How to drink espresso

Drinking espresso is one of the most enjoyable experiences for frequent consumers of this powerful drink. But if you are not used to it, the concentration of all its flavors may make you have a bad time and end up despising it.

The first thing you need to know is that espresso is a small drink and depending on the coffee shop where you order it, you can find terminologies like “Shot”. This refers to the amount of coffee, for example, a shot of espresso (simple espresso) is 1 fluid ounce (30 ml) of drink. Another very common term is “Doppio”, this is a double espresso or “Double-shot”, 2 fluid ounces (60 ml) of drink.

The second thing you should know is that the correct way in which espresso coffee should be served is in its respective cup, accompanied by a glass of water and a small spoon, although some coffee shops usually serve additionally a small cookie.

In this article, we will show you how to drink espresso coffee, what each accompanying element is used for (glass of water and spoon) and the factors that you should consider so that you can enjoy all its flavor and in the end have the best experience with this drink.

Regardless of size (single or double espresso), espressos are usually served in “Demitasse” cups (from French “half cup”) from 2 to 4 ounces (60 ml to 120 ml). These are small cups, made of porcelain to better preserve the temperature. They are often completely white or colored on the outside but white on the inside.

To avoid this, just drink a little water so that the taste buds become neutral and so you can better perceive all the flavor of espresso.

Important, the water is to be drunk before taking the espresso and not after. If you are going to drink the water after drinking the espresso, try to the barista don’t look at you 😉.

The cream is the most bitter part of espresso, some people choose to eliminate it to avoid its flavor, while others choose to simply stir it to mix it with the rest of the espresso and thus have a more balanced espresso before drinking it. For either option, you must use a spoon.

Taking into account the above mentioned, it is time to drink and enjoy espresso.
Take a drink of water to clean the palate. Touch the cup to ensure it is at the right temperature, obviously the cup should be hot, but not enough to burn your fingers.

Take the cup by the handle and bring it close to your nose. Make a long but slow inhalation to perceive the aroma. Then with the help of the spoon carefully stir the espresso. Reassess the aroma, you will notice how it has changed and you may be able to perceive certain new aroma.

Now is the time to drink. While espresso is a small drink, the most important thing is not to drink it in one gulp. Some experts recommend drinking the espresso in two gulps and this is for a good reason. The taste of espresso begins to change as time goes by, so with the time that has elapsed between drinks, the espresso will have a different flavor.

Drink slowly, while paying attention to the flavor profile, aroma, and aftertaste, be sure to make the most of the experience. Try to describe what flavor profile you can detect (orange, green apple, etc.), what aroma (nut, cinnamon, chocolate, etc.), bitterness level (intense, medium, mild), among others.

Pause for a few seconds and then drink the second gulp, reevaluate the profile just as you did on the first gulp. This gulp likely tastes different from the first.

Now that you have finished your espresso coffee, you just have to thank the barista and enjoy the pleasant aftertaste of the espresso. This aftertaste usually has an average duration of 10 to 15 minutes.