What is espresso? Are espresso and coffee interchangeable?
Is espresso just a fancy expression for some hardcore dark and bitter coffee served in a small ceramic cup? Close enough, but not really.
In this article, as a coffee aficionado, I will explain what an espresso is and the difference between espresso and regular coffee.
And stay tuned for some neat tips to get a perfect cup of espresso.
What Is Espresso
So, what is an espresso? Espresso” isn’t simply a name for a popular coffee drink that the snobs boast about.
It’s actually an Italian coffee brewing method that runs very hot water through finely-ground coffee under high pressure to yield a small amount of coffee that has a higher concentration and a full-bodied and rich flavor.
This is also known as a shot of espresso.
As the drink made using this process became more widely known to the public, it took the name “espresso”.
However, since this is a coffee-making method, there are inevitably variations, resulting in an array of coffee drinks under the umbrella term “espresso”.
So the espresso drink you are familiar with and often refer to at the coffee shop isn’t the only one that exists.
As you make changes to the amount of water and ground coffee and the length of extraction time, you get different espresso beverages.
Types Of Espresso Drinks
The 3 common types are: Normale, Ristretto, and Lungo.
Normale
Translated to “normal” from Italian and being the most popular espresso coffee brewing technique, Normale is understood as the universal espresso and what most people who drink espresso at coffee shops refer to.
To successfully pull a Normale espresso shot, near-boiling water is forced through the ground coffee bed under high pressure for 30 seconds.
Here, the golden coffee-to-water ratio of 1:3 is applied.
Ristretto
Ristretto is the Italian word for “restrained” or “restricted“. And living up to its name, compared to Normale, brewing coffee with the Ristretto technique calls for less water and shorter extraction time.
In particular, Ristretto is brewed in a 1:1 or 1:1.5 ratio in only 15 seconds.
Since there is less water, the coffee produced is much more concentrated and thicker, hence considered stronger.
Yet, the flavor is sweeter with more notable fruity and floral tones. If you want to learn more about this underrated espresso drink, check out my previous article here for more details.
Lungo
Last but not least, lungo, meaning “long”, is making espresso and incorporating double the amount of hot water.
In 30 seconds of extraction, you can pull a shot of espresso that is more diluted, packed with more coffee soluble, and more intense. The coffee-to-water ratio here is often at least 1:4.
Is this what they meant by a “double shot” of espresso? No, a double shot is just double the amount of one-shot using the same ratio.
Read why you see sparkling water served with espresso here.
How Is Espresso Different Than Coffee
So… espresso is coffee, right? Yes, that’s correct. A regular cup of coffee and espresso are different.
But as aforementioned, espresso is a coffee brewing process that uses coffee grounds and hot water, your typical ingredients, so it is coffee.
And, there are many other brewing methods for preparing coffee, such as Pour-Over, French Press, and so on.
So how are regular coffee and espresso different?
Brewing Method
While specific aspects in each regular coffee brewing technique may vary, the foundation is essentially the same.
Ground-up coffee beans are steeped in hot water for a certain amount of time so that coffee soluble is extracted into the water, becoming the coffee drink.
Since you have to wait for the coffee particles to disintegrate and slip into the water, this process can take several minutes to complete.
The difference between espresso and coffee is, in the case of espresso, a small amount of hot water is shot through tamped and tightly packed grounds under high pressure.
This produces a more aromatic, thicker, and caffeine-packed coffee shot compared to drinking drip coffee.
Because of the lower amount of water and the higher pressure, extraction time is shortened to only 30 seconds.
Moreover, such high pressure cannot be replicated in your regular coffee pot to make authentic espresso.
An espresso machine MUST be used to make this amazing coffee.
Coffee Beans
Do you need espresso beans to make espresso? No, the main difference between espresso and your average cup of coffee is in the process of making coffee, which I’ve explained above.
You can use any type of coffee bean for espresso. In fact, even coffee shops may use the same beans for espresso drinks.
So feel free to pull out the medium-roast coffee bag you use for your drip coffee maker.
Nevertheless, there are some that work better with this brewing technique than others.
So keep the following tips in mind to improve your next cup of espresso if you decide to make one at home.
And likewise, no one will stop you from using “espresso beans” to make regular coffee.
Blend
Traditionally, an espresso shot is made using a blend of both Arabica and Robusta beans.
For a long time, Arabica beans have been considered superior to Robusta due to their milder and sweeter taste, notable fruity notes, and lower acidity.
However, a blend with Robusta, which is more bitter and bolder with more earthy undertones, helps create the complex, mouthful, and strong coffee flavor enveloped in a single shot of espresso.
Moreover, Robusta’s bitterness pairs much better with steamed milk and creamy blends than its popular cousin.
A simple analogy: When you eat watermelon after eating candy, the watermelon’s taste likely becomes extremely underwhelming compared to the lingering sweetness on your tongue.
