What is Espresso?

What is Espresso?

Espresso is a coffee drink that is made using pressure in addition to temperature to extract soluble compounds from the coffee bean. Because of the use of pressure, the temperature can be lower than used in other brewing methods. The lower temperature does not extract certain unpleasant compounds that are extracted in other methods. The use of pressure extracts desirable compounds that are left behind in other methods. The result is a strong, thick coffee drink with a naturally occurring froth, called "crema."

What is the origin of the word "espresso"?

From the New Oxford American Dictionary: ORIGIN 1940s: from Italian (caffè) espresso, literally 'pressed out (coffee).'

In other words, it is "expressed" coffee — expressed meaning "to squeeze out," and that is exactly what is happening when the machine is using pressure to force substances out of the bean, much like the Italians produce olive oil from olives.

However, there is another interpretation of the word that is popular in Italy. It's said that the term, espresso, was first coined around 1900 and, loosely translated, means a cup of coffee brewed expressly for you. The adverb, espressamente, means expressly for you. It is used to describe food and drinks that are made at the moment of asking.

What are the three kinds of coffee?

When choosing espresso one is confronted with three broad categories of coffee: 100% Arabica blends, Arabica / Robusta blends, and single origin Arabicas. Let's take these from back to front.

Single origin coffees are those whose beans come from a single locale and present the unique flavor of the beans grown in the particular region: Brazil, Colombia, Kenya, Nicaragua, Ethiopia, Jamaica, etc. Single origin coffees are always 100% Arabica beans (more on that later).

Arabicas are coffee of the species Coffea Arabica, indigenous to Ethiopia. The plant only grows under limited conditions in mountainous regions, and is the main bean used in specialty coffee. Arabica beans from differing locations are blended to produce a balanced and consistent coffee.

Robusta beans are of the species Coffea Canephora which has its origins in western Africa. The robusta plant grows at sea level and is a far more robust plant than the Arabica. Robusta beans contain more of the acids that cause indigestion. A cup of Arabica coffee is milder, more aromatic, less astringent, and has about half the caffeine of a cup of Robusta coffee.

Arabica / Robusta blends achieve a balance of body and mildness by combining the smoothness of Arabica with the heartiness of Robusta. Arabica / Robusta blends are the most popular of the three kinds.