Italian espresso coffee is the most sold in Italy and identifies Italian coffee in the world. Most coffee drinkers at the bar ask for an espresso, but not everyone distinguishes a real espresso from a good coffee. So let’s see together what are the characteristics of a real Italian espresso.
How do you recognize italian espresso coffee?
These are the 4 characteristics that make a coffee a true Italian espresso.
Coffee Cream
The cream or foam on the surface of the coffee must be 3/4 mm thick, and its color must be homogeneous. The texture and color of the foam indicate, in the eyes of a connoisseur, what is the predominant quality of coffee in the espresso blend: a hazelnut cream with darker streaks, dense and thin texture, indicates a predominance of Arabica quality; then a more aromatic espresso, with less caffeine, with a sweeter taste; a brown cream with streaks on the gray, with a wider texture and presence of bubbles, indica predominance of Robusta quality; then a stronger espresso, intense taste and less aromatic.
Coffee Aroma
The aroma must remember the scent of flowers, licorice, fruit and roasting. The aroma obviously depends on the type of coffee bean used.
Coffee Body
The body is fundamental, it must be dense but viscous due to the presence of soluble oily substances and insoluble ones such as colloids.
Coffee Taste
The taste must always be balanced and harmonious without prevalence of flavors; without prejudice to the personal choice of a certain preference.
Conclusion – Other factors to consider
You should always keep in mind that the quality of the coffee espresso depends on many factors: excellent quality blend, professional machine, capacity of the barista. The climatic factors, the right grinding and the right extraction time also influence the final yield of a perfect Italian espresso.