The ristretto coffee, also known as the big short coffee, is a name fitting the reflection of this drink’s characteristic. In fact, the joe is a “concentrated espresso” or a “restricted espresso” which is essentially a thick brew, smaller than espresso in size. The volume of a ristretto enables just one slightly bitter sip that is intensely infused with a noticeable hint of sweetness. Since caffeine and other compounds responsible for the bitterness of coffee are extracted after 17 seconds of brewing, its caffeine level is relatively lower than that of an espresso.
The Ristretto Coffee Recipe
The ristretto coffee is among the simpler joes to prepare, quite identical to how to make espresso. For the preparation, you would need ground coffee, a grinder, and an espresso machine. Once you are set with the requirements, just follow our step-by-step guide
Step 1: Grinding the Coffee
A lot of coffee shops use a combination of both Arabica and Robusta beans, but you could choose either for your ristretto coffee beans. We would suggest you try our Bettadakhan Estate blend. It is 100% sun-dried Arabica coffee with intense notes of dark chocolate, macadamia nuts, and brown sugar. The coffee you use should be a fine grind of about 7-10 grams, the amount you would use for a shot of espresso. Grind it directly into your portafilter.
Step 2: Settling, Leveling, and Tamping
Now that you are done with the grinding, use your fingers to level any excess coffee there is, and gently tap the filter on the counter a few times to settle the fresh grounds. Keep these grounds in the portafilter as level as possible when tamping to make sure that water is evenly distributed during the brewing process.
Step 3: The Brew
For the next step, you have to lock the portafilter into place and put a demitasse cup (preferably) under the ground head. Now begin the water pressure, and turn it off after around 15 seconds which is approximately half the time of a standard shot. Your resulting brew should be about 15-20 ml of a dark brown ristretto shot.
As we have mentioned in our recipe, this is a cuppa brewed in a shorter time with the same amount of coffee and less water, giving the ristretto coffee a lesser volume. Just like espresso, this shot also has a sticky, and thick nut-colored coffee crema. And since the double ristretto has a lower caffeine content than a single espresso, it is a good choice for you if you are unable to consume too much but still wish to enjoy intense brews. If you enjoy this brew or desire to try something else, then head over to our website to buy coffee online and explore the wide range of exquisite flavours we offer or try our coffee crema recipe.
