Crafting a great single origin espresso
should be approached the same was as you would in creating any other
delicious espresso. Separate roasts. Separate profiles. Separate
flavors. And then a wonderful espresso.
Espresso is not a tiny cup of coffee.
It should not feel like a “tiny cup of coffee”when you drink it.
Espresso has a density, intensity, and viscosity (mouthfeel). Whether
it's floral and light stone fruit or dense chocolate and dark berry,
espresso should still have a definite mouthfeel and density. Properly
roasted and executed espresso has a density that supports and
balances the clarity. Creating density enhances the clarity, it does
not take away from it. Espresso that is thin and bright without the
proper amount of sweetness and texture is simply an unbalanced
espresso. Bracing flavor notes are not progressive, they are merely a
sign of an underdeveloped or improperly developed roast.
Every coffee (probably) can be used in
espresso, but not every coffee can be used as espresso. Sometimes the
flavors developed in a particular coffee are too intense as an
espresso. But those same notes will often be a wonderful supporting
note or highlight if the proper balance is achieved in a simple two
or three bean blend.
Ok. That's all fine and dandy, but how
does one properly execute a single origin espresso?
There are a handful of coffees that are
amazing out of the gate single origin, single roast espresso. Many of
these can be improved by profile layering, but it's really not
necessary. That being said, the issues are rarely with the coffee,
rather they are a result of poor execution of said coffee as a single
origin espresso.
When a coffee has great flavors at
City, City+, Full City, and Full City+, why ignore that potential
complexity by utilizing a single roast? Multiple layers of flavor and
an unmistakeable textural mouthfeel are what makes an espresso come
alive.
It's not always about choosing light
and medium or light and dark. Sometimes, it is about small
differences within a certain darkness (City+ for example) of roast,
but differing profiles. One roast might be more nut forward, one more
fruit forward, and one more balanced. Not only should you think like
a skilled chef or a world-class mixologist and weave layers within
layers, you should take the same time to develop your craft as they
did to develop theirs.
You can choose simplicity or
complexity, but even within simplicity, there are supporting areas of
sweet, savory or umami that give dimension to the espresso. To truly
understand the flavor potential you need to explore the range of
possibilities at your fingertips. There are as many ways to construct
your espresso with a single bean as there are with two or three.
Simplicity is not about taking shortcuts, simplicity is a focused
exploration of what's in front of you.
