Fresh Espresso

[CoffeeMusic]

Recently I started going to two local coffee shops to try there espressos. The first one I went to was Black Crow Coffee and Craf Kafe. I noticed when I tried Black Crow's espresso,which roasts its own beans it had a citrusy sour flavor that I was not use tk drinking. At Craft Kafe, I first tried a regular espresso with an blend, they don't rost their own beans, it kind of tasted the same, I don't really remember it was two weeks ago. Then I tried a deface one and I think it was the same. Anyways, yesterday I went into Craft Kafe and tried this single origin Columbian coffee as an espresso and I noticed the citrusy sour taste again. I feel that unlike wine, I must be lacking the sophisticated pallet to differentiate the different notes in the espresso.

So I have some questions for you cafe owners based on my experience trying espresso:

1. Does espresso only refer to the style of coffee or are there espresso beans?
2. How does single origin effect espresso?
3. Does freshly ground espresso have that citrus flavor?
4. Does it make a difference if it is decafe?
5.. How do I develop a taste for coffee like I would for wine

p.s. When I said sour, I did not mean that the coffee tasted expired, that was just a flavor I got. This is coming from someone who is use to the taste from nespresso.

 

[Musicphan]

1. Does espresso only refer to the style of coffee or are there espresso beans?
2. How does single origin effect espresso?
3. Does freshly ground espresso have that citrus flavor?
4. Does it make a difference if it is decafe?
5.. How do I develop a taste for coffee like I would for wine

A1 - Espresso is simply a blend of coffees made for espresso extraction... however, the coffee can be used for any type of brewing. Some espresso are built to compliment milk, some to stand alone as straight shots, some both.
A2 - Every origin has its own flavor profile... some will add nutty flavors, some chocolate, some fruit... just like wine each growing region has its own profile.
A3 - Some coffees will have brighter bitterness or acidity ... Kenya's are known for winey acidity, Brazil's known for no or low acidity. That's more related to quest 2 - each coffee will have its own acidity. If you tried straight up espresso it can taste acidic... a lot has to do with extraction and how well of a job it was prepared.
A4 - Decaf goes through a process that extracts the caffine... the beans are not quite the same after this process. It can be good in espresso but most decaf is not great for espresso.
A5 - Try, Try, Try... no magic. I would suggest drinking brewed single origin coffee with no sugar/milk to get the flavors of each region.