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.

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

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.

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.

So 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.