COFFEE OR ESPRESSO: WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?

The answer is quite simple: the difference usually lies in the roasting process and not, as many people think, in the coffee bean itself. Arabica and Robusta beans are both used for espresso, although the roasting process for an espresso is simply longer. At first glance, this can be recognized by the darker color of the coffee beans. Depending on when the roasting process is completed, the beans can be slightly matt or shiny.

The roasting process

The shine is caused by the many fats and oils contained in a coffee bean, which emerge from the interior to the surface during the roasting process. If you stop the roasting process at exactly this point, the beans become shiny. If you continue roasting, the fats evaporate again and you get a dark, matt bean surface. In addition, acid and caffeine are broken down during roasting, and as coffee is roasted lighter than espresso, it also contains more acid. So if you don't tolerate coffee very well, try a low-acid coffee or espresso.

Differences in taste

If you're wondering why espresso tastes more intense than coffee, here's some help: As only a small amount of water is used for espresso (approx. 25 ml for a single espresso), the coffee grounds are extracted in a more concentrated way and the taste is more intense. Espresso is famous for its high coffee concentration and the resulting intense taste. Coffee and espresso differ not only in terms of roasting, but also in terms of preparation.

The preparation

Espresso is made under particularly high pressure, as the water has to flow through the previously pressed coffee grounds at a pressure of at least 9 bar. Because of this high pressure, paper filters are never used in the preparation of the drink, as they would not be able to withstand it. The particularly fine espresso grounds are pressed so tightly together that the water could hardly seep through without the high pressure. The temperature of the water must be between 88 degrees Celsius and 94 degrees Celsius. A sieve is used to prepare espresso, which brings out the strong and aromatic oils of the ground coffee and thus ensures the delicious taste. Coffee, on the other hand, is prepared without this particularly high pressure and requires a higher water temperature of between 92 and 96 degrees Celsius. Compared to making coffee, the brewing process for an espresso must be significantly shorter. The reason for the shorter contact with the water lies in the much finer grind, which enables a more effective extraction of all substances. Only 17 percent of the substances are extracted during the preparation of coffee, compared to around 24 percent for espresso. The brewing time for an espresso should ideally be around 25 seconds for 30 ml, as otherwise bitter substances will be released; if the brewing time is shorter, the espresso will not develop its delicious flavor.

The caffeine content

Due to the stronger taste of an espresso, there is often a misconception that it contains more caffeine than a cup of coffee. In fact, espresso contains far less caffeine, only half as much as a cup of coffee. One reason for this is the longer roasting process to which espresso beans are subjected. In addition, a cup of this drink usually contains only 25 ml to 30 ml of liquid. Although the amount of caffeine in espresso is lower than in coffee, the concentration is higher, which is due to the ratio of ground coffee to water. However, based on the usual consumption quantities (a cup of espresso usually contains 25 ml, whereas a cup of coffee in Germany contains 125 ml), the caffeine content of espresso is ultimately lower.