with a wider picture of the product.
We like to include details on the coffees story, as well as clear flavour notes using stickers on our bags, Christian says. This helps customers quickly differentiate between an espresso and filter roast.
Its also important for roasters to consider how quickly their coffee will degas after roasting. Degassing is the process by which coffee releases built-up carbon dioxide thats absorbed during the roasting.Because espresso roasts tend to have longer development times, they have had more time to build up CO2, which is released at a quicker rate once the roast ends compared to filter roasts.For that reason, roasters should include degassing valves to espresso roast packaging to allow CO2 to escape and avoid rupturing the bag. This could also happen with filter roasts, however but its less of an issue when roasters know their coffee will be consumed shortly after its packaged than it is for espresso roasts.
Caffeine And Acid In Espresso
When it comes to the caffeine in your espresso youre definitely going to love it, at least, if youre the type of person who really likes a lot of caffeine. But you should be aware of just what its going to mean for you and your overall health. Thats because too much caffeine can be bad for you.
Too much caffeine could keep you up at night . Or it could make you jittery or unfocused.
On the other hand, some people find that caffeine does the exact opposite, helping them to wake up and feel more focused during the day. In general, youll find that a double shot of espresso has around 120 milligrams of caffeine.
Acid, on the other hand, can be another problem. But you might be surprised to know that espresso actually has less acid than traditional coffee.
Thats because it actually has an additional compound in it thats called N-methylpyridium . What you should know is that this ingredient comes in dark roasted coffees and espressos only, and actually stops the body from producing stomach acid.
Overall, youll get a decent amount of caffeine in a small amount of espresso and you wont have to worry as much about the acid content.
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Espresso Calories Vs Coffee Calories
Although both espresso and regular coffee contain mostly water, they are not calorie-free. One cup of brewed coffee has 2.4 calories.
One standard cup of espresso has 5.4 calories. Note that espresso contains more calories per ounce than coffee because its concentrated.
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However, a typical cup of espresso is a smaller serving size than that of an average coffee cup. Adding in any mix-ins like cream, milk, or sugar to either beverage obviously increases calories.
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Espresso Vs Coffee Showdown: Who Has More Caffeine
Alright, now lets take a minute break down one of the classic misconceptions of espresso and coffee: caffeine content.
Chances are you were raised thinking that an espresso has WAY more caffeine than a cup of coffee. And, as you might expect from the above sentence, the correct response to that is both yes and no.
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See, if you take an equal amount of espresso and coffee, then yes, absolutely the espresso will have much more caffeine. But that should be no surprise, right? Especially since everyone and their mother knows that a tiny espresso shot is absolutely LOADED with all sorts of flavors and elements in a much more concentrated way than you get in coffee.
However, if you break things down on , youll quickly find that a typical 8oz cuppa actually has quite a bit more caffeine than your average one to two oz shot of espresso.
Now, as is the case with most culinary facts, the specific numbers can vary quite a bit here depending on the beans you use, the brewing method, the temperature of the water, extraction time, and so on.
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However, on average, a typical cup of coffee has between 80 and 100mg of caffeine. Some even put the higher end of the caffeine content up towards 700mg!
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On the other hand, your typical shot of espresso is going to yield right around 60mg of caffeine, with the higher estimates usually still being below that 80 mg lower threshold for a cup of the brewed stuff.
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Is Espresso Stronger Than Coffee
This is another difference between coffee brewed and espresso. A shot of espresso can be as strong as you want in comparison with other brewed and drip coffee prepared in the traditional brewing method with hot water. Gram for gram in terms of ground beans, brewed and drip coffee has more caffeine that adds to its stronger taste than espresso. What you consider as strength in espresso is the concentration of flavor and aroma in an ounce of liquid coffee served in a very small demitasse.
What Is The Difference Between Espresso And Americano
An Americano contains espresso. In fact, Caffè Americano is basically just diluted espresso . When diluted, it has a similar strength to drip coffee, but with a smoother and less acidic taste.
An Americano usually has the espresso poured in the mug first, topped with water. A long dark typically puts water in the cup first, topped with espresso.
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How To Make Strong Coffee
If you arent ready to invest fully in the tools and know-how to make espresso, you may want to experiment with making strong coffee. Strong coffee will not have more caffeine content per serving size than a regular brew, but it will have a heavy flavor that will delight the taste buds.
The way to make a strong brewed coffee is to simply adjust the ratio of water to the amount of regular ground coffee. An average cup of drip coffee has a ratio of about 1 part coffee grounds to 18 parts hot water. Start by decreasing the hot water ratio a little at a time.
Strong coffee does not have to be bitter, either. If the flavor is sour or bitter, there may be too high of a concentration of ground coffee. In this case, the coffee was under-extracted. Experiment with the ratio until you have a rich, flavorful, strong cup of drip coffee.
Is Coffee Roasted Different Then Espresso
Espresso has different requirements compared to pour over coffee, but you can generally make espresso with the same beans you use for regular coffee. Traditionally an espresso shot is made using a dark roast of beans that have been roasted for a longer period but since that can often produce a burnt or smokey taste, many people today like to use either a medium to medium dark roast.
This can vary from region to region though, as really all depends on what you are used or more importantly, what you like.
The main point in making espresso is to use finely ground beans and force water through the grind under pressure to release the full flavor of the espresso coffee. Achieving this can be an art and science that takes time to master though.
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