Can You Use Espresso Beans In A Coffee Maker?

at some point and that is “Can you use espresso beans in a coffee maker?”

We will answer this very question in detail and talk about espresso beans, coffee makers and brewing methods as I aim to give you a comprehensive answer to the very question and leave a lot more knowledgeable by the time you have finished reading this article.

Keep reading as I dig down into the topic of using espresso beans in a coffee maker.

What Are Espresso Beans?

Espresso beans are, in the simplest of explanations, coffee beans that have been roasted to an espresso roast, which is a particular dark roast.

All coffee beans can be roasted to this level. It is the choice of the brand owner and master roaster, based on their advice and expertise.

An espresso grind is the grind size used for brewing a shot of the most famous black coffee. The grind size is 200 microns.

Read: How to make coffee in a Cuisinart

The Difference Between An Espresso Bean And A Regular Coffee Bean

The difference between espresso beans and regular coffee beans is very slight. It mostly revolves around the roast level and grind size when used for brewing a shot of espresso.

Traditional coffee beans can be of any roast, light roast, medium roast and even dark roast coffee beans. While it is becoming increasingly difficult to see coffee beans as marked as an espresso roast, as it is more common to see them labelled as an Italian roast. This is more so when buying quality coffee beans and specialty or single origin coffee beans.

By far, an espresso or Italian roast as they are also called, are the most common type of coffee beans that are used by baristas at coffee shops.

With those beans you can make drip coffee, pour over coffee, chemex, siphon and espresso brewing. They can also be used for specialty espresso drinks like a ristretto, lattes, flat whites, cortados, cappuccinos and many more.

To do so and to make a shot of espresso, you need to use an espresso machine. Thankfully, there are some very good home espresso machines that do the job every bit as good as a professional espresso machine that you will see in your local coffee shop.

You can make any coffee with espresso beans provided that you have the correct equipment and use the correct grind size.

Read: Cold brew Vs Espresso

Can You Use Regular Coffee Beans For Espresso? – How To Brew Regular Coffee From Espresso Beans!

First question.

Can you use regular coffee beans for espresso?

Yes, but no!

I’ll explain.

An espresso, to get the high quality rich, thick rich crema on top, you will need to use fresh dark roasted, preferably espresso roasted coffee beans and have at least 9 bars of water pressure.

You can adapt slightly and use non-espresso roasted beans that are still a dark roast to make an espresso and still get a reasonably good crema on top. With great barista skills, you can get away with using medium-dark roasted coffee beans.

Going below this, you will start to have difficulties in producing the crema and the taste and consistency of body will be different and not taste like an espresso should. Therefore, using regular beans for espresso is a no but a yes kind of answer.

When you drift away from an espresso roast and especially when using medium-dark roast, you should use high-quality beans for a great taste and not ordinary, regular roast.

How To Brew Regular Coffee From Espresso Beans

The process of brewing a regular cup of coffee from espresso beans is exactly as you would with regular coffee beans.

Use your coffee maker the same as you would and use the same grind size and brew time. Use the same coffee to water ratio also. The brewing process does not need to change.

Brewing A Cup Of Coffee With The Pour-Over Method An Espresso Beans

Let’s dig down and get you brewing coffee with espresso beans using the Pour Over Technique.

What You Will Need

• A Coffee Grinder.
• Espresso Beans.
• A Pour-Over Coffee Maker.
• Kitchen Scales Or Digital Coffee Scales.
• A Kettle (Gooseneck Kettle Is Best).
• A Cup.

The Process

For brewing a regular coffee with espresso beans, use a 1:18 coffee to water ratio. That is 18 grams of water for each gram of coffee. Using digital coffee scales will get you accurate measurements.

For a good 12 ounce, 360 ml cup of coffee, use 20 grams (2/3rd of an ounce).

For a stronger coffee, use a 1:15 coffee to water ratio.

Grind your coffee grounds to a medium-coarse grind size. For a mild coffee, grind to a larger coarse grind size.

If you are using a paper, cloth or metal filter, give it a good rise with clean water to remove any taste that may influence the end result. Metal filters produce a bolder flavor, paper a much cleaner, crisp flavor.

A cloth filter will produce a result that is somewhere in the middle.

Heat your water to 195F to 205F (92C to 96C). If you don’t have a thermometer or digital temperature control gooseneck kettle, simply boil your water and then let it cool for around 30 seconds.

Add your coffee grounds to your filter just before you are about to brew them. Shake slightly to ensure they are evenly distributed and flat.

Pour water over your grounds to wet them in an even manner. Once wet, stop for 20 to 30 seconds to allow them to bloom and degas.

Once ready, pour your water evenly and in a circular manner with a pencil thin flow from your gooseneck kettle. This will ensure an even extraction of your grounds. If you flood your coffee, you will get an uneven extraction.

Pour slowly and patiently.

Once ready, simply enjoy your coffee.

Can You Use Espresso Beans For Drip Coffee?

