Come Over to the Dark Side
Espresso at Home | Frothing Milk | Recipes

All About Espresso
Like roasting, brewing supreme espresso is part science, part art. Espresso is a European tradition that became popular in America about a decade ago. We personally remember knowing we were in a great restaurant if, back then, we could get a cup of espresso after my meal. Today, it's much different. Espresso is everywhere and enjoyed — daily — by thousands. In essence, we pay homage to our overseas friends each time we enjoy coffee in its truest form. Thanks, guys.

Espresso: The Real Deal
Coffee connoisseurs generally consider espresso the ultimate coffee experience and appreciate its rich, sharp, heavy and often caramel-like taste. But, straight up espresso is so unlike a cup of drip coffee, it's often considered to be an "acquired" taste. And, although espresso is more often consumed in "bar" drinks such as lattes and mochas now, it's still highly respected — no matter which form it's consumed in.

What many don't know is that espresso contains less caffeine than a lighter roast coffee. The essence of the espresso flavor is found in the delicate oils hidden within the bean. During the roasting process, the beans physical and chemical structure changes, bringing the aromatic oils and sugars to the surface. So, the longer and darker the roast, the more oils and sugars are released which brings with it a richer and darker flavor — almost caramel-like. If you've ever seen a freshly roasted espresso bean, it was likely glistening with those lovely bean oils (which contain caffeine).

Peaberry offers two great espressos, each with characteristics you should taste and compare.

Peaberry's Espresso Milano is more mild and sweet than Peaberry's Espresso Italian Style and perfect for sipping. While the Italian Style is perfect for bar drinks. For those of you who prefer decaf, we offer the terrific Peaberry's Espresso decaf. It has all the flavor and none of the buzz.

So order some today and let's get brewing!

Making Great Espresso at Home
Espresso is a method of making coffee that very quickly extracts the coffee flavor from a carefully ground espresso bean. Logically, in the Italian language espresso simply "quick brew."

So, whether you're sipping espresso at home, or thinking about buying a machine for home use, we can help. Following these important tips will yield a home brew is as good as the espresso you enjoy at our shops.

Guaranteed!

First of all, a serving of espresso, about 1.5 ounces is called a "shot." Shots can be sipped or the base of a fabulous bar drink. Here are some tips to make a great shot.

First, begin with a rich espresso coffee. Peaberry Coffee offers: Peaberry's Espresso Milano and Espresso Italian Style.

Secondly, you want crema. Yes, you do. Crema is the reward. The goal. A must for a perfect espresso shot. To achieve crema, don't ignore the grind. It's impossible to "pull" a great shot without the proper grind. The espresso grind is like fine sand. The fineness of the grind provides a bit of resistance with the pressurized water and this produces the coveted crema.

Thirdly, use filtered or bottled water. Let's face it, coffee is 99 per cent water. So, the colder and more clear the water, the better the taste.

Next, fill your porta-filter and lightly to moderately tamp your grounds evenly. Proper tamping is one of the secrets of great espresso…and crema. This will take practice, so don't get discouraged.

Finally, lock in the porta-filter and press the machine's "start" button. From the time this button is depressed until the espresso shot is complete should be between about 17-22 seconds. But, don't take our word for it. You'll really just have to taste for yourself to determine the perfect taste. If you've made yourself happy, you've pulled a great shot.

You've done it! Your shot is perfect. Now what? If you'd rather make a latte, cappuccino or mocha as opposed to sipping it straight up, keep reading.

Frothing Milk
Creating the perfect milk for your espresso drink is also an exacting skill, but will a little practice, can be mastered — and enjoyed — in no time.

If you have a frothing pitcher, cold milk and a thermometer, you're ready. Ready?

Let's start with the milk. There is a difference, you know. Whole milk will yield froth that has the most body. While lower fat milks such as skim or 2 percent are a bit more difficult to froth, just because they're thinner. So, the choice is yours. But remember practice makes perfect, so try them all.

Your goal here is to produce foam that is smooth and thick, with small bubbles. The more air you get into the milk, the larger the bubbles. Although this is okay, we recommend avoiding large bubbles as they dissipate quickly.

Here are some specifics:

1. Fill pitcher 50-60 percent full with cold milk and place the steam vent into it — just beneath the liquid surface.
2. Move the pitcher in either a circular or up-and-down motion (whichever is more comfortable for you).
3. Begin to watch the volume of the milk as it fills with air, making sure the tip of the vent works its way through the milk. We find that the perfect milk temperature is 150 degrees. So watch for that on your thermometer.
4. Milk should about double in volume. When you reach this point (or 150 degrees) you may stop, or you may continue to heat the milk by moving the tip to the bottom of the pitcher.
5. Turn off the steam vent before removing it from the pitcher. Failure to do so may cause splattering. Be careful; you don't want to burn yourself. It hurts.
6. When you're done, simply turn on the vent again for a second. This will clean it out a bit.
7. Wipe the vent clean with a damp cloth.

Espresso
A single serving of espresso, or about 1.5 ounces, should be served in a demitasse cup. A demitasse cup is a cute, tiny coffee cup that holds 2-3 ounces. They can be purchased at many cooking stores or coffee shops. Espresso is generally served "black" or without additives. However, there are some variations. A great garnish is a small sliver of fresh lemon peel.

Espresso Can Panna
A single serving of espresso topped with a dollop of fresh, whipped cream.

Espresso Americano (Café Americano)
A single shot of espresso diluted with hot water produces a more mild espresso taste.

Espresso Macchiato
A single shot of espresso with 1-2 tablespoons of frothed milk added to the top.

Note: The following espresso drinks generally use 1 shot or 1.5 ounces of espresso per 12-ounce serving. However, you may want to use more — particularly if you like that robust espresso taste or need a "jolt." Our Purchaser use to drink lattes with 7 shots, but he's not normal. One or two extra shots will usually do the trick for most.

Cappuccino
A classic. Made with espresso and frothed milk. Serve by spooning the frothed milk over the espresso. Cappuccino should be served in a warmed cappuccino cup with a head of foam.

Café Latte
Our most popular drink! Made with espresso and steamed milk. Frothed milk should be spooned on top to create a small head of foam.

Café Mocha
Like a cappuccino, but with chocolate or cocoa! Mix espresso and frothed milk in which the chocolate has been added. Finish with real whipped cream. I drink these every darn day.

back to top