Espresso Technique · The Coffee Journal
Ristretto, Espresso, Lungo
The trio that defines extraction. Three coffees, one machine, different parameters. Ristretto concentrates, espresso balances, lungo extends. Understanding these three extractions is understanding the language of coffee.
Extraction
The basic principle
Espresso extraction forces hot water under pressure through a compressed coffee puck. Time, volume, and pressure define what is extracted and in what proportion.
The Extraction Curve
Coffee extraction follows a precise curve. The first milliliters extract the most soluble compounds: sugars, acids, the most delicate aromas. The following milliliters extract more resistant compounds: body, structure, noble bitters. The last milliliters extract undesirable bitters and astringencies.
Ristretto stops early, capturing only the first aromas. Lungo continues longer, extracting more body and complexity but also more bitterness. Espresso aims for the balance point between all these elements.
Ristretto
The Italian concentration
Ristretto means "restricted" in Italian. It is the shortest, most concentrated, most intense extraction. A coffee for connoisseurs who want the maximum in minimum volume.
The Ristretto
Prepared with the same dose of coffee as an espresso (18–20g), ristretto is pulled over a reduced volume of 15 to 20 ml, about half an espresso. The extraction stops earlier, capturing only the most delicate primary aromas and concentrated sugars.
The result is a small, dense cup with extreme aromatic richness, a pronounced natural sweetness, and very little bitterness. Ristretto is the favorite coffee of refined palates seeking the pure essence of the bean.
Espresso
The perfect balance
Espresso is the coffee you eat with a spoon, leaving a trace of cream on the lips and whose aroma fills the room. The global standard by which everything else is measured.
The Double Espresso
The double espresso (doppio) has become the global standard: 18–20g of finely ground coffee, extracted in 25–30 seconds for a volume of 36–40 ml. The crema must be dense, hazelnut-colored, persistent. The profile: balanced between acidity, sweetness, and body, with a noble bitterness in the finish.
It is on this balance that the baristas at Carrera Café work every morning, adjusting the grind and dose to achieve perfection in every cup.
Lungo
The long extraction
Lungo means "long" in Italian. More volume, more extraction time, a larger cup. The lungo explores the complexity of the bean where the ristretto captures its essence.
The Lungo
The lungo uses the same dose but extends over 60 to 90 ml of water, for an extraction of 35 to 45 seconds. Longer on the palate, more diluted in appearance, but with a different aromatic richness: secondary notes emerge, the body develops, complexity increases.
Warning: the lungo is not an espresso lengthened with hot water (which would be an americano). It is a different extraction, another way to explore the same coffee.
Comparison
The right choice according to desire
None is better than the others. They are different, and each corresponds to a moment, a desire, a particular bean.
Choose If...
You want the pure essence of coffee. You like concentration and natural sweetness. You drink it black, without milk. In the morning upon waking, for an immediate boost.
Choose If...
You like a longer coffee that lasts. You seek more complexity and body. You take your time. After lunch, for a relaxed tasting.
At the Circuit
Our settings at Petit-Champlain
At Carrera Café, our baristas adjust the grind and dose every morning so that our espresso is perfectly balanced with the current Senna Signature. A daily adjustment, a permanent commitment.
The Carrera Café Espresso
Our double espresso: 18g of Senna Signature, 25–28 seconds, 36–38 ml. Persistent hazelnut crema, balance between the floral notes of Yirgacheffe and the chocolatey body of Cerrado. The ristretto is available on request for those who want to explore the concentrated power of our blend.
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