Espresso Roast, for a perfect cup of coffee

Here at Másalto we’ve opted for an Espresso roast, aiming for a coffee that’s as near perfect for espresso machines as it can possibly be. Our balanced blend is slow-roasted at between 212° and 220° (coffees roasted at lower temperatures are for use in percolators).
The result: an ideal body, a fullness in the mouth, the best of the coffee aroma...

The espresso machine and its French/Italian history.

The aim was to make a machine that could produce and extract the best of the coffee quickly – hence the name “Espresso” (think “express train”), meaning “rapid”.

The first reasonably complex machine was invented by a Frenchman in the mid 19th century; it then evolved with a succession of Italian improvements. Makes such as Bezzera, Pavoni, Gaggia, Faema and Marzocco have all contributed in various ways to that evolution, which continues today.
The great revolution came from higher pump pressure, which rose steadily from 1.5bar to 9bar. Espresso coffee has only been available in northern Europe in the last few decades.

Espresso is like a great wine.

Just as with the finest crus, espresso coffees are distinguished by their strength and voluptuousness, their character and their mellowness. When you make an espresso the water passes through the coffee under high pressure; that means the coffee must be finely ground so that a bigger surface area comes into contact with the water and the solubles – where all the flavour is – are more readily extracted. Espresso is the method that yields the best aroma and the least caffeine.

Espresso versus Americano

The espresso is short, drunk for its taste and intensity like those of a fine Cognac or a great wine. A longer coffee, lighter but with more caffeine, is drunk for warmth or as a little tonic: the Italians call this drink - a short espresso but with hot water added – an “Americano”.