What is the difference between Espresso and Brewed Coffee

[ppkgan]

I am not a coffee aficionado but I have spent a fair amount of time in coffee shops. I have tried Espresso a few times when I was younger but they made me to shaky. I drink a ton of coffee though and while reading the forum I just realized that I am not sure what the difference is between the two. Any comments would be great.

Thank you,
K

 

[ppkgan]

I guess I could just look it up

 

[PinkRose]

Hello "ppkgan"

When you look it up, you will find tons of information--Probably more than you can imagine.

Here is a web page that gives you a quick answer to your question:

TLC Cooking "What is the difference between espresso and drip coffee?"

Rose

 

[expat]

Hey PPKGAN,
Scientifically, brewed coffee contains more caffeine that espresso because the coffee steeps longer. Maybe you're drinking double or triple shots of espresso and that may account for the shakes. But as mentioned in an earlier post of mine 'everyone is different'. Espresso may affect your unique phisiology more than brewed, for whatever reason.

As to the difference between the two it is an endless subject so depending on how much you want to know and how technical you want to get there are plenty of references out there.

 

[IDrinkPurelyCoffee]

If you grew up drinking brewed coffee (as many people do), the switch to drinking espresso is something of a shock: the taste, texture, temperature, volume, drinking method, and ... are all different.

The secret to espresso lies in the quality of the coffee, the skill of the barista, the appreciation of 'small' or even 'essential', and the willingness to accept something different. It's a challenge! It was for me!

So a half-way house for me was drinking European style cappuccino, or flat whites, not the milky latte from Starbucks, that helped me make the transition to espresso. While I still like brewed coffee, it is different!

 

[ppkgan]

I had it a few times at the same place and if I remember correctly it was out of a bottle almost like a mixed drink. It has been a while so I don't remember much about it other than the shakes. I think I will give it a try, I would like to expand my menu. I think that I just need a better example of espresso than the one I had when I was younger.

Thank you all for the great information, I will let you know how it goes with the taste testing!

 

[farmroast]

You need to find a real top cafe to taste what espresso really can be. The espresso you had may have had a lot of robusta beans in the blend resulting in the high caffeine buzz. A top shop will use single origin or blend of arabica beans, lower caffeine and less bitter. What kind of choices of cafes do you have in your area?

 

[nightingale]

The main differences between espresso coffee and drip coffee are the fineness of the grind and the brewing time. The brewing time for espresso coffee is much shorter, made possible by espresso machines that generate up to 15 atmospheres of pressure to force the water through the coffee.

_________________

Halong bay tours-Vietnam travel agency-Cruise Mekong queen

 

[PinkRose]

Hi ppkgan

How do you usually fix your drip coffee? Do you add milk and sugar? If you do, then be prepared when you go out to get an espresso. It's a small shot of coffee all by itself. People who taste straight espresso for the first time are usually surprised at the strong sip of coffee. That's why lots of people start out with a latte or a cappucchino, because steamed milk is added to the espresso shot (espresso, steamed milk, foamed milk).

Do you have any cafes near you? I hope you have a nice one where you can go in and talk to the people working there. I would stay away from using Starbucks as a first experience with espresso. Their coffee tends to be roasted very dark and it's sometimes bitter.

Rose

 

[tankin_tummy]

Is there a difference between the actual beans used though? My roaster sells "Espresso" beans- is this just a type of roast or something completely different? I also noticed espresso is quite less dense... a 1lb bag of espresso is bigger than a 1lb bag of any other origin roast

 

[ppkgan]

Hey everyone thanks for the input!

@farmroast I am bouncing around the world right now on a month or two journey, I am far from home and in the east right now but want to travel home via Costa Rica! They have Starbucks here (I know GASP) there is very little here in the way of coffee shops. I will try it at Starbucks when I get there next time. I cant wait to be back home in San Diego! I will not make a final judgment on it until I get to one of my favorite watering holes. I have a few of them around San Diego but always enjoyed the South Park area.

@PinkRose I do not use a drip coffee maker I have a small french press that I carry with me everywhere. I can pack some coffee (even if I am in the office back home) and make with fresh hot water. I do like cream in my coffee as well as a little sugar, but most of the time I drink it black. It is different to me when I add stuff to it, more like a dessert, so most of the time I drink it black.

@TankinTummy... Yea I wonder if there is something different also, I usually do not get the beans that say espresso because I think that there is something different.
http://www.coffeeforums.com/forum/members/4134.html
Still to busy to get out but will try to make it in the next few days and give Starbucks a shot.

 

[ppkgan]

Everyone I am heading into a place that might have a good Espresso shop, I am going to give it a shot and let you know how it goes!

 

[butterbescotch]

Thank you for the thread, but I am confused.
Can someone confirm my knowledge?

True or False.
(1) Espresso or brewed coffee can come from the same coffee bean.
(2) Espresso or brewed coffee is in a way a method
(3) Espresso can only be made by an espresso machine
(4) Brewed coffee has many variants. The pour-over, the french press, and the like.

Thank you for the inputs! )

 

[butterbescotch]

Thank you for the thread, but I am confused.
Can someone confirm my knowledge?

True or False.
(1) Espresso or brewed coffee can come from the same coffee bean.
(2) Espresso or brewed coffee is in a way a method
(3) Espresso can only be made by an espresso machine
(4) Brewed coffee has many variants. The pour-over, the french press, and the like.

Thank you for the inputs!

 

[shadow745]

Thank you for the thread, but I am confused.
Can someone confirm my knowledge?

True or False.
(1) Espresso or brewed coffee can come from the same coffee bean.
(2) Espresso or brewed coffee is in a way a method
(3) Espresso can only be made by an espresso machine
(4) Brewed coffee has many variants. The pour-over, the french press, and the like.

Thank you for the inputs!

YES any coffee bean can be used for any type of coffee. There is no such thing as an espresso bean, etc. Having said that, some coffees are simply better suited for espresso or vacuum or press based on growing region, processing, roast level, blending or single origin.

Espresso can be created from many sources provided the brew pressure, brew temperature, volume are controlled to achieve the desired end result. The pressure can be applied via a piston, pump, CO2, compressed air, etc.

Common misconception is that espresso is "supposed" to be bitter, oily, dark, etc., when that simply isn't the case. Espresso should be an amplified version of the coffee you're using to extract it. No more, no less.

One other thing I heard all too often in business is that many believe espresso can only be created from blended coffees. Again, total B.S. as there are many single origin coffees that can provide layered flavor/texture once dialed in.