Why Modern Espresso Is So Ugly

It's not really a rant, so much as a chance to talk about water's adhesive properties and portafilter spouts. Or something like that...

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[TouchofFlairCards]

Thanks for this perspective, James. At least now I can make an argument for why the espresso I make at home looks like crap - if only I could find a compelling argument for why it tastes like crap.

[keesketsers]

I have been into espresso for over 20 years, active on coffee forums and it is exactly like you say. It started out with everyone using the "Italian" rules....you know, 7 to 8 grams, 25 to 30 seconds for 25 to 30 ml. This changed in the US first, they started using massive baskets and massive amounts of coffee and everyone followed. The coffee was impressive looking, lots of crema and lots of slomo video's. I folowed the "new rules". Slowly I moved back to lower amounts of coffee because I started using a lever machine and didn't like the huge doses. I haven't looked on forums for years and so much has changed....gone are the huge doses and thick crema's. Gone is tapping the basket with the tamper. Gone is the polishing twist. Gone are the convex tampers. Gone is stirring the grind. I'm sure it will all change again. What a great hobby this is!

[tarikljackson]

1. How incredibly specific is this video?

2. How exactly did I end up here?

[SecretLars]

I can't focus, he looks too much like a mix between Jeff Goldblum and Steve Buscemi!

[alanredversangel]

The more I learn about coffee, the less I know.

[victorlevivalenciano]

This guy looks exactly like someone who would be passionate about coffee

[rfldss]

I'd heard how wild coffee aficionados can be, but I never thought it was *this* wild.

[ellenamarshall]

Thank you! This explains a lot. I did my barista training 10 years ago and was taught to look for beautiful, thick drops of espresso. I was confused as to why this part of the process had changed so much. Agree that the range and expression in flavours is far more diverse but sometimes doesn’t hit the mark with the intensity.

[benjaminentertainment]

"Espresso is ugly now"

*me sipping instant nescafe*

[sl]

Hey James, I have been a coffee professional for a number of years now, and I am incredibly interested in your thoughts on a few things. For starters, I think epsresso now IS beautiful. I have worked in shops that still operate the 'old' way. Heavy baskets (22-25g), thick shots and plenty of tiger striping. In fact, this was my first ever cafe job. The beans we got were over-roasted, I theorize that the roaster used the "once it stops popping it must be done" method- way past second crack. I have also worked in cafes that are certainly more modern, where everything is a science. I felt so much more accomplished and proud of my shots at the more modern place, knowing how to bring out sugars and acidity in my spro, being able to adjust to each orgin and blend and finding the best representation of the beans I am using. One major difference though, is that we used exclusively open-bottom filters in the more modern cafe, while the first used the split design you feature in your video. Seeing espresso extracted from one of these open bottom filters is incredible, and beautiful. Far more so, I think, than the split design.

[TheHslade]

Having roasted coffee and brewed espresso for the last 15 yrs, I had a training session with my bar staff yesterday and many of these same details sprang to mind. Our throw doses have diminished over the years and our liquid volumes increased, to my tastes, producing a much tastier drink. While teaching a crew of very young baristas yesterday though, I felt like I was leaving a lot about espresso unexplored with them. I have watched espresso recipes change dramatically over these years and there are aspects of its various iterations that I miss enjoying - the lush viscosity, the wide variety of coloration, mostly. Limited by time, I don’t have the opportunity these days to teach my staff through the last decade plus of espresso transformation and somehow, it feels as if I am shortchanging them in some way for it. I truly enjoyed the mouthfeel of the heavy-dose ristettos of the past, but I do not miss the finicky nature of trying to make them actually taste great. I can teach them to pull great shots of our current roast profile and recipe with so much more ease than 10+ years ago. Good talk, Jim.

[AMYxxLYNNxxROCKS]

From watching you and Morgan I have moved from a regular drip coffee machine to spending all my money in coffee products. I regret nothing.

[maciej_ma]

I love this scientific approach to coffee. It is nice to know how espresso was made, how it changed and why. More videos like this please. As always great material James 😁

[TheCloudhopper]

This is the most specific pretentious load of bollox that Youtube has recommended me in MONTHS. Love it, left a like.

[eNeRatti]

As someone who never worked in the coffee industry I always get fascinated by the depth of an art of making coffee. Makes me appreciate every cup of coffee that I get in my favorite coffee shops so much more.

[DavidRichardsDC]

I learned to make espresso at a tiny coffee shop in Ladue, near St Louis. It was called Laduzzi. That was 1997 I believe. The owner had a secret source of coffee beans that she would never disclose. I remember they were super oily. The coffee we made was unbelievably great. To this day I think it's the best coffee I've ever had. Maybe it's because it was my first espresso drinks. I just came back from Italy last week and I'm not so sure that it was better there. So, I do miss the old coffee from the '90s! Lol.

[itsameandrea]

100% agree with you, James. Also re-educating is something that is worth talking about. Bare with me now.

I'm Italian (from the deep south) and as you may know, I grew up drinking that beautiful thick, rich, possibly-not-so-flavorful espresso. Then, once I started digging deeper into the world of coffee and started experimenting with what you're calling "modern espresso" I was blown away by the flavors in the cup.

I now live abroad and every time I go back to my hometown I bring some lovely coffee to my parents/friends. Last time, for instance, I brought a really tasty Ethiopia. Of course, when I pulled the shots, they didn't look as pretty as they do with Italian roasted beans, and the people there were put off just for that alone.

For so many years the standard of espresso has been all about the way it looked more than the way it tasted and it's going to take some time before the average person will accept it.

[Darieee]

Watched some stuff of yours before

Now I'm certain you're crazy

Subscribed.

[razpootis]

Welcome back to "Why is this in my recommended?"

I don't even know why I watched this, but for some reason this video made me happy. I don't know why this is, but I don't care. I'm warm with happiness now.

[totoroben]

When I first saw one of your videos I thought you'd be very pretentious, but now I just think you're very good at explaining things. Really glad you made this channel to help people make better coffee.