Coffee beans and drink

What is Espresso coffee?

Learn all about Espresso coffee.

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An espresso, pronounced, uh-spreh-sow, is simply a coffee in a concentrated form, usually served in shots, giving the drink its strong and bold distinctive taste. The espresso is often the base ingredient to other beverages, such as the cappuccino, latte, americano and macchiato. It is often mistaken for a roasting style or a type of coffee bean, but this isn’t true. It’s the process of brewing the coffee, but we’ll get to that later…

Top tip - This drink is often rumoured to be high in caffeine, but this is not exclusively correct; it all depends on how you drink it.

What is an espresso coffee?

It's incredibly easy to make an espresso because of its lack of ingredients - very finely ground, 100% coffee and hot water. One would need to force high-pressure hot water through very finely ground coffee beans to create the espresso. This then creates the crema on top - a brown layer of thin bubbly goodness (also known as the “Guinness” effect) that gives its drinker the delicious rich aftertaste. It is then commonly served in a small demitasse-style cup, finalising the classic look of the espresso.

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The name speaks for itself

"Caffé espresso" translates to "pressed out coffee”, defining what the delicious drink is in literal terms as it refers to the hot water being pushed through the finely ground coffee beans at a very intense pressure.

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So, where did it come from?

The drink was invented in Italy (as coffee usually is), around 100 years ago by a man named Luigi Bezzera, from Milan. In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, the demand for coffee was rapidly increasing and by the 1940’s, the espresso as we know it today, was being perfected by people all around the world.

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The invisible contents of the espresso

So, now you know all the nitty gritty of how a tasty espresso is made, its origins and even how to pronounce it, but now let's take a look at the hidden contents of an espresso!

There are approximately 29-100 milligrams of caffeine and 3 calories in a single shot of espresso and between 58 and 185 milligrams of caffeine and 5 calories in a double shot. It’s safe to say that the espresso is one of the healthiest and guilt-free coffees out there!

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Our Range Of Coffee Beans

Bag Of Commercial Grand Cru Espresso Beans

Grand Cru Espresso Beans

This is our 100% Arabica espresso coffee blend. It has the best Kenyan AA Grade beans for acidity, citrus notes and a chocolate after taste.

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Commercial Premier Cru Coffee Beans

Premier Cru

This is a blend of Brazilian Fine Cup beans from the Minas Gerais Plateau, Ugandan robustas from the Lake Victoria region, arabicas from Honduras and Bourbon varietal Arabica beans.

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Bag Of Commercial Fairtrade Espresso Beans

Fairtrade

Discover our Fairtrade premium coffee beans today. We have a wide range of Fairtrade coffee beans, espresso beans and coffee in a bag available to order online.

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BEANSD

Decaffeinated Beans - 6 x 1Kg

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JJBEANS

Bistro Montana - 340005 - (6x 1kg)

A coffee that tastes a little stronger and yet is harmonious: Cafe Cream Bistro Montana. Darker roast

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XDEC

100x7g single sachets Decaffeinated Espresso

A darker decaffeinated coffee with hints of roasted almonds

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XDECPOU

250g Decaffeinated Espresso Pouch

Each fully biodegradable bag contains Rainforest Alliance Certified. 100% Fresh Ground Arabica coffee.

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BEANSCL

6 kg Clementines Espresso beans

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BEANSD

Decaffeinated Beans 1kg Bag

1KG Decaffeinated Beans

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250G Portal

Grand Cru Espresso Beans 250g

Grand Cru 250g Pouch

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Espresso Organic Bio Beans 12x500g

Espresso Organic Bio Beans 12x500g

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1kg Grand Cru Beans

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JJCBEANSEB500

Cafe Verde Espresso Bio Organic Beans 12 x 500g

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Bag Of Commercial Grand Cru Espresso Beans

Grand Cru Espresso Beans

This is our 100% Arabica espresso coffee blend. It has the best Kenyan AA Grade beans for acidity, citrus notes and a chocolate after taste.

View
Commercial Premier Cru Coffee Beans

Premier Cru

This is a blend of Brazilian Fine Cup beans from the Minas Gerais Plateau, Ugandan robustas from the Lake Victoria region, arabicas from Honduras and Bourbon varietal Arabica beans.

View
Bag Of Commercial Fairtrade Espresso Beans

Fairtrade

Discover our Fairtrade premium coffee beans today. We have a wide range of Fairtrade coffee beans, espresso beans and coffee in a bag available to order online.

View

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