A ristretto is a type of espresso that is made with the same amount of ground coffee as a regular espresso, but extracted with a finer grind and half as much water. This results in a more concentrated and flavorful form of espresso, with a higher concentration of coffee flavor than other drinks. Ristretto also contains fewer chemical compounds overall than longer extractions, leading to a different balance of tastes and aromas.
Some key differences between ristretto and regular espresso include:
- Volume: A ristretto is a "short shot" of espresso, typically around 20 ml (0.7 imp fl oz; 0.7 US fl oz) from a double basket.
- Extraction time: A ristretto is extracted for a shorter amount of time than a regular espresso, usually between 20 to 30 seconds.
- Water to coffee ratio: A ristretto uses half as much water as a regular espresso.
Ristretto can be used as a base for other drinks like cappuccino or latte, and sometimes the flat white. The milk in these drinks complements the sweetness from the espresso. However, the practice of adding milk to ristretto has not been widespread as most people drink the coffee in its normal form.
Ristretto has a different taste than regular espresso due to its different balance of chemical compounds. It contains a lesser amount of caffeine when compared to espresso, usually between 65 and 80 mg, because of the shorter extraction time.
In summary, a ristretto is a more concentrated and flavorful form of espresso that is made with the same amount of ground coffee as a regular espresso, but extracted with a finer grind and half as much water. It has a different taste and contains less caffeine than regular espresso.
