CoffeeForums Coffee Facts

Ristretto or 'corto' as it is popularly called is a hot favorite of coffee lovers who would like to experiment on different varieties of espresso types. This espresso coffee is prepared by a very small shot of espresso. A shot is made of 1 to 1 1/2 ounces of espresso by an espresso pod machine. Ristretto contains less caffeine and coffee oils when compared to ordinary drip coffee. The shot is prepared actually by pulling a hand-press faster than usual which results in a much bolder, fuller and less bitter tasty shot. All these flavors make Ristretto tastier than the normal espresso.

Today, Ristretto is prepared by grinding the coffee much finer than used for the normal espresso. The shot is pulled for same amount of time as opposed to how it is done in the olden days. Less water is allowed to pass through but this process makes the taste little grittier. Another preparation method is to stop extracting the espresso earlier than usual. Taste difference can be observed though subtle than the espresso made by fine-grinding process. Shot can also be prepared without adjusting the grind where the tamp is used more firmly. The grind obtained is denser and the taste obtained is perfect. This preparation method is used in most of the coffee restaurants today as the amount of time taken for the shot is the same and one does not even need to change the settings for fine or coarse grinding.

Preparing Ristretto can take a little amount of toil though there are people who would love to make a drink or two of the beverage in their kitchen rooms. Few espresso recipe books are also helpful which provide wide variety of espresso preparation methods. "Make Your Own Gourmet Coffee Drinks", "Totally Coffee Coffeebook", "Perfect Cup" are few of the espresso recipe books that contain large varieties of espresso recipes, types, techniques, equipment being used and also how to choose the perfect bean.