In this article dedicated to baristas and all coffee lovers, Caffè Italia offers some valuable tips for preparing and enjoying a real Italian espresso, starting from the choice of coffee.
THE TYPE OF COFFEE USED
The first secret for a state-of-the-art espresso is the type of coffee used.
- Quality and composition of the mixture. It is important to make sure that the blend used to make coffee is always of high quality. In particular, the varieties of coffee on the market depend on factors such as: the variety of the plant, where it is grown, the harvest, the climate, and the roasting. We therefore suggest experimenting to find the variety that best suits your needs and tastes.
- The roasting. Roasting also plays an important role in choosing the coffee to use. Roasted coffee beans for a longer period and at higher temperatures have a darker color and release more aroma and will have to be coarsely ground.
- The aroma. Since each type of coffee is characterized by peculiar characteristics that influence its taste, it is good to distinguish between Arabica and Robusta quality. For coffee lovers with an aromatic and delicate taste, we suggest blends with Arabica coffee. If you prefer a stronger and more intense coffee with a thicker cream, we recommend using blends containing a percentage of Robusta.
HOW TO EXTRACT THE AROMA OF COFFEE
For the good preparation of a flawless espresso, it is essential to extract all the aromas of the coffee.
If a traditional filter holder is used, uniform and constant pressing of the ground coffee is essential: pressing allows the water to flow through the coffee in a homogeneous way, favoring the extraction of all the aromas. The pressurized filter holder, on the other hand, is already designed to ensure the success of an espresso in a workmanlike manner. If you have this system, then light pressure is enough.
WHERE TO STORE COFFEE
Now let’s move on to the place where the coffee is stored: what is the best solution? Although refrigerators and freezers are often referred to as ideal places for storing coffee, we advise you not to consider this option, as they are humid environments. The optimal solution is instead to store the coffee in an airtight container, in a cool and dry place, away from sources of light and heat. Immediately after roasting, in fact, the coffee begins to lose its freshness and it is important not to expose it to air, humidity, heat and light to preserve its aroma.
FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE
If you want to put the tips of this article into practice, we recommend you to taste our varieties of coffee beans and ground coffee. In our coffee section you can find different blends and quantities.
