What Is Espresso Crema?

freshly pulled espresso shots with crema

Espresso crema is the thick, golden-brown foam that sits on top of a freshly brewed espresso. It is made up of coffee oils, coffee solids, and bubbles of carbon dioxide gas. Crema is important because it adds bitterness and body to the espresso, and it also helps to protect the coffee from going stale. Crema … Read more

Rancilio Silvia Pro X Dual Boiler Review

rancilio silvia pro x

Rancilio Silvia Pro X is the dream of any home barista that aims for perfection. It is rather a prosumer espresso machine, and the price tag on the unit makes it accessible for those with a generous budget. Silvia Pro X is an upgrade of the Rancilio’s domestic espresso machine Silvia, so if you know … Read more

Mr. Coffee Café Barista Espresso Machine Review

MrCoffee Cafe Barista pulling shots

We are reviewing her the from Mr. – the Cafe ECMP1000. 

We all like affordable stuff – but unfortunately, the cheap stuff also come at a great price: their quality. At least, that's what happens 80% of the time. There are some cases when you can actually get high quality for a low price.

Granted, it's likely that with low-budget makers, you won't get the quality brought by the high-end ones. Still, some can actually bring you close enough to the result so that you won't even need a professional espresso maker.

Let's see if the Café Barista by Mr. Coffee is a suitable choice for a budget espresso machine.

Read more

The History of Espresso

steam espresso machine

We love espresso. We accept other variations, such as Moka pot, drip, AeroPress, but really what moves us is the sharp flavors of an espresso shot. But espresso is relatively new in the humanity’s history, and we owe this little gastronomic wonder to the Italians. But lets take a look and see how this amazing … Read more

Breville BES870XL Barista Express Espresso Machine Review

breville bes980xl oracle review

The Breville BES870XL Barista Express espresso machine is one of the most impressive devices in the semiautomatic class. With an overwhelming feature set, with a modern look, and a great reliability, the BES870XL is a great choice for any serious espresso enthusiast If you are on the market for a new semi automatic espresso machine, … Read more

What Is Espresso Channeling and How to Avoid it?

pulling espresso shot with naked portafilter

You just pulled your espresso and the taste is not quite right. The shot is “missing flavors“, doesn’t have body, and you some sourness and bitterness that shouldn’t be there? This is likely because of the channeling.  Channeling happens more often than you think, when brewing espresso. Most of the time the shot is passable, … Read more

What Is a Barista, and How To Become One

barista in coffee shop

Coffee industry is booming, and even with the dent made by the quarantines and lockdowns, coffee shops are still a the choice of hospitality establishment for many people looking for a place to relax. No wonder that the barista job is still in high demand. In this article, we will show you what is a … Read more

How Is Coffee Decaffeinated – What’s the Best Decaffeination Method?

how is coffee decaffeinated

We love espresso here, at BrewEspressoCoffee.com. We love it so much that sometime we get that third, or fourth double espresso shot late in the afternoon. And as much as we enjoy the energy boost that caffeine gives us, sometimes it’s just too much. I brew my afternoon shots with decaf, this way I can … Read more

Espresso Machine Buying Guide – How to Buy an Espresso Machine for Home

Mastrena semiautomatic espresso machine

When you are buying your first , you are faced with a big problem: choice. There are so many choices, that even if it's your second machine, it could prove a difficult task.

There are so many types of espresso machines, and there is a lot of competition on the market nowadays, that sometimes it's really difficult to choose, when you don't have all of the information. This is why we put together this espresso machine .

Even if you don't want to purchase soon, this page will show you what the differences between all the espresso machines are, and what importance have all the features for the .

Read more

Coffee Flavor Terminology – A Coffee Taste Dictionary for the Noob

coffee cupping

Coffee Tasting Words Being able to name the flavors in coffee isn’t just another method for coffee professionals to display their knowledge. If you want to master coffee brewing, knowing how to taste coffee and having the proper vocabulary to express the flavors you distinguish, is an important instrument. It doesn’t matter if you find … Read more

Espresso Terms and Definitions

person holding tray with drinking glass and coffee cup

Espresso Lingo and Glossary – Espresso Drinks, Espresso Machine Parts, and Espresso Brewing Terminology If you are passionate about espresso, and you want to learn more about espresso, you need to know the espresso lingo. If someone mentions an espresso machine part in a context, and you don’t know what that is, then the discussion … Read more

Rancilio Silvia Espresso Machine Review

Rancilio Silvia espresso machine

is one of those machines that stirs up heated discussions. The machine is a collection of high-quality components that you only see in more expensive machines, yet some home baristas are reluctant to buy it. Our aim to inform you and make you confident in your machine purchase. We want you to make the right decision with the help of our articles and our Espresso Machine buying Guide.

This review will show you what makes the Silvia special, and what are the little annoyances that home baristas wish Rancilio would fix. 

Rancilio HSD Silvia, targets the home brewing sector, the espresso enthusiasts that love to tweak their espresso to perfection.

