Of course, you don't have to be an expert to love coffee. Approximately 4.65 million people in Germany say they drink an espresso at least daily—do they all know the subtle but important difference between espresso, lungo, and ristretto? Those who have mastered the basics of espresso and know how the taste differs depending on how it's prepared might discover a few new favorites for themselves.

What's the big deal about the bean varieties, the brewing, the grinding, and the roasting? What makes an espresso, what's the difference between it and a "ristretto," and when does one speak of a lungo? What's the secret behind all this, and do we, as simple coffee connoisseurs, even have access to this world with our capsule coffee machines? The answer is "yes," because these three little pick-me-ups don't require any special ingredients, "just" the right preparation.

As the sonorous names suggest, the journey takes us directly to late 19th-century Italy, where the three pick-me-ups were created and perfected.

Where does espresso come from?

With over 100 years of history, espresso has literally become a little world of its own, full of knowledge, history, and even a little romance. Italian terms like " barista, " " ristretto," and "lungo" convey to us that there's more to learn, more to understand, and much more to enjoy than just a cup of coffee.

The term " espresso" originated in Milan. Inspired by the steam-powered express trains, the quickly prepared black gold was dubbed "espresso." In 1901, Luigi Bezzera patented the first espresso coffee machine, and from there, the success story began. Espresso preparation became an art form.

But what factors are crucial to obtaining this fine drop of coffee?

From bean to preparation – small cup, big miracle

Arabica or Robusta: the beans for espresso, lungo and ristretto.

You may have heard the misleading term " espresso bean" yourself . In fact, the same beans are used for espresso as for regular coffee. They are called " Robusta" and " Arabica." These two bean varieties dominate the global market, and they are available as " single origin" or " blends." Blends are mixtures of both varieties, whereas " single origin" refers exclusively to " Robusta" or " Arabica" beans.

The two bean types differ not only in appearance and flavor, but also in their caffeine content. Arabica beans have a caffeine content between 1.1 and 1.7 percent, while Robusta beans have a caffeine content of 2 to 4.5 percent. Robusta also has a higher level of undesirable chlorogenic acids, although these are reduced by a gentle roasting process.

Espresso largely relies on the benefits of both beans, which is why blends are often used. The subtle but subtle difference lies in the roasting, which contributes significantly to the aroma and flavor of the espresso.

While traditional filter coffee beans are roasted for an average of 10–15 minutes, espresso beans take around 15–18 minutes. Therefore, they are darker and may have a slightly oily sheen on the surface, which is caused by the release of aromatic oils. A richer and less bitter flavor is the result of the dark roast.

Caution: If the bean is roasted for too long, only a bitter taste remains.

The preparation determines the result.

With the right beans in hand, we dedicate ourselves to preparing these three culinary delights. The roasting level can vary depending on the variety and the desired intensity. Grinding size, water quantity, pressure, and contact time are the secret ingredients of these three Italian caffeine favorites.

Secret ingredient #1: the grind

Generally speaking, the finer the coffee bean is ground, the more flavor it can impart to the water being pressed through it. This is because its surface area increases with increasing grinding.

Secret ingredient #2: contact time

As the term suggests, this is the time the water is in direct contact with the ground coffee before flowing into the cup. This depends on the grind size and the pressure with which the water is forced through the coffee grounds. This typically occurs at a pressure of 7 to 10 bar. It's important that the pressure and the machine are coordinated to ensure the correct contact time.

Caution: If the ground coffee is ground too finely, more bitter substances will leach into the water, as the contact time between the water and the grounds increases. The espresso will fail.

Secret ingredient #3: the right amount of water

The most obvious difference between the three relatives is the amount of water. Espresso, ristretto, and lungo are created by perfectly balancing the amount of water and its contact time with the ground coffee, which must be of the correct grind.

With this knowledge, let's take a look at the preparation of each variant to understand the differences in detail.

A shot to wake you up: “An espresso please!”

A small, tasteful cup.

Take 5–7 grams of ground coffee (already precisely pre-portioned in the capsule, of course) and press through approximately 40 ml of water. Ideally, the water should pass through the coffee within about 25 to 30 seconds. The water temperature should be around 92 degrees Celsius, and the pressure should be around 9.3 bar, forcing it through the ground beans into the small espresso cup. Topped with the perfect crema, the espresso is ready to enjoy.

