What Is Espresso?

Even though most coffees have been around for hundreds of years, this is not the same for espresso. Espresso, on the other hand, is essentially a more concentrated cup of coffee. There are many reasons why espresso is loved more than any other coffee and perhaps the reason that it is enjoyed by so many people throughout the world is because it really does have quite a different nature than other coffees! But not only is espresso a more concentrated cup of coffee, but the taste is very different as well and may account for some of the reason why espresso is usually liked more than coffee.

The Nature of Espresso

Espresso originated in Milan, Italy in the early 19th Century. Many Italians call espresso a romantic kind of coffee and it's easy to see why. The nature of espresso is such that it doesn't take a whole lot to fill you up. But to define espresso involves accounting for the different ingredients that it's made of. Espresso is essentially finely ground coffee beans that are tightly packed together and placed in an espresso machine.


Machines are the easiest way to make espresso nowadays, which is why they are put into the machine in the first place. But nevertheless, they are placed in the machine and hot water creates steam. That steam is forced up to heat the coffee beans and produce a thick, drippy liquid called espresso. The thickness of espresso is also a defining feature because it is almost three to four times the consistency of regular black coffee.

Another one of espresso's defining characteristics which will help you to understand exactly what espresso looks like is the crema. The crema is a reddish-brown substance that floats on the top of the espresso itself. But the crema is actually the main part of the espresso that many people like because it also has a foamy substance attached to it. Of course on top of the crema is where many people sprinkle cinnamon, put a dollop of whipped cream, as well as sprinkle that with chocolate shavings. Even though it seems like espresso is a large drink considering all of the defining characteristics of it, espresso is actually consumed by the 1-ounce shot glasses. If made right, espresso can be the ultimate beverage of a lifetime!

Espresso is also the base for which many other drinks are made. Whether you want to make a latte, mocha chill, or another version of the espresso drink then it all relies on the espresso coffee drink which so many people love! In fact, there are probably over a hundred different ways that espresso can be used; it is actually used for desserts, evening drinks, morning wake-up drinks, as well as for a whole variety of other drinks. If you have ever run into a coffee shop that sells espresso then chances are that you've heard just about all the beverage names that can be made from it. This shows just how truly popular an espresso drink can be!