Figuring out the difference between the different types of coffee drinks that you can get can be challenging at times.
This post will show you the differences between black coffee and espresso, how they are made, the ways that you can have them and what impacts their taste.
So, what is the difference between black coffee and espresso? Espresso is the mixture that results from pushing pressurized water through ground coffee. It is dense, rich, sweet and slightly bitter. Black coffee is brewed coffee without anything added to it. The taste is sweet but much less rich, dense and bitter than espresso.
There are actually a number of ways that espresso and black coffee differ and depending on the way that they are made the can vary a lot in the way that they taste.
How black coffee and espresso differ
Below, I will mention a number of ways that black coffee and espresso differ, the things to consider and the different ways to make them.
Espresso
Espresso is the resulting mixture where hot pressurized water is pushed through coffee grind.
It is much denser, richer, sweeter and slightly more bitter than black coffee.
There are a number of different ways to make espresso but three of the main ones are to either use a traditional style espresso machine, a pod-style espresso machine or to use a stovetop espresso maker.
Traditional style espresso maker
To make espresso using a traditional style espresso machine it will be necessary for you to get the beans, grind them, tamp them (push down on them, put them into a portafilter (a container for the grind), put the portafilter into the espresso machine and to turn it on.
The advantage of using a traditional style espresso machine is that it will enable you to make the highest quality of espresso that is the most authentic. It will also allow you to experiment the most and to make the type of espresso that you like the most.
However, it does have a steep learning curve and, since there are a number of different factors that will impact the taste, it can be difficult to consistently make the espresso taste the way you want it to.
The traditional style espresso machine that I would recommend the most would be the DeLonghi Combi Coffee & Espresso Maker on Amazon. It allows you to make both espresso and coffee without sacrificing
Here is a video about how to make espresso using a traditional espresso maker.
Pod-Style Espresso Machine
With pod-style espresso machines all you need to do is to put a pod and water into the machine and to turn it on.
The advantage of using a machine like this is that it will give you a consistently good tasting espresso, it is easy to use, faster to use and it requires a lot less work on your part in getting the ingredients, maintaining the machine and cleaning it.
The disadvantage is that you will have less control over the way that the espresso tastes and it won’t be possible to get very high quality espresso like you can with a traditional style machine. However, taste is subjective and there are many different pod flavors that you can choose from.
The pod-style espresso machine that I would recommend the most would be the Nespresso Inissia on Amazon.
Stovetop espresso maker
With a stovetop espresso maker you put water into a pot with the coffee grind above it then you cover the grind with a filter so that the steam from the water can mix with the grind and go through the filter.
The advantage of using a stovetop espresso maker is that it is cheap, a good option
The problem with it is that it is hard to control the way that the espresso tastes and it will not give you the same quality as a traditional espresso machine.
The stovetop espresso maker that I would recommend the most would be this one on Amazon.
Below is a video on how to make espresso using a stovetop espresso maker.
What impacts the taste of espresso
There are a number of factors that will impact the taste of espresso.
Beans from a single origin and beans that have a light roast will normally result in the espresso tasting slightly
The type of grind used will also impact the way that the espresso tastes. If the coffee beans are ground very finely then it will normally result in the espresso tasting more bitter becuase it takes longer for the hot water to pass through the grind in the filter. Whereas, a less fine grind will normally make the espresso taste slightly more sour.
The amount of grind that is placed in the portafilter will also have an effect on the way that the espresso tastes. If a lot of grind is packed into the portafilter then it will likely cause the espresso to taste more bitter and if less is used it will make it taste sourer.
Types of espresso drinks that you can get
There are many types of espresso drinks that you can get that I have talked about in detail in that past here.
But, some of the main espresso drinks that you can get are as follows:
Ristretto: An espresso that has been made with half the amount of water. This gives it a very rich, dense, bitter and sweet taste.
Americano: Hot water added to espresso. It tastes similar to regular coffee but it is sweeter.
Cortado: A double shot of espresso that has foamed milk on top. It tastes like regular espresso but slightly more creamy and less bitter.
Caffe Latte: Espresso with a lot of steamed milk and a little bit of milk foam added to it. This gives it a very creamy taste with a slight coffee taste as well.
Long black: Espresso added to hot water giving it a coffee-like taste.
Lungo: Espresso made with more water. This reduces the sweetness and bitterness of the espresso.
Cappuccino: Espresso with steamed and foamed milk added to it giving it a creamy and coffee like taste.
Black coffee
Black coffee is brewed coffee that hasn’t had anything added to it. It has a sweet taste that can also be slightly watery depending on how it is made. However, it is much less sweet, dense, rich and bitter compared to espresso.
There are many ways to make black coffee but two of the main ways are to either use a F
French Press Method
A French press is a pot that has a plunger that acts as a filter in it. To make coffee using a French press you put hot water and ground coffee into the french press then wait for a few minutes, push the plunger down and pour the coffee out.
The advantage of making black coffee this way is that it is easy to do and it gives you more control over the taste of the coffee since you can pour the water sooner or later depending on how strong you want it to be.
The French press that I would recommend the most would be the Bodum 4-Cup Brazil French Press.
Drip Method
The drip method works by putting ground coffee into a paper filter that is located above a glass, you then pour hot water into the filter, which mixes with the coffee and drips into the glass below.
People tend to prefer the French press method in making black coffee because they are both easy but the French press gives you more control.
What impacts its taste
There are a number of things that will impact the taste of black coffee.
The type of beans used, their grind, their roast, their origin and their blend will all have an impact on its taste.
Another thing that will impact the way that it tastes is the amount of time that you allow the coffee to mix with the hot water. If you let it mix for a long time then it will give a stronger coffee and if you let it mix for a shorter time it will be weaker.
