Finding the Perfect Balance: The Science and Craft of Espresso Flavor

How Espresso Should Taste: The Sweet Spot Between Science and Craft

If you think espresso is supposed to be bitter and harsh, you’ve been lied to. A well-prepared shot of espresso should be sweet, balanced, and full of flavor—not something you need to drown in sugar or milk just to make it drinkable. If your espresso tastes like burnt rubber or liquid ash, something has gone wrong. But let’s fix that.

Espresso Should Be Sweet, Not Just Strong

A well-executed shot of espresso delivers rich flavors, natural sweetness, and a velvety texture. When extracted properly, the natural sugars in coffee caramelize, producing an espresso that is inherently sweet—without adding anything extra. The best espressos have a balance between acidity, sweetness, and bitterness, creating an experience that is bold yet smooth, intense yet inviting.

If your espresso is excessively bitter, it’s likely over-extracted—meaning the water has pulled out too many unwanted compounds. On the other hand, if it’s too sour or thin, it’s under-extracted, meaning it hasn’t fully developed the flavors locked inside the coffee. The goal? An espresso that is sweet, complex, and lingers on your palate in the best way possible.

Espresso Isn’t a Special Kind of Coffee

There’s a common misconception that espresso requires a specific type of coffee. The truth? Espresso is a brewing method, not a bean type. While some coffees are developed with espresso in mind, any coffee—whether it’s a natural Ethiopian bursting with berries or a deep, chocolatey Colombian—can be used for espresso.

What matters is matching the coffee’s characteristics to your flavor expectations. Want a rich, chocolatey espresso with caramel notes? A well-developed medium or medium-dark roast will get you there. Prefer something bright and fruity? A lighter roast with high acidity can produce a vibrant, berry-forward espresso. The key is understanding what you want from your espresso and selecting a coffee that aligns with that vision.

The Danger of Astringency in Espresso

One of the biggest mistakes in espresso roasting and preparation is creating astringency, that dry, puckering sensation that makes your mouth feel like sandpaper. Astringency can be caused by several factors:

• Over-roasting – Pushing a coffee too dark can result in woody, ashy flavors that dry out the palate.

• Under-extraction – If espresso is pulled too short or at the wrong grind size, it can amplify unpleasant, drying compounds.

• High-tannin coffees – Some beans naturally have more tannins, and without the right roasting strategy, they can create excessive dryness.

Coffee roasters must carefully develop their roast curves to avoid excessive astringency while still highlighting sweetness and balance. That’s why dialing in an espresso roast takes skill—it’s about drawing out the coffee’s best characteristics while minimizing unpleasant ones.

Espresso Is About Precision and Intention

The beauty of espresso is that it’s a highly concentrated and precise brewing method. It amplifies every aspect of the coffee—good and bad. That’s why baristas and roasters alike must approach espresso with intention.

• Roasters must craft a roast profile that enhances sweetness while avoiding bitterness and astringency.

• Baristas must dial in each shot carefully, adjusting grind size, dose, and extraction time to get the best possible flavor.

When done right, espresso is an experience that requires no sugar, no milk—just pure, complex, and naturally sweet coffee in a tiny cup. So next time you visit your favorite coffee shop, order a double espresso; take a sip, ask yourself: Is this actually good, or have I just accepted bad espresso as normal? When I order coffee from a cafe that has espresso, I always order a double espresso and a cortado. I taste the espresso and evaluate it's make up. This will tell me a lot about how it will taste with steamed milk, like the cortado.

Because trust me—good espresso is out there, and it’s sweet, balanced, and unforgettable.