Espresso with crema, the foamy “cap” on the espresso produced not by milk or cream, but by the pressure of making the drink.

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October 2006

Product Reviews / Main Nibbles / Coffee

Expressly Espresso

Espresso Glossary & Hot Facts About Coffee’s Strongest Brew

CAPSPULE REPORT: Espresso is a lot of flavor and complexity in a very small cup. Yet, as strong as it is, espresso has no more caffeine than regular coffee. Here, an overview of the origins of espresso.

• History
• Chemistry
• Tips
• Glossary

There are many coffee-lovers, but espresso-lovers are a breed unto themselves. That one ounce cup (or a doppio, a double) provides an intense aroma and flavor experience, but no calories.

History

The method of coffee preparation that we call espresso originated at the end of the 19th century. The first espresso machine was presented at the Universal Exposition in Paris in 1855, developed to solve the slow speed and loss of flavor that occurred with other methods of coffee preparation. The goal was to develop a machine that prepared a cup of coffee in short time, that didn’t need to be kept warm. The word espresso means “pressed out,” referring to the brewing method.

To prepare one or two coffees to order, and quickly, the new machine forced hot (but not boiling) water through the coffee grounds under high pressure, initially delivered through steam that was controlled by a series of valves that were controlled by the bartender. In Italy, this became the most common way to make coffee, and eventually the word came to be used as a noun referring to the drink itself. In 1935, Francesco Illy substituted compressed air for the steam, thereby creating the first automatic machine, a prototype of the espresso machine used today. The invention of the spring piston lever machine and its subsequent commercial success changed espresso into the beverage we know of today, produced between 9 and 10 atmospheres, or bars, of pressure.

The Chemistry Of Espresso

Espresso has a thicker consistency than drip coffee, a higher amount of dissolved solids than drip coffee relative to volume. It is chemically complex and volatile, with many of its chemical components degrading from oxidation or loss of temperature. Espresso is derived from 1500 chemical substances (800 volatile and 700 soluble)! When prepared correctly it involves 13 independent chemical and physical variables. Because of its intense and highly concentrated ingredients, espresso lends itself to mixing into other coffee-based drinks such as cappuccino, latte, macchiato and mocha, without a dilution of flavor.

Espresso Tips

The flavors in a typical cup of espresso are very concentrated. Some coffee-drinkers prefer a single or double shot of espresso instead of one or two cups of coffee to get a quick shot of caffeine. Some coffee-lovers just prefer the intense, dark flavors of espresso to other forms of coffee.

• Bean. Espresso is not a type of bean, but a roast. Espresso is typically a blend of beans roasted anywhere from very light to very dark with a lot of surface oil evident. In Southern Italy, a darker roast is preferred but in Northern Italy, a more medium roast is the most popular type. Companies such as Starbucks and Peets have popularized darker roasts in their blends. Smaller companies buy from different coffee roasters. Ask whose beans a shop buys until you find the one that you like best.
• Caffeine. Because a cup of espresso takes no more than 30 seconds to brew (28 seconds is the ideal brewing time), less caffeine is extracted from the ground beans than in drip coffee, which takes anywhere from 5 to 7 minutes to brew.
• Size. Espresso cups are intentionally small and thick—they’re different from delicate porcelain demitasse cups. Thick cups hold the heat, large cups dissipate the heat and the crema which carries the aroma in a fine cup of espresso. The proper portion of espresso is one ounce for these reasons. If you want a larger serving of espresso—have another and drink it in its peak form.
• Garnish. You may see coffee served with a piece of lemon peel. This was originally used to counteract the taste of over-roasted, bitter espresso—the oil in the peel blocks the bitterness. Italians traditionally serve fine espresso without lemon peel. However, if you like the added flavor of the lemon peel (we do), feel free to serve it as your own tradition.
• Freshness. Somehow, a tip circulated that coffee beans should be kept in the freezer for freshness.  False!  Freezing the coffee coagulates the natural oils contained in the bean. In an espresso, those oils need to emulsify to produce the body and mouthful of the coffee. Coffee can be stored in the refrigerator, but airtight containers are crucial. An airtight container keeps out odors and protects the internal moisture of the coffee bean. No matter what kind of coffee you buy, the best rule of thumb is to buy only what you need for a week, or two weeks at best. Ground coffee will begin to go stale in 24 hours. Keep coffee away from direct light and heat. Direct light and heat begin to cook the coffee oils, and will affect the flavor and aroma properties.