An intense journey of taste: the Ristretto

The Espresso Ristretto lives up to its name. Loosely translated from Italian, the term means "reduced" or "limited." It looks cute even next to an espresso, as the amount of water is halved to 15–20 ml. While the half-filled espresso cup looks quite empty, it packs a punch in terms of flavor.

The coffee quantity remains the same as for espresso at 7 grams, except that the grounds for ristretto are ground more finely. The water will move more slowly through the finer grounds, even with the same contact time, which is why after 25–30 seconds, there will be only half as much coffee in the cup. A ristretto is defined as a very concentrated and extremely intensely flavored shot of coffee.

The caffeine kicker Lungo: a cup of sunshine

The coffee lungo is, so to speak, the counterpart to the ristretto. It contains the same amount of ground coffee as its counterparts, but is brewed with twice the amount of water (80 milliliters). The slightly longer contact time of just over 30 seconds allows more bitterness to be extracted from the beans, which is, however, well compensated for in terms of flavor by the larger amount of water.

Caffeine content of Ristretto & Co

The caffeine content of the three preparation methods is often a source of debate. Because the same amount of coffee is used as the starting point, this also remains balanced per cup. The decisive factor for the caffeine content is primarily the choice of bean used. Consequently, the choice of coffee bean and the amount of coffee that ends up in the cup determine the caffeine content.

With the necessary background knowledge of the preparation methods, you'll be able to distinguish between the different varieties from now on. Whether prepared personally by the barista at your favorite café or by your capsule machine at home, enjoyment is guaranteed.

Fortunately, for your Ristretto , Lungo , or Espresso , you don't need to buy a new machine where you can manually adjust the grind, contact time, and water quantity. Whether you have a Nespresso® or use a machine from another manufacturer, you can find compostable coffee capsules in all three flavors. And to ensure your coffee is exactly the way you want it, most machines have a dedicated Lungo or Espresso button.

Be your own barista and create your own coffee

All Nespresso® machines are preset to a standardized water level, but can be customized to ensure your perfect coffee moment.

Tip: Our coffee capsules are compatible with Nespresso® machines and their functions.

In general, if your coffee tastes too intense, let more water flow through the coffee capsule to dilute the drink.

According to Nespresso®, the following water quantity settings are possible:

1. Ristretto: from 15ml to 30ml
2. Espresso: from 30ml to 70ml
3. Lungo: from 70ml to 130ml

If you want a more intense coffee experience, you will need to adjust the machine to your individual needs:

1. First, make sure the machine is turned on and the water tank is full.
2. Open the capsule chamber, insert the compostable coffee capsule and then close it.
3. Now select the desired coffee program and hold down the corresponding button until the desired coffee volume is reached in your cup.
4. The brewing button flashes three times to confirm. The device has saved the changed water volume.

Important : The above instructions may vary depending on the appliance manufacturer. If the steps listed above do not apply, please refer to your user manual to see if and how to adjust the water volume.

If you want to reset your machine to factory settings, hold down the Lungo button for five seconds until all buttons flash quickly three times. Your machine is ready for use again as soon as the buttons light up constantly. The water volume will be set to 40 ml for an espresso and 110 ml for a lungo, as is traditional Italian practice.

Italian coffee culture is intense, puristic and delicious

La Dolce Vita – the right coffee for every occasion.

Espresso, Ristretto, and Lungo reflect how "Dolce Vita" is lived in Italy: You treat yourself to them during a quick chat with colleagues, standing at the bar, or in the office – "al banco." Intense aromas let nothing come between you and the pure taste of the bean – whether from a fully automatic machine or conveniently and quickly from a wide range of capsules.

The statistics speak for themselves: Italian coffee classics have become established almost worldwide. Thanks to their easy preparation in capsule machines, they've become part of our everyday lives, giving us a real kick. After all, what could be better than starting the day with a wide selection of coffees ?

Cover photo by Taylor Wilcox. Additional images by Matthew Henry, Nitin Pariyar, and Frame Harirak.