Here's what makes espresso so good

Espresso – the good stuff

Last week I discussed a few of the misconceptions concerning espresso. This week let us briefly look at what espresso actually is and a few of the factors that make for a good drink.

Espresso, as a drink unto itself, is small. It is a one to two (sometimes three) ounce dose of coffee essence best served in a small ceramic, or “demitasse” cup that is typically two to four ounces in size. It’s a drink that requires a specific process and specific equipment to create. It is made by forcing water that is around 195°-200° F under a pressure of around 140 PSI (pounds per square inch) through approximately 7.5 grams (for a single shot) of finely ground and compacted coffee, for 25 to 30 seconds.

As you might guess, all of those variables combine to impact the quality of the drink. You do need a special machine with which to make espresso (stovetop moka pots not withstanding) and once that machine is properly calibrated for temperature and pressure the barista is left to control and adjust the other variables as conditions warrant. Modern automatic machines can also be calibrated to, at the push of a button, dispense the hot water for a specific duration of time, such as 25 seconds.

Some cafés prefer to have as much control over as many variables as are practical. Our shop, for example, employs a semi-automatic machine that allows us to control the duration of water flow. We have plans to take that a step further by switching to an “old school” manual machine where the barista also controls the time and pressure by pulling down on a long piston-like handle that forces the hot water through the compacted coffee grounds. The phrase “pulling a shot” originated with the use of this type of machine.

Good espresso is the result of a partnership of the skills and talents of both the roaster and barista. Roasters blend different coffees to achieve sweet and mellow flavors, distinct aromas, low acidity and rich crema. The barista then does his or her best to release and highlight those qualities into the cup.

Crema is the creamy, reddish brown foam that sits atop the drink like the foamy head in a glass of beer. It is where all of those delicious attributes of the coffee, along with the roaster’s knowledge and barista’s skill reveal themselves. The crema should be thick, creamy, oily and subtly sweet. If you have a shot with little to no crema, where nothing sticks to the sides of your cup as you drink it, then you’ve got a fair indication that the drink is sub-par.

Making consistently excellent espresso time after time is a task that requires much practice and attention to detail. There are, of course, an infinite number of possibilities with espresso. No two coffee shops, no two blends, no two baristas, are likely to produce espressos with the exact same flavor profiles.

In Italy there is actually a national espresso day, and a National Italian Espresso Institute that defines just what an excellent espresso should be, including an aroma that smells “of grilled bread."

Some have said that the perfect espresso may actually be an unattainable goal. The espresso that approaches perfection is referred to as a “God shot,” and those are few and far between. But excellent espresso should be expected of any self-respecting coffee shop. When you’re paying $2-$3 for a one to two ounce drink you should accept nothing less than a high quality beverage.

Italians order it in the morning and, while still standing, quickly gulp it down before rushing off to work, as though filling themselves with fuel for the day. We Americans seem to prefer to savor it for a few minutes and drink while sitting, collecting our thoughts before beginning the day. Either way, it is a drink worth exploring.