HOW TO
A great espresso is full of flavour and aroma – a rich, honey-coloured drink that can be enjoyed on its own, or as the base of any number of delicious coffee recipes. But how do you know if you’ve brewed a great espresso? Here’s what to look out for when you’re brewing your next Starbucks® espresso at home.
Every espresso can be split up into 3 different parts: the crema, the body, and the heart. Let’s look at each part in detail.
The crema should be a thick layer of fine, golden froth sitting on the espresso’s surface. This layer holds the sweetness, the finer tastes, and the aromatic qualities of the espresso.
When we talk about an espresso’s body, we’re not talking about how the coffee tastes and feels in your mouth like we would for other coffees. An espresso’s body should be a beautiful caramel-brown colour in your cup, with a creamy-looking texture that isn’t too watery.
You’re looking for a deep, rich brown layer at the bottom of your espresso – called “the heart” of the drink. While the crema retains the aromas and sweetness, the heart of the espresso packs the strength and bitterness of the shot.
If an espresso machine brews (or extracts) an espresso too fast or too slowly, it’s going to show.
Under-extraction is when the extraction process happens too quickly due to the grind being too fine, and the water doesn’t get a chance to pull all of the oils, flavours, and aromas through from the ground coffee to your cup.
Things to look out for include a thin, light-coloured crema, with weak aromas, or no aroma at all. If the espresso is thin or watery, has an acidic taste and a cold temperature, it’s been under-extracted.
Over-extraction occurs when your espresso machine is brewing too slowly. This normally happens when the grind is too coarse, and the water pulls too much from the ground coffee.
Things to look out for include a crema that’s too dark – it should be rich and gold. If the body is too strong or bitter, the heart feels unbalanced, and the temperature of the coffee is too hot, the espresso has been over-extracted.
Once you know what a great espresso tastes and feels like, you’ll be able to quickly identify if you’ve brewed one.
A great espresso needs to be balanced, with a good heart, a full body, and a deliciously rich layer of velvety crema on top.
Now it’s up to you to make the perfect espresso at home. Enjoy!
Know a great espresso when you see one
