The earliest espresso making method was born in 1884, when an Italian named Angelo Moriondo designed a patented espresso machine model. The initial production principle of the espresso machine is to boil water through two independent boilers to generate steam, and then use the steam pressure to pressurize the hot water (about 1.5bar) through the coffee powder layer to extract extremely concentrated coffee liquid.
However, this extraction method does not guarantee the stability of every espresso extraction. So at the beginning of the 20th century, an Italian named Luigi Bezzerra patented an espresso machine, modified the design, and invented a method that pressurized hot water to quickly pass through extremely finely ground coffee powder in tens of seconds, extracting espresso and dropping it directly into the cup.
He made several improvements to the Moriondo's design and lowered the temperature into a range that would make better-tasting espresso - about 94°C. A coffee powder bowl is added to achieve a filtering effect and improve the taste of espresso. The upgraded coffee machine was transformed and sold commercially. From this time on, the espresso coffee that was quickly extracted using steam pressurization was quickly sought after and loved by people throughout Italy.
After espresso became popular in Italy, a designer named Desiderio Pavoni purchased Bezzerra's patent, and the two collaborated to create a better coffee machine with a pressure valve and steam wand, which was launched at the Milan Exposition in 1906. Now, the name of this brand is "La Pavoni", this kind of espresso machine design and extraction principle, and the way of making espresso as we are now familiar with it.
what isEspresso?
From what FrontStreet Coffee just shared about the making principle of an espresso machine, we can learn that espresso is a practical and extremely finely ground coffee powder, and then the coffee machine is pressurized to inject 94°C hot water through the powder layer to extract a highly concentrated coffee liquid.
Although the concentration is high, the espresso that has been extracted reasonably will not be so bitter that the taster will feel uncomfortable. FrontStreet Coffee believes that a good cup of espresso will have a strong coffee taste, but will not have a burnt or bitter taste. The oil is delicate and smooth, the overall taste is mellow and clean, and there is a clear aftertaste at the end.
After extraction, the espresso will have a layer of golden crema. Not all the oil in espresso is oil, but the carbon dioxide in the freshly roasted coffee beans itself due to structural changes and production during the roasting process.
After being ground to extremely fine particles and extracted under a pressure of up to 9 bar, due to the closed pressurized environment, the coffee bean oil and carbon dioxide are fused with each other and then squeezed out by water, forming a oil foam with a delicate and smooth taste.
Therefore, if you want your espresso to taste delicious, you must choose freshly roasted coffee beans that are medium or dark roasted and freshly ground to produce the appropriate carbon dioxide to form espresso oil.
The longer the coffee beans are roasted, the more carbon dioxide will be stored in the coffee beans due to the continuous changes in their structure. But it doesn’t mean that the more carbon dioxide, the better the espresso will taste. Excessive carbon dioxide will cause the oil in the espresso to taste rough, and will also affect the release of soluble substances during the extraction process. All coffee beans sold by FrontStreet Coffee are shipped within 5 days of roasting and are 100% freshly roasted.
After purchasing espresso beans from FrontStreet Coffee, you can unopen them and place them in a cool, dry place with the roasting completion date stamped on the back for 7 days before starting to use them. Over time, the coffee beans will emit carbon dioxide on their own and be released through the one-way exhaust valve on the packaging. Emitting the right amount of carbon dioxide contributes to a more stable extraction.
How to extractEspresso?
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 machine, grinder, and coffee beans used to extract espresso are different, and the coffee extraction parameters will vary to a certain extent. Therefore, you cannot just look at the grinding scale and extraction time. The most important thing is to adjust the parameters according to the taste performance of the final espresso.
Each coffee shop will adjust up or down according to the coffee beans and equipment used. The FrontStreet Coffee store uses its own "Front Street Sunflower Warm Sun Blend Coffee Beans" with a unique vanilla cream flavor. It is made into an American style with vanilla, cocoa, and berry flavors. The latte has the tones of vanilla cookies and milk chocolate. It can be purchased at the Front Street Tmall Futures Store or the Front Street Taobao Store.
According to the store's daily barista adjustments, on the day of editing this article, 35g of coffee liquid was extracted using 94°C hot water and 19.5g of ultra-finely ground coffee powder. The extraction time was about 30 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?
Compared with the strong and bitter taste of espresso more than ten years ago, the quality of coffee beans has continued to improve, and people have done more research on coffee roasting. Now the quality of espresso has also been improved.
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.
What coffee beans are suitable for espresso?
"Front Street Blend 100% Arabica Coffee Beans" 75 yuan/454g: Colombian washed coffee beans + Brazilian semi-dried coffee beans, with flavors of nuts, dark chocolate, and caramel.
"Front Street Commercial Blend Coffee Beans" 60 yuan/454g: Robusta washed coffee beans + Colombian washed coffee beans + Brazilian semi-dried coffee, with flavors of nuts, cocoa, and caramel.
"Front Street Basic Blend Coffee Beans" 50 yuan/454g: Yunnan washed small coffee beans + Brazilian semi-dried coffee beans, with soft fruit acid, caramel, and nutty flavors.
"Front Street Classic Blend Coffee Beans" 33 yuan/100g; Brazilian semi-sun-dried coffee beans + Indonesian Mandheling coffee beans + Vietnamese coffee beans, with rich coffee oil and mellow taste;
"Front Street Strawberry Candy Espresso" 43 yuan/100g; Costa Rican coffee beans + Panama coffee beans + Ethiopian coffee beans. It has the aroma of roses, strawberry candy and glucose. The sweet and sour fruit is prominent and has a pleasant taste.
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
