With the specialty coffee and third-wave coffee movements, fans of classic nutty-chocolatey filter coffee have been surprised by lighter roasts and fruitier aromas. Espresso no longer necessarily has to be dark roasted, making it not so easy to distinguish from filter coffee just by looking at the bean. Furthermore, omni-roast coffee beans are gaining popularity because they are roasted at the so-called "sweet spot" and can be used for both espresso and filter coffee. This naturally leads to the question: what exactly is the difference between filter coffee and espresso ? We'll be exploring this question this week and clearing up any confusion. Let's go.
The Bean - The Origin
Some might think there's a difference. But you basically need the same coffee beans for espresso and filter coffee. Of course, there are various varieties that lead to different aromas and therefore different tastes. But both start with a coffee cherry containing two beans. These are processed using different methods, dried, packaged, and then brought to us at the SIMON&BERNS coffee roastery. Here, they are further processed into espresso or filter coffee according to plan and then freshly brewed into your cups.
Roasting the coffee beans - The decision between espresso and filter coffee
A few years ago, almost any layperson could distinguish an espresso from filter coffee by the bean itself. Espresso was roasted much darker than filter coffee. These days, however, it's not so simple, as the Third Coffee movement and omni-roasting methods have already suggested. The reason for the darker roast was that the longer roasting process resulted in less acidity in the coffee. Unfortunately, the roasted aromas masked the original fruity notes. At the same time, bitter flavors were emphasized, making the concentrated preparation of espresso a true mark of quality.
Preparation - pressure against heat
The preparation of classic espresso:
To prepare espresso, a portafilter machine is required. The roasted beans are finely ground, and approximately 7-11 grams are placed in a single-shot portafilter or 14-17 grams in a double-shot portafilter. With a short extraction time of about 25-30 seconds, hot water is forced through the coffee grounds at a pressure of 6 to 9 bar. This yields approximately 25-50 milliliters of espresso, depending on the amount of coffee used. The water temperature should be between 90 and 96 degrees Celsius, depending on the type of coffee and desired taste.
Preparing filter coffee:
Unlike espresso, there isn't a standardized brewing method for filter coffee. Instead, there are many different techniques, all aiming to extract the diverse aromas of the coffee to the fullest. The key difference from espresso is that the beans are ground more coarsely and brewed without pressure using hot water. Filter coffee is often brewed using a paper filter – a "pour-over" method. Another common brewing method is "full immersion," as used with a French press. In this method, coffee is placed in a pot, hot water is poured over it, stirred, and then a plunger is used to separate the grounds from the brewed coffee. The water temperature depends on the type of coffee and personal preference, ranging from 88 to 96 degrees Celsius.
The taste
Espresso is recognizable even before the first sip. Firstly, by the often small cup, and secondly, by the characteristic crema. This crema is created by the high pressure during extraction. CO2 contained within the bean is released during this process, mixes with the fats and oils, and settles on top of the espresso. Most of the aromas are found in this layer of foam, making it essential for the taste of an espresso. Due to the small amount of water, an espresso has a high viscosity, with approximately 10% of the coffee dissolved in the water.
Filter coffee doesn't have a rich, flavorful crema. Instead, it has a complex aroma with a variety of notes. It's also served in a significantly larger cup, around 100-150 milliliters. The water contains about 2% coffee, which is why filter coffee appears rather clear in the cup.
Caffeine content
Many will now think: "Clearly, espresso has more caffeine." Actually, that's not entirely true. Since filter coffee is consumed in significantly larger quantities, around 150 milliliters per cup, it also contains more caffeine—around 70-100 mg per cup. In contrast, an espresso, with an average of 25 milliliters, contains "only" around... 30-60 mg per cup. These large differences can be explained by the different roast levels. The darker a coffee or espresso is roasted, the less caffeine it contains. As always, whether espresso or filter coffee contains more caffeine depends on the type of coffee, the roast level, the amount of coffee, personal preferences, and the quantity consumed.
To give you a little bit of trivia, here's a short excursion into the history of espresso and filter coffee:
Before espresso or filter coffee was drunk, people simply poured water over ground coffee. The brew, with its coffee grounds, wasn't very pleasant, so solutions were sought. First, the coffee was poured through a coarse sieve to retain most of the grounds. In the 18th century, the first filter method emerged, in which the water and grounds remained separate during preparation. For this, the coffee was placed in a linen bag and hot water was poured over it. The linen bag was then washed and reused. Of course, the taste was still not ideal.
Espresso was first prepared in Milan in the 19th century. The name came from the steam-powered "coffee locomotives" of the time. Since espresso was also made with steam and was typically consumed quickly at the counter in a café, the idea of naming it after the English express trains arose: Espresso. In some languages, the "X" is even still present. For example, in Spanish: café expreso.
That was quite a lot of information today. But now there should definitely be no more confusion if someone asks you about the difference between filter coffee and espresso. If you'd like to experiment and find out which roasts are best for you, we've linked our sampler packs for espresso , filter coffee , and Omniroast here. Which brewing method do you prefer? Let us know, and see you in the next blog post!
Your SIMON&BERANS Team
Filter coffee vs. espresso - what's the difference?
