Header
Cart dropdown
Espresso vs. Lungo: What's the Difference?
Espresso and Lungo differ in water volume, brew time, and flavour.
Nespresso coffee machines offer easy preparation of both, helping you make both drinks from the comfort of home.
The difference between Espresso and Lungo
The difference can be stated as per two
parameters :
- •
How it look like in terms of format and
quantity : it means that the first difference is about the size. A traditional espresso is a 40 ml cup of coffee and a lungo is about 110ml cup coffee. - • What s done to obtain the result in the cup : in the general coffee industry, a barista can choose how many grams of coffee he-she will use to brew an espresso or a lungo. Therefore the same quantity of coffee grams can be used and the only difference will be how many water pass through the coffee grinds. This is why the TRU term to qualify a lungo should be an espresso-lungo.
- • For Original Capsules : some of our coffees are made to be prepared either in espresso or in lungo. There is approximative between 6 and 7 grams of coffee , compared to our coffees that are exclusively made for Ristretto or espresso serving and contains between 5 and 6 grams of coffee.
- • For Vertuo Capsules : we use 10,5 grams in a capsule to give you a 150ml in the cup. For Espresso in Vertuo, we use 6,5 gr of coffee. These parameters and adaptation are adapted to the technology of brewing and their different stpes, without losing what is the most important, the quality taste in your cup.
Explanations, Caracteristics and Flavor Profile of Espresso Coffee
What is an Espresso ?
An espresso originated in Italy in the early 20th century, is a concentrated coffee beverage made by forcing a small amount of nearly boiling water through finely-ground coffee beans under high pressure. The result is a small, strong shot of coffee with a rich, intense flavor and a thick, creamy layer of foam on top, known as “crema.”
Espresso can be enjoyed black or serve as the base for many other coffee drinks, such as lattes, cappuccinos, and Americanos. Depending on their origins, varieties, roasting degrees, they can offer different aromatic profile from floral or fruity notes to intense and spicy ones for example.
The Characteristics and Flavour Profile of an Espresso Drink
There are 5 characteristics of an espresso that make it unique:
1. The coffee-to-water Ratio
Making an espresso involves very specific measurements. That a Barista will precisely set. It can vary between from 7 to 14 grams of coffee for an Espresso that will be prepared using 40 ml of Water. At Nespresso we use between 5-6 grams of coffee for an espresso which is ot only the optimal quantity to pair with the 19 br technology of Original but lso a way to use not more than what it takes for the perfect taste. For Vertuo we will use 6,5 grams of coffee to perfectly use the centifusion technology. Indeed, the ratio of high temperature and high pressure (original) or centirfusion (vertuo) plays a key role in the espresso experience , famous for its concentration, richness, and crema.
2. The Pressure Applied During Brewing :
In general with a Traditional Espresso Machine, a minimal pressure level of 10-12 bar pressure is necessary to obtain a good espresso. This high-pressure brewing method speeds up the extraction time and gives the drink a thicker consistency and its classic coffee aroma and flavour. At Nespresso our technologies (19 bar pressure for Original and Vertuo coffee machines) leverage all the key elements, temperature, flow rate, pressure, centrifusion to give in the cup a tick texture, a high concentration and a full richness of coffee aromatic notes.s aromatiques du café.
3. The Brew Time :
The time of brewing is a criteria that the Barista can setup, and which drive to the flow rate of water passing through the coffee grinds. This parameter is also influenced by the thickness of coffee grounds ( the thinker, the longer to go through, the more concentrate the result) . It can take indeed between 20 -30 seconds. At Nespresso our technologies and systems permits for all your espresso served much faster and much easier without to do any setup yourself , as we choose the best coffees, size of grinds, and technologies to give you th best of it. For a espresso in Original, you will have it in less than 10 seconds, and in Vertuo around 25 seconds.
4. The Crema :
The cream is one of the visual signature element of a traditional Espresso. Indeed, every coffee made with a brewing technology involving high pressure or centrifusion will create crema. In a more in depth approach, the cream is the results of the lipids contained in coffee, mixed with pressure and temperature that are involving an other molecule ( melanoidin) to create what we traditionally call the “creama”. Very rich in aromas, it protects the cup of coffee acting as a roof of the cup but it is also recommended to mix-fold it with the whole cup in order to enriched the overall taste experience.
