Italian coffee has always been one of the most popular coffee extraction methods, and it is also the first stop for most coffee novices - maybe because a cup of sweet and smooth milk coffee makes people irresistible, or maybe it is the unique mellowness and refreshingness of American coffee that makes people addicted as soon as they drink it, or maybe it is the amazing rich layering of the special coffee blend.
But whether you drink a latte, an American or a special blend, all Italian coffee production is inseparable from a core——Espresso (Espresso). It is recognized as the "soul of Italian coffee". The quality of the concentrate directly determines whether your cup of coffee tastes good or not.
The most intuitive quality sign of espresso is the beautiful layer of oil on the surface (Crema). Golden color, with tiger stripes, thickness of1~2Centimeter of fat, considered to be in perfect condition, exudes a charming caramel aroma and a mellow flavor like dark chocolate.
So here’s the question: What should you pay attention to if you want to make this perfect espresso at home? In fact, the key lies in4Details: freshness of coffee beans, degree of roasting, coffee variety, and pressure. understand this4Click, you can easily make espresso that’s comparable to a coffee shop at home!
① Freshness is the first factor. Stale beans will not produce oil at all!
Many people ignore the fact that the essence of oil is formed by the oil in coffee beans wrapping the carbon dioxide gas inside. Therefore, the richer the oil, the more gas there is in the beans, which means the fresher the coffee beans. On the other hand, if your concentrate has almost no fat, it is most likely that the beans have been left out for too long and are stale.
When purchasing coffee beans, be sure to look for these points: The product is clearly marked with the roasting date (note! Not the shelf life or expiration date), has a brand reputation endorsement, and is a professional coffee roaster that emphasizes fresh roasting. For example, Front Street Coffee has a deep understanding of the importance of freshness to flavor, insists on shipping within 24 hours, and all coffee beans shipped are5Freshly roasted within days, the quality of every cup of coffee is guaranteed from the source.
There is another pitfall that many novices fall into: never buy ground coffee powder! Once the coffee beans are ground into powder, the contact area with the air will increase exponentially, the loss of volatile aromatic substances will be accelerated, and the internal gas will also dissipate rapidly. Maybe within a few days of grinding, your concentrate will have no fat at all, and the flavor will be greatly reduced. So if you want to make delicious Italian coffee, you must buy complete coffee beans and grind them freshly.
② Dark roasted beans are the best partner for espresso
You may be curious: Why do coffee shops basically use dark roasted beans when making Italian dishes?
The reason is simple - as the roasting degree deepens, the internal structure of the coffee beans becomes more loose and porous, and the flavor substances gradually transform from bright acidity to sweetness brought about by the caramelization reaction. At the same time, a richer roasting aroma is released, and the overall taste is more mellow and full. More importantly, a large amount of carbon dioxide gas will accumulate inside the dark roasted beans. When the hot water is flushed during extraction, the gas will gush out in the form of fine bubbles, forming the beautiful layer of oil we see.
Therefore, when buying Italian blended coffee beans, novices should give priority to fresh medium-dark roasts. Generally, flavor descriptions such as hazelnut, butter, chocolate, cocoa, cream, nuts, caramel, etc. will be marked on the packaging.——When you see these keywords, just choose it!
③ Coffee varieties are also particular. This variety is richer in oil.
Did you know? Different coffee varieties have naturally different oil contents. What is currently known is that Robusta (Robusta) oil produced by coffee beans, than Arabica (Arabica) is richer. This is why many classic Italian blends include a certain proportion of robusta.
Front Street Coffee has two Italian-style blended beans that contain a small amount of Robusta. After deep roasting, they produce a concentrated, rich caramel aroma and rich oil. They are especially suitable for making milk coffee. It is highly recommended for novices to try:
The first one isFront Street’s classic Italian blended coffee beans.
Based on the classic "Mamba recipe", the baker skillfully mixed about1The finished Robusta coffee beans not only greatly enhance the body and burnt aroma of the coffee, but also bring a golden and dense flavor.Crema(fat), which provides an excellent base for latte art."canvas"。
The second one is Front Street Commercial Coffee Bean Blend.
This one can be called"Family coffee shop replica artifact"! It is scientifically blended using coffee beans from the three major producing areas of Brazil, Colombia and Vietnam. After medium-to-dark roasting, it is rich in oil and full of roasted aroma. Use it to make American style, the taste is mellow and smooth, very easy to drink; use it to make latte, it will be rich and silky, leaving a fragrance on your lips and teeth after drinking. And the price is very affordable. It can be used as a daily ration of beans for the family, and you don’t feel bad if you drink it every day.
④ Not enough pressure, no grease at all——Utensil selection is critical
With good beans, you also need the right tools. The reason why we can extract rich golden yellow oil mainly relies on the extraction equipment with pressurizing function. The greater the pressure, the richer the coffee oil will be.
Currently there are two options commonly used by families:
Espresso coffee machine: It comes with a standard 9bar extraction pressure, which can easily make thick and dense Crema. It is the first choice for the pursuit of quality.
Moka pot: The pressure is about 1.5bar, which is relatively low, so the grease will be thinner. But the good news is that as long as it is paired with freshly roasted Front Street Classic Italian Blend or Front Street Commercial Italian Blend beans, the Moka Pot can also make espresso with beautiful crema, which is very cost-effective!
To summarize: fresh beans + medium dark roast + The right mix of varieties + Sufficient extraction pressure = A perfect shot of espresso. master this4This is a key point. Even if you are a coffee novice, you can make coffee at home that will impress your friends! Try it now~
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
