Coffee Alphabet: E Is For Espresso

Welcome to the coffee alphabet, the quickest way to easily learn everything you need to know about specialty coffee, and the art of enjoying it! This week we look at the letter ‘E’ which is for ‘Espresso’.

What is espresso?

As coffee lovers, nothing conjures the recall of our senses quite like an espresso. The intense aromas, the noise of the grinder, the bang of the old puck being discarded, they all create the true sense of coffee in most people’s minds.

This week we’re bringing you another dose of coffee knowledge as guided by our coffee alphabet, where we take a look at the most iconic of them all. First a little history, the espresso machine was first invented in 1884 by Angelo Moriondo of Turin in Italy. The machine comprises of a boiler for heating the water and a high-pressure pump for brewing small-doses of coffee (called ‘shots’) quickly.

The result is a unique and intense coffee that can be enjoyed on its own or served with added milk or water. Of course the espresso has undergone a myriad of rounds of evolutions since then, and the machines have too. Different drinks trends have come and gone as other parts of the world have incorporated the humble espresso into their own coffee culture.

Pulling a great espresso

Nonetheless, the art of pulling a delicious espresso remains the lifelong pursuit of many a barista. So with that in mind, we created this super easy-to-digest infographic to help explain the basics of pulling an espresso shot and what happens at each stage. We hope you love it!

Don’t forget to check out our store for seasonal specialty espresso blends.

Ready to try it at home? Follow our espresso brew guide, and read our guide to the best coffee beans for espresso.

More from the Coffee Alphabet

A is for Acidity · B is for Burrs · C is for Cupping · D is for Decaf · F is for French Press · G is for Green Coffee · H is for High Grown