The difference between coffee and espresso

Many coffee drinkers have wondered what the difference is between the brew they drink each morning and the glamorous espresso they have heard about. This article explains the difference and shows that the difference isn't all that glamorous.

I like different types of coffee. Sometimes I want a fancy cappuccino or latte, but usually I opt for a simpler cup of coffee. I don't usually go to coffee houses as I prefer to brew my own coffee at home. I like being able to control what goes into my coffee as well as being able to keep the costs down. I usually just brew a pot of regular coffee, but sometimes I get out my espresso machine for a treat.

To keep my costs down and by coffee fresh I buy my coffee beans and grind them myself. You may not realize this, but regular drip coffee and espresso both can be made from the same types of coffee beans and the same roasting blends of beans. This does mean that both drip coffee and espresso are coffee. However, this does not mean that all coffee is espresso. The difference between drip coffee and espresso is in how finely the coffee beans are ground, in how long the beverage is brewed, and in the brewing technique.

Espresso is a highly concentrated coffee beverage. Since it is so concentrated I prefer to use the best coffee beans available in order to have a superior taste. When I can afford it this would be Kona coffee beans in an espresso roast. These same beans at the same roast can be used in a regular drip coffee maker, but I prefer to save this extraordinary blend for my espresso machine.

You may be wondering if you can use the same beans at the same roast for regular drip coffee and espresso then what is the difference between the two. The main difference is in the grind of the coffee bean. The coffee that is ground for regular drip coffee is much coarser than coffee that is ground for espresso.

The grind for espresso is very fine. It is so fine that if it were to be used in a regular drip coffee maker that some of the grounds would work their way through the coffee filter. The finely ground coffee beans are put into a small filter basket and is tightly packed to resemble a small hockey puck. Very hot, but not boiling, water is then forced through the "puck" to create a densely concentrated beverage with a small amount of brown foam on top. This foam is called crema and is similar to the head of foam found on beer.

Espresso coffee is brewed much faster than regular drip coffee. Since the hot water is quickly forced through the fine grounds it usually only takes between 25 and 30 seconds to brew a cup of espresso. With a regular drip coffee maker the water is slowly dripped over the coarse grounds to make your coffee. Coffee made from a drip coffee maker allows the water to be in contact with the grounds longer and this also allows for drip coffee to have higher caffeine content. Coffee brewed this way can take up to ten minutes to brew a full pot.

Choosing between regular drip coffee and espresso is a matter of personal taste and what you want to get out of your coffee at that moment in time. If you want a higher caffeine kick, like you may need in the morning to get yourself going, the regular drip coffee will give you what you need. However, if you just want to sit back, relax, and sip a cup of rich, strong coffee then you may want to try an espresso.