Ever wondered what the difference between coffee and espresso was? I know I’ve been confused when I was first starting off learning about coffee. It is a common misconception that all coffee is espresso, and all espresso is coffee. In reality, there are significant differences between the two beverages. Let’s take a closer look at what sets them apart.
Coffee is made by brewing coarsely ground beans with hot water. Espresso is made by forcing pressurized water through finely-ground beans. This difference in grinding results in two very different drinks. Coffee produces a milder, more balanced flavor, while espresso is intensely flavorful and aromatic.
Espresso also has a thicker consistency and higher caffeine content than coffee. It’s this combination of intense flavor and caffeine buzz that makes espresso so popular among coffee drinkers. Whether you’re a fan of classic American coffee or prefer the bold flavors of espresso, there’s a perfect drink out there for you. So the next time you’re at the coffee shop, be sure to ask for a cup of coffee or espresso – and taste the difference for yourself.
Note: While technically espresso is coffee, a lot of people are confused about the differences between drip coffee and espresso. So for the purposes of this article, we will use coffee in the context of drip coffee.
How They Taste
Espresso is typically more intense than drip coffee and has a slightly bitter taste. The taste of espresso can also be described as being more complex. It also has a slightly higher caffeine content than drip coffee. Drip coffee is less acidic, has a nuttier flavor, and contains lower levels of caffeine.
What Is Espresso?
Espresso is a concentrated coffee drink made by forcing pressurized hot water through finely-ground dark-roast coffee beans. Specialized machines called espresso machines can be used to produce this drink. Moka pots can also produce espresso, but it lacks the pressures that can be produced in a dedicated espresso machine.
Espresso has a rich crema, which is the foam created when pressure builds and then falls during the brewing process. This intense concentration of oils makes espresso much more flavorful than a regular filter coffee because there are so many more flavor compounds present in the cup.
What is coffee?
Coffee is a drink made from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant. Coffee beans can be ground and brewed in many different ways, producing drinks with varying levels of sweetness, acidity, and caffeine.
There are oh so many methods to prepare coffee. A drip coffee machine is the most common, but a French press, pour-over, or Aero Press can also be used. With each providing slightly different flavor profiles.
How to Drink Espresso vs Coffee
Espresso is typically served in small cups (around 2-3 oz), and coffee is usually served in large ones (sky’s the limit!). Espresso has a very strong taste that can be enjoyed on its own or with steamed milk. Drip coffee can also be enjoyed black, but many people prefer to add cream or water to reduce the acidity.
Does espresso have more caffeine?
A difference between coffee and espresso is that espresso has a higher caffeine concentration than coffee for the equivalent volume. The difference can vary depending on the bean and roast, but a standard double shot of espresso typically contains around 80mg of caffeine while an Americano (made with espresso and hot water) contains around 60-120mg. Coffee usually has between 65-120mg of caffeine per cup. So while espresso is more caffeine concentrated, coffee can contain more simply because the serving sizes are so much larger.
From my personal experience, somehow I find that I am more awake after having an espresso-based beverage than a large cup of coffee. It makes no sense to me as the large cup of coffee has more caffeine. I don’t mind as I like the espresso taste more.
Anatomy of an Espresso Shot
The top layer of an espresso consists of crema. This can be compared to the foam on top of a cappuccino or latte, but it’s actually much thinner and finer in texture. Crema is made up of tiny CO2 bubbles that contain oils from coffee beans along with suspended coffee fragments, flavors, and aromas released during brewing.
The next layer is the liquid or sometimes called body, which helps to bring out the sweetness of the beverage. The color is normally a caramel brown.
Underneath this is what some call “The Heart”. This layer Is bitter and it helps to balance out the sweetness of the crema. This layer contains the strongest notes.
The Difference Is In The Brewing Method
Differences in preparing
Roasting
Espresso beans are usually roasted longer than the beans used for regular coffee. This longer roast time produces a heavier body and stronger flavor notes of caramel, chocolate, or nuts.
Normal coffee beans are roasted to create the lightest possible roast that will still have good flavors extracted from it when brewed as espresso. The difference in color between regular dark-roast coffees and espressos comes mostly from roasting times: the longer a coffee bean is roasted, the darker it becomes.