Espresso Glossary   You can find general coffee terms in our Coffee Glossary. Affogato: Espresso served over ice cream, traditionally vanilla. When served over chocolate ice cream, it is sometimes called an affogato mocha. Affogato means “drowned” in Italian. Barista: The Italian term for bartender, also used, for the person who operates the espresso brewing equipment (or makes other coffee drinks) at a café or coffee house. Black Eye: A cup of American coffee with two shots of espresso. Also known as Slingblade. See also Red Eye.

Have a caffe latte, or latte for short. Photo by Eduoard Muoy | SXC.

Café Crème: Popular in Switzerland and becoming more so in the U.S., café crème is brewed in a similar manner to normal espresso but at a faster pace and for a larger portion. Classic espresso brews about 1 to 1.5 ounces in 28 seconds, while café crème brews 5 ounces or more in 28 to 30 seconds. This is achieved by moving the grind fineness dial to the coarsest setting, to allow for more flow-through into the cup.

Café au Lait: A coffee drink made with brewed in a ratio of 1:1 milk to coffee with sugar added to taste.

Caffe: The Italian word for coffee. In Italy, as in much of Europe, ordering un caffe means an espresso. In France, the term café is used as well, but the French cup of coffee is slightly larger and the coffee is usually a dark roast instead of an espresso. Caffe Americano is also available (see below).

Caffe Americano: A shot of espresso with 6 to 8 ounces of hot water added. The result approximates regular American coffee. Originally devised as an insult to Americans who wanted their espresso diluted.

Caffe Breve: Steamed half-and-half poured over espresso. Essentially, a cappuccino  made with half-and-half. Very rich, and also very difficult to foam (the lower the fat content, the easier milk is to foam).

Caffe Latte: A shot of espresso with steamed milk in a 3:1 ratio of milk to espresso. In France and Italy, this is a breakfast drink. that is based on espresso (or moka coffee) combined with steamed milk. In America it also serves as the basis for flavored lattes, where a sweet syrup is added in any variety of flavors, including mocha, hazelnut and vanilla.

Caffe Macchiato: An espresso served in an espresso cup with a small dollop of steamed milk added to the top. Most Italians add a teaspoon of sugar. In Italy, this is a mid-morning drink.  Macchiato means “marked” in Italian.

Caffe Mocha: Traditionally, steamed chocolate milk poured over espresso although more cafés use chocolate syrup because the sugar in chocolate milk tends to crystallize on the steaming wand, making clean-up a chore. Some establishments top the beverage with whipped cream.

Café Tobio: Two shots of espresso with an equal amount of American coffee.

Cappuccino: Two shots of espresso topped with steamed and foamed milk, in equal thirds. It is named for the cap of foam on the top, which somewhat resembles the hooded robe of the Roman Catholic Capuchin friars. It can be topped with ground cinnamon or other spices or with ground chocolate or sweetened cocoa powder.

Chiaro: Italian for “light.” A milk drink may be prepared chiaro by adding more milk, or scuro (dark) by adding a less. Pure steamed milk is a popular late-night drink in Italy, flavored with almond syrup or a dusting of chocolate.

Coda Di Topo: Italian for “mouse tail.” The shape and pour of the streams of espresso as they leave the spouts of the espresso machine. Often used as a judging characteristic of a good pour.

Coffee Bed or Coffee Pack: The tamped volume of grinds in the filter basket. If your espresso is too weak, the coffee bed may be improperly tamped.

Corretto: Some sort of liquor added. Corretto is Italian for “corrected.”

Crema: A dense, foamy “cap” on the top of an espresso created by the dispersion of air and carbon dioxide in the liquid at a high pressure. The crema contains emulsified oils, and forms a caramel or dark golden brown layer resembling foam on top of an espresso shot. Some machines are enhanced to produce crema.

Cubano: Sugar is added to the espresso grounds during brewing for a sweet taste. The sugar also can be stirred into a small amount of espresso after brewing, and then mixed with the rest of the shot.

Demitasse: A cup that holds a traditional shot of espresso is called a demitasse, 3 ounces or smaller. Thick porcelain is the preferred material for its ability to hold heat, although demitasses can be made of delicate porcelain, ceramic, glass or stainless steel.

