The Difference Between Coffee and Espresso
Espresso is Italian for “fast”, an ideal description for this strong, Italian-inspired coffee. While coffee brewing drip methods use gravity, espresso uses high pressure to quickly infuse water with the ground beans.
Technically, espresso refers to the drink’s method of preparation. But the term is also applied to the degree to which the beans used for espresso have been roasted (very dark, almost burned).
Espresso also requires a finer grind and firmer tamp (grounds packed tightly) than brewed coffee. And while a brewed cup of coffee is typically 8 to 12 ounces, a shot of espresso is merely 2 ounces. Although smaller, it has the same amount of caffeine – essentially a more concentrated version of coffee.
The foam floating on top of a freshly pulled shot is called crema, and its presence is the mark of a good espresso machine.
