The Difference Between Espresso and Regular Coffee
The espresso is such an important drink in the world of coffee. It is the standard drink in any coffee shop and is drunk regularly around the world.
The differences between this and regular coffee are often misunderstood even though they are very significant.
Regular coffee can be brewed in many ways such as using the pour over technique, french press and a filter machine. Yet espresso can only be brewed in a specific way to produce a short, full bodied drink packed full of flavour.
What is espresso?
Instead of brewing coffee by pouring hot water through coffee grounds over the course of a few minutes, an espresso is made by quickly pushing water through a small, compact portion of finely ground coffee, normally in under 30 seconds. The espresso is then either served on it’s own or with a combination of milk and foam on top (such as a Cappuccino or Latte)
Characteristics of an espresso
Brewed in small amounts (30ml single or 60ml double shot)
Dark, thick texture
Has an upper layer of crema
Rich and full of flavour
Foundation for many drinks such as the flat white, mocha, latte and cappuccino
How do you make an espresso?
To make a shot of espresso, you can either use an espresso machine or a Moka pot (although this won’t give you a true espresso).
An espresso machine uses high pressure to force the water through the basket of compact coffee (held in a portafilter) to extract the full flavour from the coffee.
A Moka pot, works in a similar way but by placing on top of a stove to heat the water and create the pressure. this won’t give you as pure of an extraction or much of a crema but is a great inexpensive alternative.
What equipment can I use at home?
There are many domestic espresso machines available such as the Delonghi Dedica and Gaggia Classic however these can be expensive.
Alternatively, a Moka pot is a much cheaper option that can still give you a nice tasting espresso.
Unless you buy pre-ground coffee, you will also need a grinder to grind your beans up into a size suitable for brewing espresso. When using a Moka pot, you won’t need to grind your beans as fine as you would for an espresso machine.
What sort of beans should you use?
Espresso beans tent to be a darker roast and may look slightly oily compared to other beans (bottom right in picture). They are roasted specifically to be used for espresso and will give you a consistent body and flavour with a rich crema.
Most roasters will have a specific espresso blend or they’ll make it clear which beans are suitable for brewing espresso.
SourceSo there you have it, that’s the difference between an espresso and regular coffee.
Espresso is a really delicious drink and is the foundation of so many other popular drinks such as the flat white or cappuccino.
Don’t let the large cafe equipment put you off trying to make espresso yourself at home. There are inexpensive ways to brew it yourself and the whole process from grinding to extracting can be great fun.