Double or Doppio: More than double the typical one ounce pour. A double is usually between 2.5 and 3 ounces of espresso.

Dry Cappuccino: A cappuccino with a small amount of foam and no steamed milk.

Espresso: The coffee beverage produced by an espresso machine. Technically, espresso is a beverage made from 7 grams of finely ground dark roast coffee, that produces 1.5 ounces of extracted beverage under 9 bars of brewing pressure at brewing temperatures of around 190°F to 200°F, over a period of 25 to 30 seconds of brew time.

Espresso Lungo:  An espresso shot pulled “long” to maximize caffeine.

Espresso Con Panna: An espresso shot with whipped cream.

Espresso Macchiato: Same as Caffe Macchiato.

Espresso Doppio: A double shot of espresso; doppio is Italian for “double.”

Expresso: A colloquial spelling of espresso.

Extraction: The act of forcing hot water though ground coffee. This “extracts” flavors, oils, colloids, lipids and other elements that turn water into brewed coffee.

Latte: See Caffe Latte.

Latte Macchiato: A cup or glass of steamed milk into which an espresso shot is poured; the top of the milk is marked with a brown dot.

Long Black: Espresso and hot water in equal parts.  See also Caffe Americano.

Lungo: An extra long pull (over-extracted shot), about 2 to 3 ounces, that allows approximately twice as much water through the same amount of coffee normally used for a single shot.

Moka Pot: Originally a manual, stove-stop method for making strong coffee, although today electric versions exist—many of the inexpensive ($50 to $100) consumer “espresso machines” are essentially steam pressure moka pots. Often referred to as an “espresso machine,” it is not one because it does not use high-pressure steam technology (a typical moka pot brews using 1.5 atmospheres or bars of pressure, modern espresso machines use roughly 9 atmospheres). A traditional moka pot brews by forcing hot water through a bed of coffee using the pressure of steam that builds through hot water boiling in the lower half of the pot.

Over-Extracted: Espresso that tastes bitter or burnt, as a result of the ground coffee exposed to the brew water for too long. Send it back!

Pull: A term used to describe brewing a shot of espresso: pulling an espresso, pulling a shot, espresso pull, et al. Its derivation is the action used to prepare espresso in machines from the 1950s and beyond, where the barista pulls on a lever to cock a spring in a piston group on an espresso machine.

Red Eye: A shot of espresso in a coffee cup that is then filled with drip coffee. Also called an Eye Opener, Depth Charge, Hammerhead and Shot In The Dark. A Dead Eye, also called a Blue Eye, has three shots  of espresso. A Crazy Eye has four shots. A Blind Eye has five or more shots.

Ristretto: An espresso shot pulled short to produce a richer, more intense espresso. The term literally means a “restricted” shot. Most double espresso shots are 2.5 to 3 ounces and use 14 or more grams of coffee grounds. A ristretto uses the same amount of coffee but creates only 1.5 ounces of espresso in the normal brewing period of 25 to 30 seconds. This is hard to do, and requires a very skilled barista. In France, this is known café serré.

Shot: A term for a brewed espresso.

Single: A single shot of espresso, 1 to 1.5 ounces of coffee (a double is 2.5 to 3 ounces).

Under-Extracted: A coffee bed that has not been exposed to enough passing water. The resulting brew is often weak and thin-bodied.

Coffee Books

Uncommon Grounds, by Mark Pendergrast. An in-depth look at the rich history of coffee and how it transformed our world. $12.92. Click Here for more information.	Coffee—A Dark History, by Antony Wild. This informative book covers the many ups and downs of coffee's past 500 years. $17.13. Click Here for more information.	The World Encyclopedia of Coffee, by Mary Banks. Explore coffee's many different uses from aromatic beverage to indispensable cooking ingredient. $22.05. Click here for more information or to purchase.

Coffee - A Guide to Buying, Brewing, and Enjoying, by Kenneth Davids. Dazed by the myriad of coffee choices? This book will set you straight, teaching you everything you need to know about the humble cup o' joe. $10.37. Click here for more information or to purchase.	Espresso Coffee - The Science of Quality, by Rinantonio Viani and Andrea Illy. Get down to the nuts and bolts of coffee with this intriguing read. $84.95. Click here for more information or to purchase.	The Coffee Book,by Gregory Dicum and Nina Luttinger. Follow your favorite beverage from the pod to your mug. $11.02. Click here for more information or to purchase.

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