It is one of the most heavenly treats that can gush over your taste buds and run down your spine. The perfectly pulled shot of espresso. Imagine the creaminess combined with that intense flavor and much-needed kick of caffeine.
Though it may seem like an easy job, there is actually so much to know when it relates to making the perfect espresso. Guess what plays a major role? The beans.
You cannot use regular coffee beans when making espressos for two major reasons:
- Espresso is made from coffee beans that have been roasted darker than other kinds. With regular beans, people will not get those unique flavor people now associate with espresso.
- Espresso beans are also finer ground. They are like sand compared to the more gravel-like texture of the regular coffee ground.
We already mentioned that espresso coffee beans are roasted for longer and that gives them a darker color. So when shopping, look out for beans that are much closer to black than brown. To know a dark bean, check if the oil migrates to its surface. It should have a pretty shiny surface. This is usually referred to as an Italian or French-style roast.
Arabica or Robusta?
This is a long-standing and heated debate within the coffee-loving world. A lot of people consider robusta species to be of inferior quality but at the end of the day it just boils down to tastes. Robusta is not as sweet or acidic compared to arabica. It has sort of a crude taste to it but this comes with higher caffeine concentration and better crema.
You can use either species for your espressos. The thing is, espressos are so concentrated that you really would not benefit from the higher levels of acidity in robusta beans. But it is cheaper. Try whichever one you want and come to your own conclusion.
By: Khaled Alshgran
Instagram: Khaled_Alshgran