GRAGSON'S COFFEE TIPS

ESPRESSO

Tips Index

Using a moka (a three-chamber stovetop coffeemaker) is a low-tech, simple, reliable, non-electric, but excellent way to make espresso.
Coffees commonly used for espresso include Ethiopia Yrgacheffe and top-quality Central American and Indonesian beans darkly roasted.
There is a slight difference between steamed milk and foamed milk in espresso drinks. Steamed milk will be about 40°-60°F below the boiling point, but foamed milk will be slightly cooler because of the injection of air into the milk.
Due to the emulsification of the oils in espresso which results in in a syrupy liquid, the delightful taste of the beverage can linger in your palate for up to 20 minutes and let you savor the experience long after finishing with your drink.
Espresso is thicker than coffee because the pressure under which it is made forces the water to emulsify the oils and proteins in the coffee.
To achieve the proper pressure or "bars" in a home espresso machine, consider purchasing a pump machine made by Rancilio or Faema.
The difference between a "wet" and a "dry" cappuccino is steamed milk. A "wet" cappuccino is espresso with both steamed milk and milk foam. A "dry" cappuccino is only espresso and milk foam without steamed milk.
One trick to making a good espresso drink is to mix and serve it quickly because the espresso flavor begins to fade rapidly as it cools.
There are basically two types of espresso "pours." The ristretto, or short pour, is 0.75-1.0 oz. of a single espresso poured for about 20 seconds creating a strong concentrated espresso. The lungo, or long pour, is 1.5-2.0 oz. of a single espresso with pour time nearly 30 seconds. A ristretto is used generally for hot espresso drinks with milk and cold espresso drinks while the lungo is generally used for an American-style straight espresso.
Stainless steel containers used to collect the espresso when it is being made should be preheated to give the best flavor to the espresso.
Crema is the dense brownish foam atop a straight shot of espresso. It is rich with aroma and flavor and an indicator of a well extracted espresso. The crema is the separation of about 10% of the oils in the coffee during the espresso extraction process combining with bubbles of coffee gas and gelatinous colloids. The thickness of the crema slows the natural loss of heat and aroma from the espresso.
When buying a home espresso machine, make sure the steam wand is movable. This will ensure ease of positioning the pitcher no matter its size.
Cold milk and a cold stainless steel pitcher are used for the best results when steaming and frothing milk for espresso drinks. Warm milk does not foam well. During the steaming process, milk proteins coagulate and do so better if the milk and container are cold.
The lower the milk's fat content, the better it will foam.
Espresso purists prefer a 1 oz. shot rather than a 1½ oz. shot for the most flavor. The reason for this is that running more than 1¼ oz. of water through the proper amount of espresso (about ¼ ounce), the extraction will begin to turn more bitter.
A blind person would likely have an easier time foaming and steaming milk for espresso drinks than a deaf person. The ability to complete the foaming and steaming process correctly is very dependent upon the barista listening to the sound made from air being injected into the milk.
The best water temperature for making espresso is in the range of 192-198 degrees F with 195 the best. Less than 192 and there will be a noticeable sourness; over 198 and the espresso burns and will have a sharp taste.
What truly distinguishes espresso from regular coffee is its high concentration of flavor and aroma. The quality of both espresso and coffee depend upon the equipment (grinder and brewer) and the ingredients (a good blend and good water). However, espresso has an additional ingredient that makes a difference: the skill of the person operating the equipment.
Espresso must be drunk soon after it is made for it loses its flavor quickly as it cools.
When making your espresso or coffee at home, your brew will be improved if you let your chlorinated tap water sit for 12 to 24 hours uncovered to diffuse the chlorine.
Coffee can be made from darker or lighter roasts, but for espresso, it is recommended that a darker roast be used. The darker roast allows better water penetration in the grounds as well as reduces the acidity.
For the best espresso, grind your beans just before making your brew.
A master in the art of making espresso drinks is called a barista. Some baristas make a performance out of making drinks by juggling cups, bottles, and other items. The barista is a respected job in Italy, and the average age of a barista is nearly 50.
In an espresso drink, the crema -- the light brown foam atop the drink -- slows the loss of both aroma and heat from the espresso before it is served.
A double espresso (i.e., two shots of espresso) will contain about the same amount of caffeine as a 12-oz. mug of coffee. Why? Because the amount of ground coffee beans used to make both is about the same. Hot water is such a good solvent for caffeine that just passing the water through the ground coffee is enough to absorb nearly all of the caffeine whatever the brewing method used.
Although any milk can be foamed for your espresso drinks, some work better than others. Half-and-half or cream are challenging from which to get much foam. They steam well, but getting foam is difficult. Skim milk foams the fastest, but creates a dry foam that is not real palatable. Most American baristas favor 1% or 2% milk for the best foam. However, Italian baristas think whole milk with its fat content gives a better "mouthfeel" to the foam.
The porta-filter is the handled unit into which espresso ground coffee is packed just prior to making an espresso brew. The port-filter should not be attached to the brew chamber until the extraction is ready to be made immediately. Leaving the porta-filter with the espresso sitting attached to the brew chamber will burn the fresh coffee due to the heat radiating from the brewing unit.
It is the protein content in milk that generates the foam for espresso drinks. Unused steamed milk can be re-used for espresso drinks if immediately refrigerated and if some new milk is added to produce the foam the next time it is used.
If you hear a loud roaring and howling sound when your when your milk is being steamed or foamed for your espresso drink, you know your milk is being scalded. The steam wand is too far below the surface and will scald the milk instead of steaming or foaming it which is done at the top level of the milk and creates a much lighter sound.
A "double" describes the amount of espresso coffee used to make an espresso drink. A "double" is 14 grams, or twice the amount of a "single." In an American Style "double," twice the amount of water is used with the freshly ground espresso. In a European Style "double," only a single amount of water is used.

