Short answer
Espresso is a small, concentrated coffee made by forcing hot water through finely ground coffee under pressure, usually in about 25 to 30 seconds. It is the base of lattes, cappuccinos, flat whites and macchiatos.
Espresso is a small, concentrated coffee made by forcing hot water, at roughly 90 to 96 degrees Celsius, through finely ground coffee under high pressure, about nine times normal air pressure. A shot takes around 25 to 30 seconds and produces a thick, syrupy drink topped with crema, the base for most cafe coffee drinks.
What is espresso?
Espresso is a method of brewing, not a type of bean or a roast. The word comes from Italian and is commonly explained as meaning pressed out or made on the spot, and the method was developed in Italy in the early 1900s.
Any coffee bean can be used for espresso. Roasters often sell blends designed for it, usually a medium to dark roast, but a lighter roast pulled as espresso is still espresso. The result is served in a small cup, typically 30 to 60 millilitres of liquid for a single or double shot.
How is espresso made?
Espresso is made by grinding coffee very fine, packing it evenly into a metal basket, and pushing hot water through it with a pump. A cafe machine does this in a controlled, repeatable way.
- Grind the beans fresh, much finer than for drip coffee.
- Weigh the dose into the portafilter basket.
- Level and tamp the grounds firmly and evenly.
- Lock the portafilter into the machine and start the pump.
- Stop the shot when the target liquid weight is reached, usually after 25 to 30 seconds.
The pressure matters. Water under that pressure moves through the compacted grounds quickly, pulling out oils, dissolved sugars and acids that a slower brew leaves behind. That is why espresso tastes dense and rich in a way a mug of filter coffee does not.
What are the dose, ratio and time of a good shot?
A common starting point is a brew ratio of 1 to 2: for every gram of dry coffee, collect two grams of liquid espresso, in about 25 to 30 seconds. These numbers are a guide, not a rule, and baristas adjust them for each coffee.
| Measure | Typical starting point |
|---|---|
| Dose (double basket) | 16 to 20 g ground coffee |
| Liquid out | 32 to 40 g |
| Brew ratio | about 1 : 2 |
| Time | 25 to 30 seconds |
| Water temperature | 90 to 96 °C |
Lighter roasts often work at longer ratios, such as 1 to 2.5, and darker roasts at shorter ones. Adjusting the grind is the main way to change the time.
What is crema?
Crema is the reddish-brown foam on top of a fresh espresso, formed when carbon dioxide in the coffee and tiny oil droplets are emulsified under pressure. It is a sign of freshly roasted coffee and a properly run shot.
Crema is thin and fades within minutes. It tastes slightly bitter on its own, and many people stir it into the drink. A pale, thin crema often points to stale beans or a loose grind, while a thick, tiger-striped crema suggests fresh coffee.
Single, double, ristretto and lungo: what is the difference?
A single shot is one serving of espresso, a double is twice that, a ristretto is a shorter shot and a lungo is a longer one. Most cafes now treat the double as the standard unit and build drinks on it.
- Single: about 7 to 10 g of coffee and 30 g of liquid.
- Double: about 14 to 20 g of coffee and 60 g or so of liquid in a common cafe setup, though the exact figures vary.
- Ristretto: pulled with less water, so it is sweeter, thicker and less bitter.
- Lungo: pulled with more water, so it is lighter and more bitter.
- Americano: espresso with hot water added, which gives a drink closer in volume to drip coffee but different in taste.
Which drinks are built on espresso?
Espresso is the foundation of a whole family of cafe drinks. The difference between them is mostly how much milk goes in and how that milk is textured.
| Drink | What it is |
|---|---|
| Americano | Espresso plus hot water |
| Macchiato | Espresso marked with a spoonful of milk foam |
| Cortado | Espresso cut with an equal amount of warm milk |
| Flat white | Espresso with thin, velvety microfoam milk |
| Cappuccino | Espresso with steamed milk and a thick layer of foam |
| Latte | Espresso with a lot of steamed milk and a thin foam top |
| Mocha | A latte with chocolate added |
Names and sizes vary from cafe to cafe, so a flat white in one shop can be closer to a small latte in another.
How do you choose a grind and a bean for espresso?
For espresso, choose a fresh, medium to dark roast ground to a fine, even powder just before brewing. A grinder that gives uniform particles matters more than almost any other piece of equipment.
Blends tend to be forgiving and suit milk drinks, because chocolate and nut flavours cut through the milk. Single-origin coffees can taste brighter and fruitier, which some drinkers like straight and others find too sharp with milk. Beans are best used within roughly a month of the roast date, as stale coffee gives thin, quickly fading crema.
Can you make espresso at home?
Yes, with a home espresso machine and a burr grinder. A machine that reaches around nine times normal air pressure (about 130 psi) and holds a steady water temperature will produce true espresso, while cheaper devices make strong coffee that is not quite the same.
- Pump machines: the most common home choice, with a portafilter and a steam wand for milk.
- Pod machines: convenient and consistent, with less control over the shot.
- Moka pot: a stovetop pot that makes a strong, concentrated coffee at lower pressure.
- AeroPress: a hand-pressed brewer that gives a clean, concentrated cup.
For a home setup, the grinder usually deserves a bigger share of the budget than the machine.
What does Wildhearts Cafe serve with espresso?
Wildhearts Cafe lists espresso drinks and drip coffee, according to Gleaner News (11 March 2026) and its Instagram bio, and reviewers also mention a Lavender Latte. No full menu and no prices are published online, so this guide cannot say which specific drinks, sizes or milks are available.
The cafe, at 509 Bloor St W in Toronto’s Annex, is open 7 AM to 8 PM daily per Google Maps. The recorded items are on the menu page, and anyone with a question about milk options or a particular drink can phone +1 647-219-3594.
How do you tell what went wrong with a shot?
Taste is the best guide. A shot that tastes sharp and thin ran too fast, and one that tastes harsh and dry ran too slow.
- Sour and watery: the shot is under-extracted. Grind finer, or use a bit more coffee.
- Bitter and hollow: the shot is over-extracted. Grind coarser, or stop the shot sooner.
- Weak crema or flat flavour: the beans may be stale, so check the roast date.
- Uneven flow or spurting: the coffee bed was packed unevenly, so level the grounds before tamping.
Change one thing at a time, then taste again. Cafes keep notes on dose, weight and time so the next shot repeats the good one.
Common questions
How many grams of coffee go into a double shot?
A double shot commonly uses 16 to 20 grams of ground coffee in the basket, depending on the machine and the roast. Cafes weigh the dose, then weigh the liquid espresso to keep results consistent.
Is espresso stronger than drip coffee?
Espresso is more concentrated per millilitre, but a mug of drip coffee usually holds more total caffeine than one single shot. Strength in taste and amount of caffeine per cup are different measures.
Can you make espresso without a machine?
Strictly, no, because espresso needs about nine times normal air pressure. A moka pot, an AeroPress or a manual lever device makes a strong, espresso-style coffee, but it will not produce true crema.
What does a ristretto mean?
A ristretto is a shorter espresso pulled with less water, often about half the liquid of a regular shot. It tastes sweeter and heavier, with less bitterness, because the extraction stops earlier.
Why does my espresso taste sour or bitter?
Sour espresso is usually under-extracted: the grind is too coarse or the shot runs too fast. Bitter espresso is usually over-extracted: the grind is too fine or the shot runs too long.
This page is part of the independent guide to Wildhearts Cafe, which has the address, hours and menu.
This article is general information from an independent guide, not from Wildhearts Cafe itself. For the store’s current details see hours and location.