What Is the Difference Between Coffee & Espresso?
Coffee and espresso are very similar in that they're both made from coffee beans and are processed with hot water. They can both be made in decaf forms and are often paired similarly to make a variety of beverages. However, the difference is in the details. Does this Spark an idea?
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Grind
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Espresso and coffee can both be produced by the same coffee beans. The beans a particular coffee shop chooses are based on the shop owner's preference and the preference of his or her customers. In order to make espresso, however, a very fine grind is required. Coffee, on the other hand can be ground to a variety of coarseness depending on whether it will be brewed in a french press, a drip-coffee maker or a percolator. Although there are different types of espresso machines, they all require a very find grind in order to produce espresso.
Preparation
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Coffee is made by combining the appropriate portion of ground coffee beans and hot water in either a french press, a drip-coffee maker or a percolator. All of these employ some type of filter and the brewing process takes anywhere from a few minutes to a half hour or more for a large percolator.
Espresso, however is made one to two 'shots' at a time. A 'shot' of espresso is usually 1.5 ounces and will brew in 10-20 seconds. It must be made with an espresso machine by filling the cup of the portafilter with ground espresso, tamping it and running hot water through it after lodging the portafilter into the machine. The tightness of the tamping and the time it takes the water to run through the espresso will affect the flavor slightly.
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Types of Beverages
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Popular espresso beverages include lattes, mochas and cappucinos. All of these beverages are made using espresso shots and steamed or foamed milk. Mochas also include chocolate syrup. Espresso can also be served alone or with a splash of milk (macchiato) or small dallop of whipped cream (con panna).
Coffee is popular both plain (black) or with a combination of milk or cream and sugar. However many coffee drinks are similar to espresso beverages and identified by 'au lait' which means 'with milk'. For example cafe au lait is coffee with steamed milk and is similar to the latte, while a 'mocho au lait' would be similar to traditional mocha but made with coffee instead.
Sociocultural Differences
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Espresso beverages are popular in Europe and South America and have caught on in the United States as well. However, coffee is still very popular as the morning breakfast beverage of choice. Cappuccinos, lattes and solo (single shot) espresso are usually the default coffee-based beverages in many parts of the world. In fact, an "Americano" is espresso mixed with hot water and made to imitate American-style coffee. Most of the coffee consumed in cafes in Europe will be served to a customer who is seated at a table and will drink their espresso out of china cups as opposed to paper cups on the go.
Flavors
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Coffee beans are often available in flavored varieties from many coffee sellers, but these beans will not be used to make espresso. Espresso is always made from unflavored beans. However, many espresso drinks will have flavors added to them in the form of flavored syrup to make lattes and cappuccinos in vanilla, hazelnut, raspberry or any other number of flavors. These syrups can be added to plain coffee, but generally flavored coffee is produced by flavored beans.
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References
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