Similarly, Arabica’s sweeter and lighter advantages get lost when brewing espresso-based milky coffee drinks such as flat white, latte, cappuccino, and so on.
Robusta also has higher caffeine content and produces more crema, the flavorful lighter-colored layer of froth sitting on top of the espresso.
Crema is considered to be a reliable indicator of the quality of the espresso shot.
If you want to learn more about the origin of coffee and different types of coffee, check here.
However, for the past few decades, many specialty coffee enthusiasts have started to adopt the use of single-origin beans and experiment with lighter and brighter espresso shots with fruity notes and more.
Espresso flavors can now be diverse and intense and continuously explored.
Roast
Traditionally, coffee beans recommended for espresso brews are of a darker roast than regular coffee such as drip coffee, pour-over coffee, and French Press coffee.
The reason for the dark roast profile is to remove acidity and increase oiliness, creating the signature more full-bodied and stronger taste than you would get from light or medium roast.
One easy way to know which roast level you should use is by checking the coffee bag. If it has “espresso” on it, the roasting process is likely longer following popular demands.
And as you would with regular coffee, make sure to check the roast date. The fresher the espresso beans are roasted, the better the shot of espresso.
Grind
Another difference between espresso and other coffee brewing techniques is the grind size.
As previously mentioned, the espresso brewing method requires the beans to be finely ground and tightly packed.
How come? The fundamental process is shooting water through the coffee grounds under high pressure in as fast as 30 seconds, so you have to make the most out of this short extraction time.
With a coarser grind, there is less contact between the coffee and the water, resulting in under-extraction.
Likewise, when the grinds are too fine, the coffee-to-water contact time is much longer, causing over-extraction, and sometimes, even clogging the portafilter.
If you want to learn more about how to adjust your grind for different brewing methods, from percolator to drip-coffee machine, check my ultimate guide to coffee grind size here.
Strength
So which is stronger black coffee or espresso? Most of the time, the answer is espresso.
Due to the method and the espresso roast and grind, espresso coffee tastes stronger, bolder, richer, and more mouthful compared to black coffee, which often uses lighter roasts and less finely ground coffee beans.
Caffeine Content
So, in terms of the caffeine content, is Espresso stronger than coffee? There’s actually no definitive answer to which has more caffeine than the other.
This is simply because it largely depends on:
- The amount of coffee you drink compared to what you would with espresso
According to this study about the effects of different extraction methods, a typical shot of espresso, or an ounce, contains 121 mg of caffeine.
And regular coffee contains only around 27 mg per ounce. So technically, espresso is more caffeine-packed than regular coffee, which explains why it’s often called an energy shot.
However, you don’t drink as much espresso as you would with other types of coffee.
In America, a typical cup of coffee ranges anywhere from 4 to 8 oz or more. So with a 6 oz cup, your caffeine intake will jump to 162 mg.
So, as you drink coffee frequently during the day, high chance you may get less caffeine from espresso and more caffeine from your average drip coffee and filter coffee.
- The brewing method to make “regular” coffee
According to the same study, different coffee extraction processes result in different concentrations of caffeine.
For example, coffee brewing with a French Press, AeroPress, or V60 contains caffeine as low as 15 mg/oz.
How To Brew Espresso With An Espresso Machine
Here are 4 brief and simple steps to make espresso coffee with an espresso machine:
Preparation
- 7 g of finely ground dark roast coffee beans
- 21 g of hot water
Distribution
- Fill the portafilter with ground coffee beans
- Distribute with your hand
- Tamp the grounds with a tamper
Execution
- Run the espresso machine without a portafilter
- Lock the portafilter into the machine
- Place a demitasse glass underneath
- Start and time 25-30 seconds
Addition
- A double shot of espresso topped with steamed milk for espresso-based drinks.
If you are looking for espresso machines to take home, check out for our comprehensive espresso machine review and buyer’s guide to find the espresso machine of your dream. For more affordable versions, click here.
What Are The Benefits Of Espresso Coffee
Espresso is often the go-to menu of many coffee lovers for a quick caffeinated energy shot.
Many studies have shown that coffee has proven to enhance various brain functions, from simply boosting wakefulness, to improving memory and mood, increasing attention, and promoting reaction and reflex.
Espresso can also be good for your health as it contains several beneficial vitamins, such as B2, B3, and B5.
It’s also low in fat and sugar, given that you only consume a pure espresso shot.
What’s more, espresso can be your tasty weight-loss companion.
As long as you don’t overconsume, caffeine in espresso and coffee will help burn your fat faster, improve your performance at the gym, and relieve muscle pains!
In addition, drinking espresso also helps lower many health risks like strokes, certain types of cancers, dementia, and so on.
So in the long run, this cup of Joe can go as far as extending your life.
To Close
Now you know the answer. Next time someone asks you “What is espresso?”, help raise awareness and spread the love for this classic tasty cup of brewed coffee.
If this drink is too bitter for your personal taste, remember that it is the foundation of many sweet espresso-based beverages as well.