For most people who love coffee, the idea of espresso or drip coffee is a bit unclear. So if you are wondering, what is the difference between espresso and drip coffee, this article will clear all the confusion.
To simply put, the main difference between drip coffee and espresso is in the preparation method. They are two different brewing methods for coffee. Based on these brewing methods the coffee achieves different flavors, density, and fullness.
However, there are some other important things to understand about these differences and how they can influence coffee taste. So, let’s read this espresso vs drip coffee article to stop all your confusion around them.
What Is Espresso?
Espresso is a method of brewing that makes an intense cup of coffee with a smooth velvety taste. If the brewing goes perfectly, you will get a dark brown, slightly thick liquid with a small amount of crema (foam with a creamy consistency) on top. The resulting drink is also called espresso.
Espresso originated from Italy back in the 19th century. Today’s espresso machines use a small amount of nearly boiling water (about 90 °C) forced under high pressure (9–10 ATM) through finely-ground coffee beans.
Also, espresso coffee is the base for various coffee drinks—including caffè latte, cappuccino, caffè macchiato, caffè mocha, flat white, and caffè Americano.
There are lots of factors to consider when brewing a cup of espresso. This is why a semi-automatic or a super-automatic espresso machine can be a handy appliance to get the barista-quality taste.
What Is Drip Coffee?
Drip coffee refers to another coffee brewing method where hot water is added to the coarse coffee grounds and allowed to drip through. The coffee dissolves with water, and the paper filters or a reusable metal filter will trap many of the oils that would otherwise be present in espresso, French press, or percolator coffee.
An electric drip coffee maker is one of the most common appliances that make drip coffee using the drip brewing method.
There are lots of drip coffee makers on the market but if you love convenience an automatic drip coffee maker is the right tool. All you need to do is fill in the water reservoir, place the ground coffee onto the filter basket, and then place the carafe under the brewing head. Press the brew button and the rest will be done by the coffee maker.
The heating element will heat the water, forcing it upwards. Water will flow up to a showerhead and dripped onto the filter full of ground coffee. And at last, the brewed coffee will flow out of the basket and into a carafe or pot.
Brewing coffee this way is uncomplicated and affordable. This is why drip coffee is incredibly popular among American homes.
Espresso or Drip Coffee: Who Has More Caffeine?
Espresso has more caffeine per unit volume than drip coffee. It is almost 212mg caffeine per 100gm espresso. And drip coffee has 40mg of caffeine per 100mg coffee.
But the usual serving size of the espresso is much smaller than drip coffee. So a usual 8 oz. of drip coffee contains 70-140 mg caffeine where a regular 1.5 oz. of espresso contains 60-80 mg caffeine.
So if you take a single shot of espresso you will consume less amount of caffeine than a regular cup of coffee.
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Espresso or Drip Coffee: Which One Is Healthier?
In general, an espresso will be stronger than a cup of drip coffee. But you need to keep the serving size in mind.
Since most people don’t regularly drink more than one espresso shot, it’s far easier to consume large amounts of caffeine when drinking drip coffee. So you consume less caffeine when drinking espresso.
But in terms of roast beans, light roast beans have higher antioxidant properties compared to dark roast beans due to the higher chlorogenic acid content. In this case, drip coffee is healthier than espresso simply because espressos don’t use light roast beans.
So which is healthier? The most important thing here is to drink in moderation, whether you’re drinking espresso or drip coffee. If you are drinking a traditional 2-oz. shot of espresso compared to an 8-oz. drip coffee, then espresso is healthier.
However, if you’re drinking the same amount of espresso and plain drip coffee without any add-ones, the light roast beans have more antioxidant properties.
Espresso or Drip Coffee: Which One Is Tastier?
Espresso is generally thicker than coffee brewed by other methods. It has a higher concentration of dissolved solids and has crema on top. The lovely creamy foam on top of every good espresso gives you a smooth velvety feeling in every sip.
On the other hand, drip coffee is less caramelized than espresso coffee. As a result, it is sweeter. In terms of flavor drip coffee usually has a simple flavor profile. Compared to a shot of espresso, it is less intense because of its light concentration.
You can find many opinions on which one is better, but the only opinion that matters is your own. If you like intense coffee strength then espresso is the perfect coffee type for you. And if you like a less concentrated sweeter cup of coffee then drip coffee is the way to go.
espresso vs drip coffee: Which One Is Easy to Make?
Espresso’s main advantage is that it is relatively quick to make. It only takes 20-30 seconds to make a cup of espresso apart from the preparation time. However, it requires an expensive espresso machine if you want to make it in the easiest way possible.
On the other hand, drip coffee takes a long time if you want to brew a full carafe. But that’s not an issue as you can use a single serve drip coffee maker if you need fast coffee.
Unlike espresso machines, a drip coffee maker requires less maintenance and there’s barely a learning curve needed.
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Bottom Line
To sum it up, we can say both espresso and drip coffee are incredibly amazing options for coffee lovers. Espresso is an Italian-style coffee, brewed with high pressure. To make a perfect cup of espresso, you only need finely ground coffee and a good quality espresso machine.
On the other hand, drip coffee is usually made by slowly filtering water through coarse coffee grounds.
Lastly, espresso vs drip coffee – is nothing but two different brewing methods. They both offer much-needed caffeine and delicious coffee flavors for your daily dose of coffee addiction.
