Many of us enjoy...
a nice shot or two of espresso on a daily basis, and spend a lot of our time and hard earned money trying to get the good shots. Yet, how many us can name and break down each of the three layers of espresso? We all already know a shot is pulled in at least two layers. But if you've ever watched a shot pull you'll see those dense, syrupy drips come first, that is the heart of an espresso, essentially it's foundation. Once the shot begins to flow freely you'll get what's called the body, which is the largest and most complex portion of the shot. Last but certainly not least, you'll see the crema, which is by far the most easily recognizable and well known layers of an espresso shot.
So in this brand new entry to the Espresso Anatomy series I'm going to break down the taste and explain each layer in detail. It may not be an exact science, but similarly to the unfortunately named "salami shot" you can catch different points of the extraction and experience what each brings to the overall espresso experience. So if you're curious about which layer is responsible for some of the most common flavors, or your favorite aspect of an espresso shot, this is the video for you. Plus, I recommend trying this out on your own to really develop an understanding on your palate about which layers of espresso provide the acidity, complexity, and bitterness you taste in a complete pull.
So hit play on that video above and get ready to get a little nerdy with some espresso knowledge.