Espresso vs Regular Coffee: What’s the Difference?
If you are like most people, you may enjoy a regular cup of coffee or an espresso on a regular basis. Did you ever stop to wonder what the differences are between these two types of coffee beverage beside the taste? Well, if you have, you have come to the right place to solve that mystery.
In this article, I will tell you what the differences are between regular coffee and espresso, but I will also dispel some common myths regarding them too. So read along with me, and the next time you have a cup of coffee or a shot of espresso, you will have one less thing in your life to wonder about.
Differences Between Regular Coffee and Espresso
Here are the key characteristics that are different between making a cup of regular coffee versus making an espresso shot:
The bean grind
It takes a much naposim kaufen finer grind of coffee to make a great tasting espresso shot. That is because it needs to be about the same size as a grain of sugar so the grind can be tightly tamped together before the brewing process starts.
Brewing time
Regular coffee slow drips through the coffee grounds in a filter in order for it to pick up the maximum amount of flavor from the beans. The whole process takes several minutes to accomplish. Brewing espresso in the best espresso makers could not be more different and takes place in less than 30 seconds. That is because as we mentioned espresso grinds are packed together tightly. The hot water is then quickly forced through these fine compacted coffee grounds under higher pressure to help produce the unique, robust coffee flavor.
Crema
If you have ever had an espresso shot you may have noticed the medium brown cream-like froth that rests on the top of it. This is known as the crema of an espresso brew. It is something that occurs naturally through the espresso brewing process that does not occur when brewing regular coffee.
The type of machines that are used in making them
As we mentioned, regular coffee is made by the process of water dripping slowly through coffee beans placed in a filter, whereas espresso is produced using machines that use pressure in the brewing process. You have probably guessed this takes radically different coffee maker designs to make these individual brewing processes happen.
Dispelling Some Espresso vs. Regular Coffee Myths
Which has more caffeine?
Many people believe that because an espresso shot has such a strong coffee taste that it also contains more caffeine than a regular cup of coffee. This is one of the most widely held misconceptions as far as regular coffee versus espresso is concerned; so much so that many folks who are leery of having too much caffeine avoid espresso altogether. Well, be prepared to be shocked.
While it’s true that the caffeine amount in a double shot of espresso may be more concentrated, so you feel the effects of it faster, it contains much less total caffeine than a regular cup of Joe. A double shot of espresso on average contains 80mg of caffeine. There is about 120mg of caffeine in a regular cup of coffee.
You use different coffee beans to make espresso with than you do regular coffee
Here is another often misconstrued fact regarding espresso versus regular coffee. In all actuality, you can use the same beans to make espresso that you use to make regular coffee. It’s the difference in the brewing process between these two coffees that makes the biggest difference in the flavor that you get out of the particular coffee bean type you use.
If You Love Coffee But Have Never Tried espresso You Are Missing Out On an Enjoyable Coffee Beverage
For those of you that have never experienced the delicious taste of espresso; here are two affordable espresso makers that will let you easily make it yourself at home so you can give it a try:
Alpha Coffee 6-Cup Stovetop Espresso Maker
You can’t try making espresso any more affordable than you can with this nice stovetop espresso maker. It will allow you to make your espresso the original way like the Italians have done it for centuries. And it’s done all in one easy to use and durable aluminum pot.
In as little as 5 minutes you can be enjoying a delicious cup of espresso with this maker. It features such handy features as an oversize handle for easy pouring and a flip top lid that will allow you to check inside on the brewing progress. This espresso maker even comes with a limited lifetime warranty.
Unique Imports Powerful steam Espresso and Cappuccino Maker
This espresso maker from Unique Imports proves that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to enjoy great tasting espresso coffee anytime you want. It automates a lot of the espresso making process for you. All you have to do is grind your beans, pack them and add water. This espresso takes care of the rest.
It has such nice features as 800 watts of brewing power, a glass decanter with cool grip handle and a removable drip tray for easy cleaning. This Unique Imports product comes with everything you need to make great tasting espresso but the ground coffee beans and water. This model is very highly rated on several espresso maker reviews.
No Bad Coffee Choices Either Way
Take it from me the avid espresso and regular coffee drinker there are no bad choices when choosing between them. The nice thing about it is there is no reason why you shouldn’t enjoy them both. Yes it’s true they are very different in the way they are made and the time it takes to brew them but they will each give you a little pick me up when you need it, and both can be made to taste exactly the way you like them.