# Sugar in Espresso



## Frederick (Feb 16, 2009)

Hi all..... I am a very raw newbie and am awaiting my first machine (Gaggia recon Classic) but I would like some advice regards adding sugar.I know this will raise eyebrows but I am a sweet tooth. My question is ... when do I add the sugar into the espresso..... before the brew or after.

So far I have only made with a caffetaire and the 2/3 week wait for my Gaggia is agony. Any comments or advice regards the Classic will be most welcome.

Take care all..... Frederick


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## LeeWardle (Nov 16, 2008)

I know tgis is not what you want to hear and will indeed come across a little snobbish.......But please ttry to trin your pallete to drink espresso without sugar! Take it with water to clear the pallete first. This will remove any flavours hanging around in your mouth (breakfast/toothpaste etc). If you are used to sugar the first espreso without will be pretty hiddious. Do deal with it though. Then have another. After 3 or 4 you will start to enjoy it. Sugar will mask so many flavours and you wil get so much more from your espresso without it.

To put it in perspective..............Do you put sugar in your wine? No? Thats because it's not habit and because it often doesn't taste bitter. really good espresso won't taste bitter (back of your tongue). This is what sugar usually covers up in instant and bad filter/french press coffee.

Go on, I promise you that after a few cups it will taste way beter than you ever tasted it with sugar.

Regards

Lee


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

LeeWardle said:


> ...Go on, I promise you that after a few cups it will taste way beter than you ever tasted it with sugar...


However, if you do stick with sugaring an espresso then add this just after the espresso has been poured so as not to burn the sugar.

You can get a slight difference in taste between putting the sugar before extraction and adding it afterwards.

You will need to check extraction times to obtain a sweeter shot (shorter rather than longer extraction time for most beans). You'll be surprised at what difference in taste there is between a 25 and 29 second extraction.


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## Frederick (Feb 16, 2009)

Many thanks..OK I will persevere and get off the sugar habit.

Take care.... Frederick


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## LeeWardle (Nov 16, 2008)

Good man!....Good man!


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## awlred (Mar 10, 2009)

I have to agree with the guys here, having come from someone who used to have 3 heaped spoons of sugar against a spoonful of nescafe and a good helping of milk aswell I'm now sugar free as it were. It might be easier to start buy drinking naturally sweeter coffees before getting into really dark coffees; Columbian coffees are caramel sweet, Kenyans are fruity but can be too acidic, also medium roasts will keep sweetness and be less bitter.

What coffee are you currently drinking? because if its something like Lavazza, which is a dark coffee and will tend to be on the stale side, especially if its preground then it'll be predominantly bitter. Invest in a good burr grinder (eBay or Google would be my first two searches)

Also if you're making french press then allow the water to come off the boil for 30sec-1minute to extract the lighter flavours, try to bear in mind your extraction time and stuff.

Oh damn I went off a bit there, at the end of the day, coffee doesn't need sugar if its prepared properly, once you get used to it then sugar in coffee will be disgusting.


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## MatthewCosta (May 21, 2009)

so hows it working out, still taking sugar?


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## Frederick (Feb 16, 2009)

No... no more sugar in my coffee BUT I do not now have an espresso... I now do my coffee in a larger cup and add a small amount of double cream and this I do enjoy. Am I naughty ???


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

Extremely - but lifes too short not to be.

Hope you're having fun and lovingly crafting your drink each day.

I can still remember the smile on your face when you got that first cappuccino nailed.

Great to see you online.


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## lsjms (Aug 19, 2009)

Hi all,

I too have a sweet tooth but I try all my shots first without sugar. I then 'correct' what I see as my faults with sugar. If I make a 'cafe average' shot (rare these days unless new blend/roast) I like a half teaspoon of sugar. My normal shot takes a 'spoon' from the handle end of the teaspoon. With ever increasing regularity however the shot is like syrup, naturally sweet, rounded and smells incredible, the addition of sugar kills a load of the subtle flavours.

I feel the most important thing is to enjoy the coffee you just made whilst learning how to improve that shot for the next time. I think that sugar masks the biggest fault you can make- bitter coffee. I am also very partial to a piece of lemon peel in my shot if it falls short of my mark.

As a chef this balance modification on every portion is sort of second nature. I found that learning to brew great espresso has many paralells in cooking. And the learning process similar to that of a saucier. Pinch of sugar, drop of acid, grain of salt.

Have you ever tried a few salt crystals in one of those God shots?

I realise I am probably the espresso anti-christ!


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