Espresso
Espresso… what is it? Is it a bean? Is it a roast? a drink? a Brewing method? A grind?
The answer… It is an extraction method (a fancy word for “brewing”). Espresso made by using a finely ground, dark roast coffee bean (generally, but no one is the boss of you) then hot water is pushed through under high pressure. This is the part of Espresso that is non-negotiable. Hot water at high pressure. You can’t make Espresso in your coffee pot. But you can put a bag of beans labeled “Espresso’ in your coffee pot because it’s just coffee. Another reason why we changed the name of our organic espresso to Her Royal Highness. Because no one is the boss of her and she can be whatever she wants…. espresso, french press, cold brew. Don’t hold her down. (Nobody puts Baby in a corner.)
Another myth: Espresso has more caffeine. Not true. Because Espresso is typically a dark roast it means it’s been roasted longer (rocket science). Longer roast time means the oils (containing the caffeine) have more time to burn off (more rocket science). Now, due to the extraction method, this does not mean that 2 oz of prepared espresso has less caffeine than 2 oz of drip coffee. This is why adding 7 shots to your latte can leave you feeling jittery. But bean for bean, espresso roasts contain less caffeine. So coffee beans labeled Espresso are great beans for people who love a rich bold flavor but are more sensitive to caffeine.
Check out this super nerdy article doing a deep dive in to what is and isn’t Espresso.