Absolutely!

You can use espresso, roasted coffee beans to make a tasty drip coffee. As long as you have the right equipment and a good drip coffee machine, you can do it.

The only difference between a drip coffee and an espresso is the brewing method and the grind size.

Another difference is the extraction time. This is directly related to the coffee grind size

Can You Use Espresso Beans For Pour Over?

Yes,

provided you follow the instructions above, you can make an excellent and tasty pour over coffee. Regardless of which beans you use and what roast, the key to great pour over coffee is your technique. An absolute must is a gooseneck kettle.

Do Espresso Beans Have More Caffeine?

No,

Espresso beans are the same as regular coffee beans. They don’t have any more caffeine than other beans; they are just roasted to a different degree. It is the brewing method of making an espresso that makes a shot of espresso highly caffeinated.

To be clear, a darker roast has less caffeine than lighter roasted coffee beans.

Can You Make Drip Coffee With Espresso Machine?

No,

to make drip coffee you need a drip coffee machine. An espresso machine to produce drip coffee will need to be a dual machine for that purpose. The two techniques are different.

This is not to say that you cannot make a strong black coffee with your home espresso machine. You can, of course, make a café Americano.

Frequently Asked Questions About Can You Use Espresso Beans In A Coffee Maker

Can I Brew Espresso Beans In A Coffee Maker?

Yes, you can use your espresso beans in any coffee maker be it a French press, moka pot, siphon, or any coffee machine that you so wish, including an espresso machine.

Do You Use The Same Beans For Coffee And Espresso?

Yes, you can use the same coffee beans for brewing regular coffee and for brewing a shot of espresso. Espresso beans are for making much more than just shots of espresso.

Can Regular Coffee Grinder Grind Espresso Beans?

Yes, as long as you have a quality grinder, preferably a ceramic conical burr grinder, you can grind your espresso beans to any grind size that you want.

My recommendation are using Baratza Virtuoso or a Baratza Encore grinder. Both will get you a grind size from very powder like fine for espresso to a coarse grind for cold brew coffee.

How Do You Grind Espresso Beans For Regular Coffee?

Grinding espresso beans for regular coffee is easy. Simply select the ideal grind size setting as per your grinder manufacturer’s suggestions for the brewing method that you are using. Purge your grinder by grinding in two five second bursts to clear out the old grind size and then grind at your new grind size.

Are Espresso Beans Only For Espresso?

No, you can use espresso beans for all types of coffee and brewing methods, including drip coffee, moka pot, French press, siphon coffee, cold brew or any brewing method that you want.

Is Espresso Just Finely Ground Coffee?

No, espresso does not refer to the grind size. What differentiates espresso beans from other coffee beans is their roast level. It is a specific roast of coffee bean.

The drink, an espresso, requires finely ground fresh espresso coffee beans, a water temperature of 96C (205C) and a pressure of 9 bars (130 PSI).

Do You Need Espresso Beans For Machine?

No, it is not absolutely essential that you use espresso beans to make a shot of espresso. You can use any roast, but it is an espresso roast, French roast and Italian roast that get you the best results.

What Is The Difference Between Espresso And Brewed Coffee?

Brewed coffee is drip coffee that is brewed using a medium-coarse grind size and through a coffee filter using a coffee to water ratio of typically 1:16 and served in 8 ounces (240 ml) serving as the smallest cup size.

An espresso is made with an espresso machine, a very fine powder-like grind size of 200 microns and requires the use of water pressure of 130 PSI (9 Bars) with no filter used. An espresso is strong and made with a coffee to water ratio of 1:1.5 (the traditional Italian ratio) and 1:2 the modern American ratio and is served in shots of 30 ml (1 oz).

Final Thoughts, Frappé-Ing It All Up, Can You Use Espresso Beans In A Coffee Maker

If you have read this far you know that the answer to the question “can you use espresso beans in a coffee maker” If you skipped and scanned down the answer is that you absolutely can.

Espresso beans can be used to brew any coffee using any equipment or coffee maker as long as you brew your coffee well.

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Derek Marshall

Derek Marshall, a certified barista by the Specialty Coffee Association possesses over two decades of experience in specialty coffee shops. He holds professional certifications for coffee brewing and barista skills. Derek is also an author with authoritative books covering various coffee topics including specialty coffee, sustainability and coffee, coffee brewing, coffee recipes, coffee cocktails and books focusing on Brazilian coffee, Vietnamese coffee, Indonesian coffee and Malaysian coffee. As a barista for over two decades, Derek Marshall has worked in specialty coffee shops across the United Kingdom, Spain, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. His expertise extends to the distinct coffee cultures, specialty beverages, and brewing techniques of each nation. Functioning as a coffee consultant, Derek charges US$50 per hour. To learn more about Derek Marshall and Latte Love Brew, visit his About Me Page. For coffee inquiries, contact him at +34-639-410-375 or Derek@LatteLoveBrew.com, mentioning your name and location