If you have not tried espresso before or you have and you didn’t like it then you might be wondering why some people seem to like it so much.
This post will show you why some people like espresso so much and why you might as well even if you didn’t like it the first time.
So, what is so great about espresso? Many people like espresso because it has a much richer taste, it has a richer concentration of caffeine, it has a thicker consistency and it has a flavorful crema on top when brewed properly.
Espresso is a “shot” of coffee that gets made by having pressurized water be pushed through a tightly packed bed of coffee over a short period of 20-25 seconds. The result is that you get very concentrated coffee.
As a result of this espresso comes with more caffeine in terms of density but the overall amount of caffeine in espresso is lower than that of a normal cup of coffee because espresso shots are served in smaller amounts.
When made properly espresso tastes like a very rich but flavorful coffee. People often say that espresso tastes bitter but that can be due to using the wrong blend of coffee, burning the coffee or because it is their first time and they are not used to it.
You can watch the video below to see the main differences between espresso and drip coffee.
Why use espresso
There are a number of reasons that people like to drink espresso.
Below, I will mention a number of reasons that people like espresso and the benefits that it has.
It has a stronger taste
When drunk by itself espresso has a much stronger taste than regular drip coffee. This is due to the higher concentration of coffee that gets forced through using the highly pressurized pulling method that gets used when making espresso.
Often people consider it as being too strong for their liking. This is a normal occurrence among people that are tasting it for their first time. However, people will often come around to it on their second and third tries as they are able to get better used to the richer taste and are better able to appreciate the richer flavors.
The crema on top
Espresso shots will often come with a thick creamy substance on top called “Crema” That is made from Co2 gas that forms due to the combination of heat and pressure during the brew process.
It can be quite bitter to the taste and can be mixed in with the espresso, consumed with the espresso or you can scoop it out entirely.
People often say that the crema is a sign that the espresso was well made. However, this is not always the case, the crema is usually more of a sign that the coffee is fresh than it is good. It could be the case that the espresso has a lovely looking crema but it doesn’t taste good while it could also be the case that the espresso could have no crema while also tasting excellent.
You can watch the video below to see more about the crema that is formed in espresso.
It has a higher concentration of caffein
Espresso shots are more highly concentrated in caffein due to the higher concentration of coffee that they have as a result of the brewing process.
However, this doesn’t mean that espresso shots have more caffein than regular coffee. In fact, the opposite is true.
A normal 2 oz double espresso shot comes with about 80 milligrams of caffein. Whereas, a 12 oz brewed coffee will come with about 120 milligrams of caffein.
So, if you don’t want to get too much caffein in the morning or if you’re drinking it later on in the day then an espresso would actually be a better option. Whereas, if your main goal is for the drink to wake you up as much as possible then the drip coffee would be the better option.
It is said to have many health benefits
There are many claimed health benefits that espresso shots come with.
These can include:
- Improving long term memory
- Improving concentration
- It’s high in antioxidants
- Boots physical activity
- Low in calories
- Lowers risk of stroke
- Reducing diabetes risk
It can be used to make other types of drinks
Espresso shots do not have to be consumed on their own. Instead, they can be combined with milk and foam from the milk to create other varieties of coffee drinks.
This means that if you do not like the richer taste of espresso shots on their own then it could be the case that you would like the taste of it when it is mixed with other ingredients.
The other types of espresso-based coffee can include:
- Americano (espresso diluted with hot water)
- Cappuccino (espresso topped with some steamed milk and a lot of foam)
- Latte (espresso topped with a lot of steamed milk and some foam)
- Macchiato (espresso shot added to steamed milk)
- Ristretto (an espresso made with half as much water)
- Lungo (an espresso where it is brewed with more water)
There is an art to it
Another thing that many people like about espresso is that there is somewhat of an art to making a good one.
It can take people many attempts to make a good espresso that will often require many experiments with the types of coffee used and the type of blend that is used.
Since it can be quite hard to make a good espresso the first time around many people decide that they don’t like espresso after having their first one. But, if they had of tried making it with a different type of blend then it could have been the case that they would have had the opposite reaction.
Related
What is the point of espresso? The point of espresso is to get a much richer drink that is more highly concentrated in coffee with a richer texture. The other point is so that it can be used to make other drinks such as Americano, Cappuccino or Latte.
Why is espresso popular? The reason that it is popular is that many people like the rich taste that it has. It is also popular because it gets used in making other popular drinks such as those listed above.
How is espresso different
Can I use normal coffee for espresso? Yes. The difference between espresso and drip coffee is in the brewing method where espresso is prepared by pulling pressurized water through the coffee the type of coffee used for this doesn’t matter. With that being said, the coffee used for espresso will usually have a much finer grind to it.