With the specialty coffee and third-wave coffee movements, fans of classic nutty-chocolatey filter coffee have been surprised by lighter roasts and fruitier aromas. Espresso no longer necessarily has to be dark roasted, making it not so easy to distinguish from filter coffee just by looking at the bean. Furthermore, omni-roast coffee beans are gaining popularity because they are roasted at the so-called "sweet spot" and can be used for both espresso and filter coffee. This naturally leads to the question: what exactly is the difference between filter coffee and espresso ? We'll be exploring this question this week and clearing up any confusion. Let's go.
The Bean - The Origin
Some might think there's a difference. But you basically need the same coffee beans for espresso and filter coffee. Of course, there are various varieties that lead to different aromas and therefore different tastes. But both start with a coffee cherry containing two beans. These are processed using different methods, dried, packaged, and then brought to us at the SIMON&BERNS coffee roastery. Here, they are further processed into espresso or filter coffee according to plan and then freshly brewed into your cups.
Roasting the coffee beans - The decision between espresso and filter coffee
A few years ago, almost any layperson could distinguish an espresso from filter coffee by the bean itself. Espresso was roasted much darker than filter coffee. These days, however, it's not so simple, as the Third Coffee movement and omni-roasting methods have already suggested. The reason for the darker roast was that the longer roasting process resulted in less acidity in the coffee. Unfortunately, the roasted aromas masked the original fruity notes. At the same time, bitter flavors were emphasized, making the concentrated preparation of espresso a true mark of quality.
Preparation - pressure against heat
The preparation of classic espresso:
To prepare espresso, a portafilter machine is required. The roasted beans are finely ground, and approximately 7-11 grams are placed in a single-shot portafilter or 14-17 grams in a double-shot portafilter. With a short extraction time of about 25-30 seconds, hot water is forced through the coffee grounds at a pressure of 6 to 9 bar. This yields approximately 25-50 milliliters of espresso, depending on the amount of coffee used. The water temperature should be between 90 and 96 degrees Celsius, depending on the type of coffee and desired taste.
Preparing filter coffee:
Unlike espresso, there isn't a standardized brewing method for filter coffee. Instead, there are many different techniques, all aiming to extract the diverse aromas of the coffee to the fullest. The key difference from espresso is that the beans are ground more coarsely and brewed without pressure using hot water. Filter coffee is often brewed using a paper filter – a "pour-over" method. Another common brewing method is "full immersion," as used with a French press. In this method, coffee is placed in a pot, hot water is poured over it, stirred, and then a plunger is used to separate the grounds from the brewed coffee. The water temperature depends on the type of coffee and personal preference, ranging from 88 to 96 degrees Celsius.
The taste
Espresso is recognizable even before the first sip. Firstly, by the often small cup, and secondly, by the characteristic crema. This crema is created by the high pressure during extraction. CO2 contained within the bean is released during this process, mixes with the fats and oils, and settles on top of the espresso. Most of the aromas are found in this layer of foam, making it essential for the taste of an espresso. Due to the small amount of water, an espresso has a high viscosity, with approximately 10% of the coffee dissolved in the water.
Filter coffee doesn't have a rich, flavorful crema. Instead, it has a complex aroma with a variety of notes. It's also served in a significantly larger cup, around 100-150 milliliters. The water contains about 2% coffee, which is why filter coffee appears rather clear in the cup.
Caffeine content
Many will now think: "Clearly, espresso has more caffeine." Actually, that's not entirely true. Since filter coffee is consumed in significantly larger quantities, around 150 milliliters per cup, it also contains more caffeine—around 70-100 mg per cup. In contrast, an espresso, with an average of 25 milliliters, contains "only" around... 30-60 mg per cup. These large differences can be explained by the different roast levels. The darker a coffee or espresso is roasted, the less caffeine it contains. As always, whether espresso or filter coffee contains more caffeine depends on the type of coffee, the roast level, the amount of coffee, personal preferences, and the quantity consumed.
To give you a little bit of trivia, here's a short excursion into the history of espresso and filter coffee:
Before espresso or filter coffee was drunk, people simply poured water over ground coffee. The brew, with its coffee grounds, wasn't very pleasant, so solutions were sought. First, the coffee was poured through a coarse sieve to retain most of the grounds. In the 18th century, the first filter method emerged, in which the water and grounds remained separate during preparation. For this, the coffee was placed in a linen bag and hot water was poured over it. The linen bag was then washed and reused. Of course, the taste was still not ideal.
Espresso was first prepared in Milan in the 19th century. The name came from the steam-powered "coffee locomotives" of the time. Since espresso was also made with steam and was typically consumed quickly at the counter in a café, the idea of naming it after the English express trains arose: Espresso. In some languages, the "X" is even still present. For example, in Spanish: café expreso.
That was quite a lot of information today. But now there should definitely be no more confusion if someone asks you about the difference between filter coffee and espresso. If you'd like to experiment and find out which roasts are best for you, we've linked our sampler packs for espresso , filter coffee , and Omniroast here. Which brewing method do you prefer? Let us know, and see you in the next blog post!
Your SIMON&BERANS Team