The difference in roasting produces significant differences in flavor profiles between espresso and regular-roast coffees.
Keep in mind that the darker the roast, the lower the caffeine content. However the darker the roast the stronger the flavor. Which explains why many people prefer a darker roast for brewing espresso.
Extraction Process
The difference between coffee and espresso is not just in the taste, but in how they are extracted. Espresso is made by forcing hot water through finely-ground coffee beans under high pressure, while regular drip-brewed coffee is made by pouring nearly boiling water over coarse grounds and allowing it to steep for a few minutes before serving.
Coffee brewing method
Brewing coffee with a drip coffee machine uses gravity as its main method of passing water through the coffee grounds. Espresso, on the other hand, uses pressure to force the water through. The difference in brewing methods produces different textures. Coffee has a smoother mouthfeel than espresso due to oils from beans sticking to brewed grains of coffee.
A cup of coffee can be brewed with many different types of machines. A French press can be more portable, while a drip coffee maker will need to find a place on a kitchen counter.
Espresso Brewing Method
Espresso is made with finely ground and tamped coffee beans that are forced under high pressure (typically between 7-15 bar) through a small portafilter. An espresso machine regulates the temperature by using a pump to quickly heat water and then pushing it into an open chamber.
The difference in the size of the grind and pressure allows water to pass through quite quickly compared to drip coffee. The water only has contact with coffee grounds for about 20 to 30 seconds.
After the machine finishes pushing hot water through the coffee grounds, what comes out the other side is an espresso shot.
The difference in brewing methods produces a significant difference in the final cup of coffee. There can be many variations between machines and people while making espresso.
Grinding
In order to get the best espresso shot, you have to start with high-quality coffee. If your beans are old or subpar, it will be nearly impossible to create a great-tasting cup of coffee! Grinding just before brewing is also important because ground coffee starts to go bad right away and can develop off-flavors.
An espresso grind is much finer than a drip coffee grind because the espresso shot only takes 20 seconds or less to brew. If your grounds are too coarse, the water won’t be able to extract all of the flavors from the beans in that short amount of time. Having a large surface area for the water to come in contact with the grounds is important here.
Volatile Compounds in Coffee and Espresso
There are volatile compounds in coffee that are responsible for pleasing aromas. These same compounds are also responsible for the bitter and astringent flavors found in espresso.
The difference between coffee and espresso is that more of these compounds are extracted in an espresso shot. This is because the high pressure and fine grind help to produce a more intense flavor.
Espresso is also served in smaller doses than coffee, so you’re not getting as many of these compounds.
Espresso Beans vs Coffee Beans
Espresso and regular-roast coffee beans can be quite different. Espresso beans are roasted to create the lightest possible roast that will still have good flavors extracted. While coffee beans can be roasted to different levels, most people roast them until they are medium or dark brown.
Is espresso stronger than coffee?
Yes, espresso tastes stronger than coffee. It has more caffeine per volume and a more intense flavor. However, if you add milk or cream to espresso it becomes much less strong. Drip-brewed coffee can also be made with different levels of strength by adding more or less ground coffee to the pot. Also by adding more or less water, the flavor profile changes accordingly.
Can I use regular coffee beans to brew espresso?
Espresso beans are simply beans that the roaster believes will taste better when brewed as espresso. If you have a favorite type of coffee bean, there’s no reason why you can’t try brewing it as espresso. It might not be the best cup of espresso you’ve ever had, but it’ll still be better than regular drip-brewed coffee! (my opinion)
Why does espresso taste better than coffee?
This is an objective thing, but one might enjoy the strong tastes that come from an espresso shot. This is because of the difference in how they are brewed. When you brew espresso, it gets more flavor and aromas out of every bean as compared to regular drip-brewed coffee because of the grind size.
Final Thoughts
The difference between espresso and coffee is not just in the taste, but in how they are brewed. Espresso is made by forcing hot water through finely-ground coffee beans under high pressure in an espresso machine, while regular coffee is brewed by pouring hot water over coarse grounds and allowing it to steep for a few minutes before serving.
So get out there and try an espresso, a pour-over coffee or an americano if you haven’t already!