5. The Overall Taste :
For espresso but also for any type of format-size, the overall taste can be drastically different, Yes, the format and technology plays a key role but the variety, origins, processing methods, roasting degree, lending allow coffee to develop all type of notes.
An Espresso can be therefore very floral, light, acidic, or the opposite very bitter, spicy, and strong. What is sure is that the concentration level will be high in espresso format.
Modern coffee machines, like the
Nespresso Original line of espresso machines, have made it easier for coffee enthusiasts to enjoy a lungo at home. These machines come with a pre-set option for lungo, ensuring that you get the right amount of water in every lungo drink.
Explanations, Caracteristics and Flavor Profile of Lungo Coffee
What Is a Lungo?
Lungo translates to “long” in Italian and is essentially an “extended” version of an espresso, made by extracting an espresso shot with significantly more water, usually double to triple the amount used for espresso. A lungo is by definition slightly more diluted in terms of texture. However, parameters such as variety used, roasting degree, blending parameters can mae your lungo being still very strong and bitter.
The Characteristics and Flavour Profile of a Lungo Drink
The following factors contribute to the unique flavour profile and characteristics of a lungo:
1. The coffee-to-water Ratio :
The water to coffee ratio is a parameter that a Barista will precisely set. It can vary between from 7 to 14 grams of coffee for an Espresso that will be prepared using 40 ml of Water.
For a lungo, it is therefore more water that will go through the coffee grounds for a longer result as explained above.
At Nespresso we use between 6-7 grams of coffee for a lungo which is ot only the optimal quantity to pair with the 19 bar technology of Original but lso a way to use not more than what it takes for the perfect taste. For Vertuo we will use 10,5 grams of coffee to perfectly use the centifusion technology.
Indeed, the ratio of high temperature and high pressure (original) or centirfusion (vertuo) plays a key role in the espresso experience , famous for its concentration, richness, and crema.
2. The Extraction Time :
The time of brewing is a criteria that the Barista can setup, and which drive to the flow rate of water passing through the coffee grinds. This parameter is also influenced by the thickness of coffee grounds ( The thiner, the longer to go through, the more concentrate the result) .
It can take indeed between 20 -30 seconds while it would take around a minute for a lungo. At Nespresso our technologies and systems permits for all your espresso and lungo to be served much faster and much easier without to do any setup yourself , as we choose the best coffees, size of grinds, and technologies to give you th best of it. For a lungo in Original, you will have it in less than 20 seconds, and in Vertuo around 45 seconds.
3. The Brewing Pressure :
In general with a traditional Espresso Machine, a minimal pressure level of 10-12 bar pressure is necessary to obtain a good espresso. At Nespresso our technologies (19 bar pressure for Original & centrifusion for Vertuo) leverage all the key elements, temperature, flow rate, pressure, centrifusion to give in the cup a tick texture, a high concentration and a full richness of coffee aromatic notes.matiques de café.
4. The Overall Taste :
For Lungo but also for any type of format-size, the overall taste can be drastically different, Yes, the format and technology plays a key role but the variety, origins, processing methods, roasting degree, blending allow coffee to develop all type of notes.
An lungo can be therefore very fruity,, light, acidic, or the opposite very bitter, woody, and strong. What is sure is that the concentration level will be lower in lungo as it contains more water for this format.
Choosing between an espresso and a lungo ultimately comes down to personal preference. If you enjoy a concentrated, full-bodied coffee with robust flavour, then an espresso may be the right choice for you. On the other hand, if you prefer a longer coffee-drinking experience with a milder taste, then a lungo might be more suitable.
With Nespresso machines, you don't have to choose one over the other. Nespresso machines are designed to easily create both espresso and lungo drinks with the use of Nespresso capsules, which also features its own line of lungo capsules. True versatility, combined with the convenience and consistency is what makes Nespresso machines a great choice for coffee lovers who enjoy variety in their daily coffee routine.