Read more

DeLonghi Esam-3300 Magnifica Review

delonghi magnifica esam 3300 review

The DeLonghi Magnifica ESAM3300 is a super-automatic espresso machine, that is affordable, reliable, and easy to work with. Any DeLonghi Magnifica will turn you into a home barista without the skills and knowledge you need if you buy a semiautomatic. This Delonghi Magnifica might not have the bells and whistles of the more expensive machines, … Read more

Espresso Shot Screen – What are Puck Screens and Which ones Are the Best

espresso puck screen bplus

Espresso shot screens, or puck screens, are more and more popular among espresso aficionados. While the puck screen is not an essential piece of equipment, baristas who look for perfection, need it. Discovered by accident, the puck screen is now a popular accessory to improve the quality of the espresso shots.

Best Espresso Tampers for All Budgets

espresso tampers

Beginner baristas look at the tamper as an unimportant accessory, the one that comes with the espresso machine is good enough. Maybe the tamper is not as important as the grinder, the roast date, or water quality. However, a great tamper is one of the tools you need if you aim for the perfect espresso shot. … Read more

How to Tamp Espresso – The Perfect Espresso Tamping

barista tamping espresso in portafilter

Espresso is one of those drinks that people love to hate. If done properly, it’s a delicious treat; if done badly, it’s bitter, burnt, and tastes awful. There are many factors involved in pulling a great espresso shot, including grind size, temperature, quality of the espresso machine, and many other. In this article we are … Read more

Cappuccino vs Flat White vs Latte – What Are the Differences?

latte vs flat white vs cappuccino 004

There are a lot of different espresso-based drinks, sometimes this much variety can be confusing. Latte, cappuccino, flat white, mocha, are just some of the most popular drinks made from espresso and milk. Standing in line at the coffee shop, you suddenly realize that you don’t know what to order… In this post we are … Read more

Breville BES980XL Oracle – Espresso Machine Review

breville bes980xl oracle review

The Breville BES980XL Oracle is one of the best espresso machines in its class. The price is fair for the countless features and options to tweak your shot.

Espresso Based Beverages – Caffè Mocha

mocha latte

Caffè Mocha, is a chocolate flavored coffee drink. Many times called a mocha latte, the original beverage is in fact a chocolate-flavored cappuccino. Well, the recipe is not that strict, and you can find it prepared in a latte ratio, or in a cappuccino ratio. We have here the cappuccino ratio, which is many times called … Read more

How to Pull the Perfect Espresso Shot

perfect espresso shot pulled with bottomless portafilter 3

Making great espresso is not easy. Chasing the perfect shot, sometimes referred to as the God shot, is a race that requires patience, knowledge, skills and good equipment. Let’s not forget great coffee beans. Yes, the perfect shot of espresso is not impossible. It is within any home barista’s reach but you will need a … Read more

Best Coffee Beans for Espresso

arabic coffee

Would you believe me if I said I found the best beans for espresso? Would you believe me? Do not believe me or anybody for that matter. Of course, I can recommend you some fantastic espresso blends. It’s impossible to choose between two great blends when you have so many choices. Every blend offers something … Read more

How to Choose Coffee Beans for Espresso

Cappuccino and other espresso drinks

Choosing the coffee beans for espresso is a matter of personal taste. But the truth is that we can’t make espresso with any beans as we please. So if we say we can use any coffee beans to make espresso, it is true, but only partially. But we will show you how to choose a … Read more

Espresso-Based Beverages – Cortado

Cortado coffee in glass on a white saucer

A cortado is a drink made with equal parts espresso and milk. A standard recipe contains one fluid ounce of milk and one shot of espresso. However, is not uncommon to see cortados with a two shots of espresso and two ounces of steamed milk.  The Origins of Cortado Many espresso-based drinks come from the … Read more

Nespresso Vs Espresso vs Illy IperEspresso

large realistic size of nespresso vs espresso final

If you are looking to get the best shot of espresso, you probably want to compare the most popular options on the market: traditional espresso vs Nespresso. Even the most passionate Nespresso critics have tasted it, at least to satisfy the curiosity. Let me introduce another competitor in your comparison, Illy IperEspresso. Why talk about … Read more

Best Cheap Espresso Machines

For a coffee lover on a budget, buying an espresso machine might be challenging. As a beginner barista, you have limited knowledge in the field. How do you choose the best cheap espresso machine? What are the criteria that separate a good espresso maker from a bad one? We will try to familiarize you with … Read more

Extraction and Espresso Brewing – A Guide to Coffee Perfection

just before pulling espresso shot

If you are interested in perfecting your making skills and technique, you need to understand the science behind it. The science behind espresso brewing is called extraction.

is the process of dissolving ground in water. This chemistry concept is important in because it determines how good your coffee is.

Read more

Best Latte Cups and Mugs for the Home Barista

barista creating latte art in a latte cup

If you are looking to buy the perfect latte cup, or mug, this article is the perfect starting point. We show you here how to choose a latte cup or mug, based on your needs, and we give you a few great product suggestions. There are many types of coffee: neat espresso, Americano, cappuccino, drip … Read more

5 Great Cappuccino Cups – How to Buy a Cappuccino Cups Set

Cappuccino cup and saucer

My wife asked me a couple of days ago to find her the best set on the market. Kind of a tall order, but hey, I didn't want to disappoint her.

The set was going to be a gift for a close friend of her. I knew what I needed to find, so it looked like it was going to be a quick job. Material, size, form, I knew all of that, it just had to match my wife's taste. You'll see how a seemingly easy task turned up to be a very difficult one. I'll tell you the story, and you'll find out how I picked my cappuccino set, and in the process, you'll learn what to look for when you are shopping for cappuccino cups.

Read more