Espresso Articles

When you enter a coffee house, you have a multitude of drink choices like latté, cappuccino, straight shot and caffé mocha just to name a few.

Sometimes knowing what to order can be overwhelming unless you know what you are getting. After all, who wants to pay an outrageous amount of money for a mystery drink that you may not even like?

So PerfectCoffees.Com has come to the rescue, and after you read this, you’ll have a basic understanding of how the most popular coffee drinks are made and what they are made of.

Most coffee drinks start with espresso and espresso is just coffee that is brewed a certain way. It is finely ground to almost a powder then very hot water is forced through the grounds under intense pressure.

The brewing process is timed so that the flavorful and aromatic oils are extracted from the coffee and not the bitter components. This produces a strong flavored, but not bitter, concentrated shot of coffee.

Straight Shot

The straight shot refers to espresso coffee and the secret to good espresso is the extraction time, volume, and golden crema which is a thick light brown layer of frothed coffee oils that float on top of a properly extracted espresso.

The short shot or ristretto is extracted to a volume of three-quarters of an ounce. The shorter restricted pour magnifies the essence of the coffee and the chance of any bitter elements being extracted is minimized. If you have ever ordered an espresso shot in Europe they usually serve the ristretto.

The long shot or lungo is extracted to a volume of one and one-half ounces.

The double shot is a 2 ounce shot using twice as much coffee in the portafilter.

The correct way to serve a straight shot is to extract it directly into a warmed demitasse cup. The warm demitasse cup will keep the straight shot warm and prolong the crema. A straight shot is best enjoyed immediately after brewing.

It is rare to see people drinking straight shots of espresso in the US. Most people here drink variations using steamed milk mixed with the shots to make the different coffee drinks listed here.

Espresso Macchiato

The Espresso Macchiato starts with a shot of espresso and then a small amount of foamed milk is spooned over the shot. Macchiato in Italian means “marked,” as the espresso is marked with foam.

Espresso Con Panna

This is an Espresso Macchiato using whipped cream in place of the foamed milk. The drink gets its name Con Panna which means “with cream.”

Caffé Americano

The Caffé Americano is a drink similar to American brewed coffee. It is made with a single or double shot of espresso combined with 6 to 8 ounces of hot water out of an espresso machine. The result is a very smooth cup of coffee that is much hotter than brewed coffee.

Cappuccino

Cappuccino is made with a fluffy, wet foam, mixed with espresso coffee upon the pour to create a blend of the two flavors. Cold milk is essential, as is expertise in the foaming process. Cappuccino has a large volume of foam making it a light weight drink and less filling.

Caffé Latté

Caffé Latté is similar to the cappuccino but with much less foam and more steamed milk. A latté is made by holding back the foam with a spoon while pouring the frothed milk from the steaming pitcher. The caffé latté is completed by being topped with a small amount of the held back foam.

Caffé latté gets its name from the addition of coffee to milk. For an iced latté, cold milk is combined with the espresso and then the ice is added.

Caffé Mocha

A caffé mocha is made by adding powdered or chocolate syrup to a hot shot of espresso and blended. Steamed milk is then be added to the espresso-chocolate mixture and usually it is topped with whipped cream.

Iced mochas are made with cold milk and the ice added after the coffee and chocolate have been blended.

Flavored Coffee Drinks

Some popular coffee flavors are: vanilla, Irish creme, almond, hazelnut, caramel and fruit flavors such as orange and raspberry. These drinks usually start with a flavored syrup that is mixed with hot espresso and stirred. Then steamed milk is stirred in like in a latté.

An iced version of these flavored coffees made with cold milk instead of steamed makes a delicious cold drink in the summer months.

So now that you know what’s in the basic coffee drinks, try one you haven’t tasted yet. Who knows, you might find a new favorite.

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There are actually quite a few different types of espresso makers, and which sort is best for you is… well, totally up to you! Check out these different types of espresso makers:

· Stovetop Espresso Maker – A stovetop espresso maker is just about as simple as they can get, and the name is pretty much self-explanatory. A stovetop espresso maker is one that you use over the stove. This is, of course, a benefit since it does not require electricity. It can therefore be used easily by campers and the like. Of course, a stovetop espresso maker is not ideal for everyone, especially since it is usually of the “one-cup” variety, and it will not give you the foam layer top. But, a stovetop espresso maker does give its user one great shot of espresso at full concentration.

· Piston Driven Espresso Maker – This fine sort of espresso maker was invented in 1938 by Italian Achille Gaggia. A piston driven espresso maker forces water to flow over the coffee grounds at a very high pressure. This produces the foamy top that is so unique to espresso. Of course, the piston driven espresso maker is likely more often seen in an antique shop than a person’s home, these days.

· Pump Driven Espresso Maker – A pump driven espresso maker is similar to the piston driven espresso maker, but it is more widely used today, especially in commercial settings. A pump driven espresso maker does not use manual force, but rather a motor-driven pump that heats the water as it filters through the coffee. Oftentimes, a pump driven espresso maker is hooked up directly to a building’s plumbing.

· Semi Automatic Espresso Machine – A semi automatic espresso machine delivers water by a pump, not manual force. The coffee grinding and other such steps are all still prepared manually.

· Automatic Espresso Machine and Super-Automatic Espresso Machine – Automatic espresso machines are, of course, becoming more and more popular. People like to have things as easy as possible, and on this list of espresso machines so far, this is the easiest to use. An automatic espresso machine does practically everything for you. It will produce essentially the same espresso shot every time. It will even grind the beans and dispose of the spent grounds. All you need to do is turn it on!

Once you have decided which sort of espresso maker is perfect for you, all you need to do is go and buy it! Then you can make your own, fresh espresso daily, rather than heading to the local coffee shop and paying them big bucks to make it for you.

If you are a caffeine junkie, then you most definitely need to have an espresso maker in your own home. Otherwise, you will continuing putting money down the drain, buying your espresso from Starbucks.

Of course, now that you have decided which espresso maker you want, you now need to decide which coffee beans to buy! This can be an even more difficult decision!