Espresso definition

• Americano: Beverage consisting of espresso and hot water with a ratio of 1:2.
  
• Barista: An Italian term to call a person operating an espresso machine and other coffee brewing equipment at a cafe or a coffee shop.
• Brew Time: How long it takes to brew an espresso shot. Espresso’s standard brewing time is between 25 to 30 seconds.
• Burr Grinder: The standard type of coffee beans grinder for making espressos. 
• Caffe Latte: A beverage consisting of espresso and steamed milk. 
• Cappuccino: A combination of espresso, steamed milk, and frothed milk with a 1:2:2 ratio.
• Crema: The light-brown foam floating on the top of brewed espresso. The layer usually tastes rich and creamy, made from the emulsified oils and the quick release of CO2 developed during roasting in the coffee beans.
• Demitasse: Typically used in France, a demitasse has a capacity of approximately 60–90 millilitres, half the size of a full coffee cup (the one used in north European countries). However, the Italian traditional Espresso is served in white China cup holding maximum 50 to 60 ml.
• Espresso: Brewed coffee beans with a professional Espresso machine. It’s a beverage made from seven grams of finely ground coffee and provides 30 to 45 ml of intense liquid.
• Froth: Thick layer of cream on top of steamed milk made by the frother on the espresso machine. When the frother hangs on the surface of the milk, it’ll produce thicker foam with a lot of bubbles which becomes a froth.
• Puck: The bed of pressed (or tamped) coffee grounds.
• Tamp: Tamp or tamping is when a barista presses the bed of loose ground coffee to brew an espresso.

Each coffee bean has unique taste characteristics; testers or baristas often describe the element with intensity. What is the espresso intensity meaning? Intensity is an easy way to describe espresso's taste and aroma. Coffee intensity is commonly followed by the word ‘body.’

It might be hard to follow if you’re a beginner regarding espresso culture or how coffee tastes. Your subjectivity might affect how you describe the taste.

Intensity can be the way you describe how you perceive the taste you get from the espresso. Arabica or Robusta blends often guide our perception. Unlike Arabica with its sweeter and softer tones, in general Robusta will increase coffee intensity, so it's easier to judge. Still, several qualities, such as the espresso coffee origin and the varieties, can contribute to intensity. Not to mention, the type of roast your bean plays a part in how the espresso tastes.

The packaging usually marks the intensity when you purchase espresso pods and blends from the market. It’ll often use a scale of five to 10, and sometimes 12, to describe the intensity you’ll get after brewing. This scale doesn’t connect to any standard and entirely relies on the coffee company’s judgement. Your taste buds might get a different taste compared to what the package tells you afterwards. It’s not uncommon for you to get different intensities when you purchase the same scaled beans from different companies.

Usually, if the package scales the bean under four, it has a light body and delicate aroma. Seven is for the middle ground. You can expect a more decadent aroma and a stronger taste, but not too strong. If you’re looking for a strong-bodied coffee, go for the 10.