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Starbucks 101: What is espresso?
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The word “espresso” is often thrown around rather loosely, but what does it actually mean? Some believe it is a type of coffee bean or blend, but this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Any type of bean can be used to make a great shot of espresso. And even though coffee roasters design specific blends for espresso beverages, the blend does not make it an espresso.
Others believe espresso describes a type of dark roast, but espresso roast varies around the world. Darker roasts are preferred in the western part of the United States while a lighter roast is more desirable on the east coast, and Europeans typically use a medium roast for their espresso. Since roasts are dependant on individual taste preferences, there is no one standard blend for espresso or a single “espresso roast” recipe.
So what is espresso? It is actually used to describe the preparation of the coffee. Espresso is a concentrated coffee beverage brewed by forcing hot water under pressure through finely ground coffee. It is served as 1 or 2 oz shots in what is know as a demitasse or as part of a hand-crafted coffee beverage such as a café latte or cappuccino.
For Starbucks, the ideal brewing time for a shot of espresso (on a La Marzocco) is between 18-23 seconds. Some coffee drinkers prefer a longer or shorter shot, but the Starbucks standard ensures all three parts of the shot are developed.
Crema – the foamy, light brown topping, which is the source of much of the sweetness.
Body – the middle layer, slightly darker in color.
Heart – the dark brown base of the shot.
Starbucks describes the perfect shot of espresso as “sweet and intense with a caramelly, somewhat nutty aftertaste. It also features a noticeable buy not dominant coffee acidity.”
It takes a lot of practice to learn the taste and evaluate the quality of a shot of espresso – which may result in many long, sleepless nights.
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