What Is Espresso? Definition, How It's Made, and How It Compares to Coffee
Espresso is concentrated coffee brewed by forcing pressurized hot water through finely ground coffee in about 25 seconds. A single shot fits in a 1-ounce glass. A typical 12-ounce drip cup holds twelve times that much liquid — but a shot of espresso has 7–10% dissolved coffee solids vs roughly 1.5% in drip, which is why it tastes so much more intense. This guide explains what espresso actually is, how the brewing differs from drip coffee or any other method, what makes a “real” espresso shot vs concentrated coffee from a moka pot, the caffeine math vs drip, and how the same beans can produce drastically different drinks. ...