by Cicely Richard

Created on: February 10, 2009   Last Updated: February 11, 2009

Many people want a cup of plain black coffee or coffee with sugar and cream every morning; however, others have formed a taste for espresso, a common drink ordered in coffee shops, like Starbuck's, on a daily basis. It is quickly becoming one of the drinks of choice for a number of people.

Besides the fact that people thinks it sound trendy to order an espresso, in truth, most people don't know the difference between coffee and espresso, except that espresso often tastes a little stronger than a plain cup of coffee. There are, though, a few major differences between the two drinks from the humble coffee bean.

The first major difference between coffee and espresso is that, when you drink a cup of coffee, it is from one particular bean from a particular region. If you order Columbian, Costa Rican, or Sumatra coffee, consumers know that their beans come from those regions.

However, the espresso beans blend different types of beans from a number of regions. The espresso bean is then roasted until it is dark and oily-looking.

The next major difference occurs in the brewing process. Espresso means fast in Italian, a good way to describe the process used to make a cup of this strong drink. While a cup of coffee is brewed using a slow brew method, espresso beans are rapidly infused with water using high pressure.

While coffee grinds are loosely packed in their brewing process, espresso beans are finer and tightly packed. When the coffee bean drips, it is lighter. The espresso looks thick and dark, almost a little muddy looking. On top of the dark, thick liquid sits this creamy residue that almost looks like the froth seen on top of beer. This cream means that the espresso lover has a good espresso machine.

The result of the brewing process is another major difference between coffee and espresso. Most people who have a cup of coffee know that they can get a full cup of 8 to 12 ounces. This is a lot more than you can get from a cup of espresso.

Espresso is served in shots, which are significantly less than that of a cup of coffee. The total yield from espresso beans is a paltry 2 ounces. Most people who order espresso do so in shots. Because it is often more bitter than a cup of coffee, some people who like espresso cut it with a little bit of water. Despite the difference in yield from coffee and espresso beans, they have essentially the same amount of caffeine.

Many people are forming a taste for espresso because of how common it has become in most coffee shops. They enjoy the dark, rich taste of the combination of coffee beans. However, others still enjoy a cup of coffee that has been slowly brewed from their favorite region.

Source:

http://academic.scranton.edu/student/JENKINSL2/coffe sp.html

http://www.coffeeguide.com/pages/coffee-vs-espresso

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