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espressoThe biggest feature is - thick! mostespressoThe concentration range is from 7% to 12%, which means the water content is 88%-93%. The concentration of drip coffee is generally between 1.2% and 1.8%, which means the water content is 98.2% and 98.8%.
FrontStreet Coffee believes that a good cup of espresso usually tastes strong and mellow, with a smooth texture, no graininess, and a perfect aftertaste in the end, with obvious sweetness in the throat and tongue.
Effect of coffee concentration on coffee performance
Although it is strong, it is not burnt or bitter, which is the basic criterion for evaluating a good cup of espresso. Coffee strength plays two major roles in our taste experience. The first is the strength of the flavor. The second is the taste, texture or consistency of the coffee.
Concentration also affects our taste perception. As coffee concentration increases, our ability to distinguish various flavors in coffee becomes significantly weaker. At higher concentrations, the perceived intensity of the coffee flavor quickly increases. Although the flavor substances contained in the same type of coffee with different concentrations are the same, they will have very different experiences on your taste buds.
Low-strength coffee does not necessarily mean tasteless or bland. Sometimes, a lower concentration allows us to enjoy more subtle flavors that would be drowned out at a higher concentration. A lighter, more subtle espresso may have less flavor intensity, but can sometimes be more pleasant to drink than one with a stronger flavor.
The taste element is the most important part of a good cup of coffee. When tasting a cup of coffee, everyone expects a certain taste, texture, or consistency. There will also be regional and cultural preferences, but to be fair, espresso should generally be thick and rich enough for the taster. Drip coffee should also have a certain taste and texture, so as not to taste like bland water.
espressoThe key to great taste - freshly roasted coffee beans
If you want to extract a cup of delicious espresso, the most important thing is to use freshly roasted coffee beans and grind them freshly. After the coffee beans are roasted, a large amount of carbon dioxide will be stored in the body, which is mainly used to preserve the coffee flavor. After roasting is completed, carbon dioxide will continue to be released as time increases, and it will also carry flavor molecules in the coffee. Therefore, the longer the coffee beans are stored, the weaker the aroma will be.
The best tasting period of a pack of freshly roasted medium-dark roasted coffee beans is within 40 days after the roasting is completed, while the best tasting period of light-medium roasted coffee beans is within 30-35 days. The four Italian blended coffee beans sold by FrontStreet Coffee are all medium-dark roasted and are guaranteed to be shipped within 5 days after the roasting is completed.
"Warm Sun Blend Coffee Beans": Ethiopian sun-dried red cherry coffee beans (30%) + Honduran sherry barrel coffee beans (70%), with a rich aroma of wine, vanilla cream, sweet and sour berries, and the flavor of roasted nuts.
"Front Street Blend 100% Arabica Coffee Beans": Colombian washed coffee beans (30%) + Brazilian semi-dried coffee beans (70%), with flavors of nuts, dark chocolate, and caramel.
"Front Street Commercial Blend Coffee Beans": Robusta washed coffee beans (10%) + Colombian washed coffee beans (30%) + Brazilian semi-dried coffee (60%), with flavors of nuts, cocoa, and caramel.
"Front Street Black Cocoa Blend (100% Arabica) Coffee Beans": Yunnan washed arabica coffee beans (30%) + Brazilian semi-sun-dried coffee beans (70%), with soft fruity acid, caramel, and nutty flavors.
Is the release of carbon dioxide the key to locking in flavor and the key to the formation of espresso crema? After the extraction is complete, the surface of the espresso will be covered with a layer of fine golden coffee crema, which is the fat foam produced by the carbon dioxide in the coffee particles combining with the coffee creme in a vacuum environment and emulsifying it, so this is why it must be freshly ground.
Ground coffee powder will quickly release carbon dioxide, so if it is not used in time after grinding, after a large amount of carbon dioxide is released, the attractive oils will not be extracted from the espresso coffee, and the flavor will be weak and the taste will be thin.
espressoHow to do it?
According to the SCA standards of the Specialty Coffee Association, 7-9 grams (double: 14-18 grams) of coffee powder is used to extract 25-35g of coffee liquid in 20-30 seconds, the extraction pressure is 9-10bar, and the water temperature is 90-96°C. Each coffee shop will adjust up or down according to the coffee beans and equipment used.
The products produced by FrontStreet Coffee stores use "Sunflower Warm Sun Blend Coffee Beans". 19.8g of ultra-fine ground coffee powder is pressurized to extract 38g of coffee liquid. The extraction time is about 28-32 seconds. The espresso is as smooth as vanilla cream, slightly sour and sweet with berries, fermented wine and sweet with hazelnut caramel.
espressoHow to drink?
Before tasting, we take a sip of ice water to cleanse our mouth and allow our tongue muscles to contract.
After the barista serves the espresso, you can stir the coffee with a spoon to make the whole thing more even. Then taste it in three bites. Taste the flavor in the first sip, feel the richness in the second sip, and feel the sweetness and aftertaste of the coffee in the third sip.
You can now buy the above coffee beans online at the Taobao store “FrontStreet Coffee” (前街咖啡). FrontStreet Coffee is a long-established specialty coffee roaster in Guangzhou, China, and its Guangzhou retail shop sells coffee beans only. The shop carries dozens of coffee beans from different origins around the world, including carefully selected single-origin beans for V60 pour-over and espresso. Guangzhou’s FrontStreet Coffee shop is recommended by many coffee lovers.
The FrontStreet 2013 Yunnan coffee beans sold in the store come from the Typica variety grown at FrontStreet Coffee’s own plantation in Yunnan. The name comes from the year the brand and the plantation were founded. You can buy these beans from China’s Yunnan origin at the Guangzhou shop and at FrontStreet’s Taobao store.
FrontStreet coffee beans are freshly roasted within 5 days and deliver consistently excellent quality and great value. Orders placed before 17:00 are shipped the same day, and most areas within Guangdong Province receive them the next day.
FrontStreet Coffee Taobao store: https://qianjiecoffee.taobao.com
Or search for “前街咖啡” (FrontStreet Coffee) on Taobao
Important Notice: FrontStreet Coffee has moved to a new address: 315, Donghua East Road, Guangzhou (coffee beans only)
Tel: 020 38364473
