A Beginner’s Guide to Espresso

This is a guest post by Mike Tennant. Learn more about how you can guest post for Daily Shot Of Coffee here.

Espresso was first seen in Italy in the early 20th century, and since its inception, the boldly flavored drink has become one of the most popular coffee staples around the world. Thanks to the high concentration of coffee flavor, espresso has become the backbone for some of the most popular coffee drinks. Just about anything you order from your local coffee shop starts off with a shot or two of espresso. But for coffee beginners, the process can seem a bit overwhelming, especially when you don’t even know what espresso really is!

But we’re here to help. Here are some of the basics behind espresso, all of which should help you feel a bit more comfortable next time you’re rushed to order at the cafe.

The History

Italy is credited as the home of espresso, dating back to the beginning of the 1900′s. Originally, the drink began as a working class beverage of choice, and it began to receive mass appeal as the alternative or counter culture grew in Italian cities. As the cities grew, espresso become associated with the increased urbanization of the country, and espresso drinks and coffee bars were associated with the social life for the workers.

In more modern times, as specialized coffee and coffee shops began to gain ground, espresso shifted from a working class drink to a higher end clientele. It became more of a luxury drink, which is still part of the stigma associated with it today. Due to ongoing growth of coffee shops, espresso remains a social experience for many.

The Process

The most important thing for all espresso novices to know is that the term espresso itself does not refer to a particular coffee bean or ground. It’s actually the coffee resulting from the specific process. Espresso is a coffee drink developed by forcing hot water under intense pressure through finely ground coffee. As a result of the process, the coffee flavors are all quite concentrated, which is why espresso is widely used as the foundation for a variety of coffee drinks.

You can use any type of coffee bean to make espresso. Darker roasts will lead to more bitter espresso, while a lighter roast can have a more acidic flavor. The basic process of pouring a serving of espresso is commonly referred to as “Pulling a shot.”

The Shots

There are two basic measures used for describing espresso - size and length. Sizing up espresso is really as easy as 1, 2, 3 – traditionally espresso is measured as a single, double or triple shot. This refers to using either one, two or three ounces of espresso in your drink.

Interestingly, while the traditional shot size for espresso is a single – or one ounce – the standard shot size used in coffee shops today is a double. True singles are actually quite rare these days. Using a double shot, a single is poured as half a shot and a triple is poured as one and a half shots. Following that logic, you can guess how quad shots are actually poured at your neighborhood cafe.

The other form of measurement for an espresso shot is length. This simply refers to the level of extraction from the coffee beans. The longer a shot is, the more diluted it becomes, as the concentration of the coffee decreases. For longer shots, the coffee grind is adjusted in an effort to keep a similar volume. In essence, a long shot is simply more diluted coffee.

The Drinks

Since espresso is such a concentrated form of coffee, it’s used as the foundation for many of your favorite coffee drinks. It’s actually become difficult these days to order something from a local coffee shop that doesn’t begin or end with espresso in some form. Here are some of the more popular espresso coffee drinks:

• Americano: This is one of the simplest espresso drinks, made up of simply espresso and hot water.  interestingly, it was named for American soldiers who would water down their espresso drinks when serving in Europe
• Latte: The cafe latte is another simple espresso staple, and is one of the most-ordered coffee drinks in the world. Containing simply espresso and steamed milk, a latte is the perfect place to start for espresso beginners.
• Cappuccino: Another popular and traditional espresso drink, the cappuccino exchanges the steamed milk for foam instead. There are several more modern takes on this traditional drink that include adding things like milk and cinnamon – so feel free to explore these varieties.
• Mocha: Another popular coffee house drink, the mocha is a latte made with chocolate instead of milk. For a slightly different taste, try a white mocha, which uses white chocolate.
• Red Eye: For the bolder coffee drinker, a red eye is simply a cup of normal drip coffee with a shot of espresso added to it.

Mike Tennant is a freelance writer and content developer from Orange County, CA. Mike currently works with Air & Water Inc., where he helps people find the right coffee and espresso makers to fit their needs.

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Photo by Tonx