GRAGSON'S COFFEE TIPS

ESPRESSO

Using a moka (a three-chamber stovetop coffeemaker) is a low-tech, simple, reliable, non-electric, but excellent way to make espresso.

Coffees commonly used for espresso include Ethiopia Yrgacheffe and top-quality Central American and Indonesian beans darkly roasted.

There is a slight difference between steamed milk and foamed milk in espresso drinks. Steamed milk will be about 40°-60°F below the boiling point, but foamed milk will be slightly cooler because of the injection of air into the milk.

Due to the emulsification of the oils in espresso which results in in a syrupy liquid, the delightful taste of the beverage can linger in your palate for up to 20 minutes and let you savor the experience long after finishing with your drink.

Espresso is thicker than coffee because the pressure under which it is made forces the water to emulsify the oils and proteins in the coffee.

To achieve the proper pressure or "bars" in a home espresso machine, consider purchasing a pump machine made by Rancilio or Faema.

The difference between a "wet" and a "dry" cappuccino is steamed milk. A "wet" cappuccino is espresso with both steamed milk and milk foam. A "dry" cappuccino is only espresso and milk foam without steamed milk.

One trick to making a good espresso drink is to mix and serve it quickly because the espresso flavor begins to fade rapidly as it cools.

Stainless steel containers used to collect the espresso when it is being made should be preheated to give the best flavor to the espresso.

When buying a home espresso machine, make sure the steam wand is movable. This will ensure ease of positioning the pitcher no matter its size.

Cold milk and a cold stainless steel pitcher are used for the best results when steaming and frothing milk for espresso drinks. Warm milk does not foam well. During the steaming process, milk proteins coagulate and do so better if the milk and container are cold.

The lower the milk's fat content, the better it will foam.

Espresso purists prefer a 1 oz. shot rather than a 1½ oz. shot for the most flavor. The reason for this is that running more than 1¼ oz. of water through the proper amount of espresso (about ¼ ounce), the extraction will begin to turn more bitter.

A blind person would likely have an easier time foaming and steaming milk for espresso drinks than a deaf person. The ability to complete the foaming and steaming process correctly is very dependent upon the barista listening to the sound made from air being injected into the milk.

The best water temperature for making espresso is in the range of 192-198 degrees F with 195 the best. Less than 192 and there will be a noticeable sourness; over 198 and the espresso burns and will have a sharp taste.

Espresso must be drunk soon after it is made for it loses its flavor quickly as it cools.

When making your espresso or coffee at home, your brew will be improved if you let your chlorinated tap water sit for 12 to 24 hours uncovered to diffuse the chlorine.

Coffee can be made from darker or lighter roasts, but for espresso, it is recommended that a darker roast be used. The darker roast allows better water penetration in the grounds as well as reduces the acidity.

For the best espresso, grind your beans just before making your brew.

A master in the art of making espresso drinks is called a barista. Some baristas make a performance out of making drinks by juggling cups, bottles, and other items. The barista is a respected job in Italy, and the average age of a barista is nearly 50.

In an espresso drink, the crema -- the light brown foam atop the drink -- slows the loss of both aroma and heat from the espresso before it is served.

It is the protein content in milk that generates the foam for espresso drinks. Unused steamed milk can be re-used for espresso drinks if immediately refrigerated and if some new milk is added to produce the foam the next time it is used.