Short and strong – this much we usually know about the coffee that most Italians can’t imagine a morning without. And we also know that it is made in an espresso machine. This is likely the reason for a linguistic mistake they fight all over the world. “There is no X in espresso” – One slogan with this content has already found its way onto a number of t-shirts, sweatshirts, pinstriped shirts and coffee mugs.
In fact, there was one man who wrote it on a cardboard sign and started a street protest. Since we cannot pronounce the name of our favorite coffee correctly, it is likely that our knowledge of it and how to prepare it is not that good either. However, do not worry, as, in the following, we will tell you some secrets on how to prepare the perfect espresso.
Italian standards state that the brew must be twice the weight of the beans used and that the brewing time must not exceed 30 seconds. A classical espresso portion contains about 25-30 ml. One interesting fact about baristas is that they always make two. This is even if you only order one coffee. This is because of the capacity of the machine’s container, where the ground beans are scooped.
Normally, this is about 16-19 grams, while one espresso serving should contain about 8-9 grams. The preparation of an infusion from one vial for two cups gives an ideal ratio. Most importantly, the coffee brewed in this way should have an intense aroma, complex and balanced flavor, and a pleasant body. There should be a dense and stimulating taste, but it should not have a sour or tarry aftertaste.