Many people love coffee. Coffee lovers always need a caffeine kick to help them wake up and start their day. Espresso lovers enjoy the quick dose of caffeine that the drink offers. But can you use coffee beans for espresso? Although you can, it is not always the best decision. Read on to find out why.
Using Regular Coffee Beans for Espresso
An espresso maker uses a different working mechanism than regular coffee makers such as the French press, pour-over, and drip coffee makers. Espresso machines use pressure to extract coffee flavors and oils from finely ground coffee. They use specially roasted and ground coffee, which is relatively different from regular coffee.
While regular coffee can work in your espresso maker, it will not give you a tasty espresso shot. It is not the right way to brew espresso coffee and espresso-based drinks. Unfortunately, making espresso coffee with regular coffee beans may result in a watered-down brew with a bitter taste.
When choosing coffee beans, you should be picky on the roasts for the best results. Since different coffee-making methods work best with certain roasts and grind sizes, pick the right beans for every coffee brewer.
If you visit your local grocery shop or supermarket, you will have the chance to choose between espresso beans and coffee beans. But what makes them different? Are they not just coffee beans? Some people do not know that they are different and when you should choose one of them over the other.
Coffee Beans vs Espresso Beans
The roasting process of coffee beans largely determines the brewing method to be used and the differences in flavor and taste. Essentially, lighter roasts are best for slower extraction methods such as filter coffee and cold brew.
Darker roasts are ideal for faster extraction methods such as espresso. Let us compare coffee beans and espresso beans to help you understand if you can use coffee beans for espresso.
1. Coffee beans
Roasted coffee beans are any kind of roasted beans that are ready for grinding and brewing. There are different roasting levels including light roasts, medium roasts, and dark roasts.
Light roasts lack an oily sheen. They are most suitable for making white coffee. Also, they are ideal for non-pressure coffee brewing methods such as cold brew coffee or pour-over coffee.
Medium roasts brew coffee with different flavor profiles. They are ideal for many brewing styles depending on the origin of the beans.
Dark roasted beans feature an oily, dark brown, and shiny surface. Dark roasts are suitable for making espresso.
2. Espresso Beans
Espresso beans are dark roasted beans with fuller body and the least acidity. They are rich in natural coffee oils and feature an oily sheen on their surface. The emulsification of these coffee oils and other coffee compounds are responsible for producing espresso crema. However, they should not be too dark since excess oil may clog up a coffee grinder, especially automatic grinders.
Using regular coffee beans to brew espresso may not give you a perfect espresso shot. Regardless of how good the beans are, they may be too light or too charred to brew espresso. Although making a tasty espresso shot is not rocket science, you need to throw in the right coffee beans into your espresso machine for the best results.
By brewing espresso with the right espresso beans, you will get a shot of espresso with the right consistency, flavor, and body. Also, using espresso beans will allow the brew to have a rich crema for a tastier drink.
You cannot attain the attributes of a perfect espresso shot when using regular coffee beans. If you want to make tasty espresso like a barista, you now know the reasons why you should use espresso beans. Besides, brewing with espresso beans will help you become an espresso aficionado.
Conclusion
If you are in a fix and only have medium or lightly roasted beans at home, and you are craving an espresso drink, what should you do? Can you use coffee beans for espresso? Yes, you can. You can always feel free to experiment with different roasts when making a cup of java at home. However, light or medium roasts will not brew tasty espresso. They may give you a weak or watered-down espresso. Nevertheless, it is advisable to use espresso beans when brewing espresso for the best results.
Related Articles
