Espresso, what’s in a name?

Here is the latest in Sweet Bean’s kitchen! Today we’re talking about espresso, lungo, and ristretto and what they even are. As always, we would love to see and hear from you about how your own drink creation.

What even is Espresso?

Espresso is a concentrated form of coffee served in small, strong shots and is the base for many coffee drinks. It's made from the same beans as coffee but is stronger, thicker, and higher in caffeine. However, because espresso is typically served in smaller servings than coffee, it has less caffeine per serving. This very small yet important type of coffee makes a majority of popular lattes, macchiatos, and cappuccinos. I could go on Espresso is the foundation for many popular coffee beverages.

What is Ristretto?

Ristretto a version of a traditional espresso shot but its shorter. What does this mean? Due to the pull of the espresso, it creates a more highly concentrated shot called the ristretto. It is made with the same amount of ground coffee, but extracted with a finer grind using half as much water. A ristretto shot of coffee is typically described as bolder, more flavorful, and has a sweeter tone than espresso, it is also noticeably less bitter.

What is Lungo?

The word lungo is Italian for “long,” a hint on what this beverage looks like when compared to the baseline: a shot of espresso. Additionally, it also indicates the amount of time needed to pull it. As a result of the increase water, there’s a significantly larger shot. Once it’s in the glass, a lungo is roughly the size of a doppio, or double shot of espresso. However, the size isn’t the only difference for this drink because you use more water to pull a lungo, the taste is much more subdued than that of an espresso or ristretto (a shot pulled with half the water). However, while the drink is less strong (due to the water) it is more bitter.