# Expresso coffee - why?



## marbeaux (Oct 2, 2010)

I noticed in our recent Poll that the majority preferred Expresso coffee followed a long way behind by pour over and French Press.

Why is there such a big difference of opinion?

And where exactly do the differences lie?

Kindly explain to me. As a newbie I seem to be missing something but what?


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## lookseehear (Jul 16, 2010)

I think the important thing to note rather than the fact that espresso has a huge majority over the other types is that other than espresso, everything else on the poll produces brewed coffee which is fundamentally different.

You could look at the poll this way:

Espresso: 23

Brewed coffee: 17

which just shows a small majority if they had to choose between having some espresso or brewed coffee they would choose the former. Also, it shows that out of people that would rather choose brewed coffee there are divided opinions over which method produces the best cup or is most convenient etc.


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## marbeaux (Oct 2, 2010)

But that doesn't really answer my question. The majority of those answering the Poll prefer Espresso and I would like to know their reasons.

For example since I joined this Forum I have enjoyed one rather pleasant cappuccino and quite a few pretty poor ones BUT I still prefer a straight coffee made by a French Press or similar method.


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## vintagecigarman (Aug 10, 2009)

From my perspective espresso is akin to a fine spirit - single malt, aged rum, cognac etc - whereas any longer drink is more akin to a wine. To me the joy of espresso is the single, concentrated explosion of taste, and the fact that it lingers with you for such a long time. I'm still enjoying a good shot of espresso 10+ minutes after the drink itself is long gone. Other methods produce, for me, a drink that may take longer to consume, but doesn't linger on afterwards in the same way. Not that there's anything wrong with that, and in fact it's probably one of the best ways of tasting and learning the subtle nuances of different coffees.

But if I had to choose just one way of enjoying coffee, than espresso wins hands down for me.


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## ozgreen (Apr 2, 2010)

I love both espresso and plunger/pourover/syphon brewing, the latter especially with specialty micro lot beans where the pourvoer style brings out all of the delicate flavours and nuances from these special beans, a brew where I can sit and linger over it while reading the paper and relaxing, with espresso it is a concentrated slam it down type of coffee hit--love them both, a cold drip on a hot day with some soda water and ice is also another great way to enjoy fine coffee.

"Life is too short to drink bad coffee!!"


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## awlred (Mar 10, 2009)

I would agree entirely with everything that's been said above.

I love espresso but I also love long drinks but they are vastly different creatures.

Espresso tends to draw to the fore dominant flavours and has a delicious body that is unique. A great coffee can make a truely outstanding espresso, providing that it is suited to it.

Filter, for example a pour-over melitta or a Chemex has a better clarity between the flavours and often becomes more delicious as it cools down. But there is less viscosity and less intensity of flavour.

To be honest I don't have a preference between them. I look at them as different as a cut of Steak and a burger. Both can be delicious and amazing in their own right but context plays a huge deciding factor when chosing whether to have a brewed cup or an espresso.

When it comes to home drinking though, I would (and do) choose brewed coffee 99% of the time. In the time it takes to turn on, warm up, dial in and eventually pull a shot of espresso at home, I could have prepared and enjoyed a nice pot of coffee with much less waste or effort (something that is lacking prior to drinking the coffee)


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## marbeaux (Oct 2, 2010)

Great replies Gentlemen and I now have a better understanding of the subject.

May I also include a question on foamed milk and foaming in general? What depth of foam would you associate with a good cup of Espresso? So far my experience has not been good. Too deep, tasteless and putting me off the drink. And of course detracting from any subtle flavours in the coffee if there were any?

I did of course mention earlier that I have enjoyed one cappuccino bought at a well known coffee stall in Bangkok and the rest bought from competitors has been average to poor


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## awlred (Mar 10, 2009)

If by foam you mean crema then I think it's relatively secondary to the espresso. It's a hallmark of espresso to have a crema but it is not, as conventional wisdom dictates, a definitive sign of quality. I always stir my espresso and so it deflates that and mixes it into the drink.

As for cappuccinos/milk drinks I never want anything more than 8oz of volume, any more and the milk seperates from the foam and becomes quite flat before it can be properly enjoyed. On the issue of flavour, milk will always mellow the flavour and thus make subtlties within the cup less apparent but a cappuccino can be very delicious and satisfying, just in a different way to an espresso or filter.


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

The minimum standard for competitiion cappuccino is 1cm milk foam

Anything less is considered to be a latte or different drink type

2cm+ can be a bit thick, but it depends on the individuals taste

The texture is also important as you can have a dry or wet cappuccino as a variation too (less or more milk:air in the foam)

An espresso does not have any milk added

However. a macchiato has a little milk/froth added


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## MonkeyHarris (Dec 3, 2010)

marbeaux said:


> Great replies Gentlemen and I now have a better understanding of the subject.
> 
> May I also include a question on foamed milk and foaming in general? What depth of foam would you associate with a good cup of Espresso? So far my experience has not been good. Too deep, tasteless and putting me off the drink. And of course detracting from any subtle flavours in the coffee if there were any?
> 
> I did of course mention earlier that I have enjoyed one cappuccino bought at a well known coffee stall in Bangkok and the rest bought from competitors has been average to poor


I'd gone right off milk based drinks from coffee shops. Always found they put way too much milk in. When I make a latte at home for me and the wife I use much less. Then I discovered that I was most likely making a flat white which is now what I have when I go out. Much nicer.


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## marbeaux (Oct 2, 2010)

Those were very informative replies for which thank you. This leaves me with the head ache of only knowing one coffee stall that can serve a decent cappuccino:act-up:

I shall have to explore some more!


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## jeffkarsondo (Jan 12, 2011)

> From my perspective espresso is akin to a fine spirit - single malt, aged rum, cognac etc - whereas any longer drink is more akin to a wine. To me the joy of espresso is the single, concentrated explosion of taste, and the fact that it lingers with you for such a long time. I'm still enjoying a good shot of espresso 10+ minutes after the drink itself is long gone. Other methods produce, for me, a drink that may take longer to consume, but doesn't linger on afterwards in the same way. Not that there's anything wrong with that, and in fact it's probably one of the best ways of tasting and learning the subtle nuances of different coffees.
> 
> But if I had to choose just one way of enjoying coffee, than espresso wins hands down for me.


I'd have to agree.


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## RoloD (Oct 13, 2010)

In answer to the original question, I would say the reason why sites like this are espresso-biased is that making great espresso is a non-trivial business, and it is people seeking that great shot who tend to hang out on coffee sites. There are so many techniques and equipment issues connected with espresso making that people need to talk about it with others - it is perfect for geekdom.

It is hard to imagine a site dedicated to the French press, since the technique is straightforward, and of course, there is nothing whatever wrong in making coffee this way. However once you've acquired a taste for espresso in all its intensity and variety - well, it's easy to get quite obsessed...


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