ESPRESSO FAMILY
Espresso
Espresso is a small, intense shot of coffee forced through finely ground beans under pressure. It comes in a few sizes: the single, the double (doppio), the short ristretto, and the long lungo.
- Ristretto0.5-1 oz
- Espresso1 oz
- Lungo1.5-2 oz
- Doppio2 oz
- Cup size
- 1 oz
- Served
- Hot
- Strength
- 5 / 5 (concentration, not caffeine)
- Caffeine
- ~63 mg typical
In the cup
What's in an espresso shot
Espresso is coffee at its most concentrated. Hot water is forced through a compact puck of finely ground coffee under high pressure, extracting a small, syrupy shot in well under a minute, capped by a layer of golden-brown crema. It is not a bean or a roast but a brewing method, and it is the foundation the latte, cappuccino, cortado, macchiato, americano, and more are all built on.
The single shot is the reference size, but espresso is served in a family of related pours. A doppio is a double shot and, in practice, the size most cafes serve by default. A ristretto is pulled short with less water for a smaller, sweeter, more concentrated result, while a lungo is pulled long with more water for a bigger, more bitter cup. Same ground coffee, different amounts of water through it.
Drunk on its own, espresso is meant to be sipped quickly while it is hot and the crema is fresh. It is the most direct way to taste what a coffee actually is, with nothing added to get in the way.
- START HEREEspresso
- Espresso Macchiato
- Americano
Ordering espresso shots
At the counter
At the counter, espresso comes in a family of sizes. Many specialty cafes now pull a double, or doppio, by default, so ask for a single if you want less. A ristretto is a short pour, sweeter and more concentrated; a lungo is a long pour, larger and a touch more bitter. Whichever you order, it is served hot in a small cup and meant to be sipped quickly, while the crema is fresh.
- Cup size
- 1 oz
- Served
- Hot
Each shot
Espresso (Single Shot)
1 oz · strength 5 / 5 · ~63 mg typical
The single shot is the baseline, roughly an ounce of concentrated coffee, and the reference point every other size is measured against.
Doppio (Double Shot)
2 oz · strength 5 / 5 · ~126 mg typical
A doppio is a double shot, two singles pulled into one cup. It is the size most cafes actually serve when you order an espresso, unless you ask for a single.
Ristretto (Short Shot)
0.5-1 oz · strength 5 / 5
A ristretto is a restricted shot, pulled with less water so it comes out shorter, sweeter, and more concentrated, with a little less of the bitterness a full shot can carry.
Lungo (Long Shot)
1.5-2 oz · strength 5 / 5
A lungo is a long shot, pulled with more water so it is larger and slightly more bitter than a full shot.
Make it at home
Making espresso at home
- Grind coffee fine and pack it into an even, level puck.
- Pull the shot so it runs in a steady, syrupy stream and stops while it is still dark, not thin and pale.
- For a ristretto, cut it short; for a lungo, let it run longer; for a doppio, pull two.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What is an espresso shot?
An espresso shot is a small, concentrated serving of coffee made by forcing hot water through finely ground beans under high pressure. A single shot is about an ounce and forms the base of drinks like the latte, cappuccino, and americano.
What's the difference between a single and a double (doppio)?
A single shot uses one dose of ground coffee; a double, or doppio, uses two and yields about twice the liquid and caffeine. Most cafes pull a double by default, so the espresso you order is usually a doppio unless you ask for a single.
What is a ristretto, and how is it different from a lungo?
A ristretto is pulled short, with less water, so it is smaller, sweeter, and more concentrated. A lungo is pulled long, with more water, so it is bigger and more bitter. Same coffee, opposite ends of the extraction.
Is a shot of espresso strong?
In taste, yes. Espresso is one of the most concentrated ways to drink coffee, which is why it reads at the top of our strength scale. That is about flavor intensity, not total caffeine, since a single shot is small.
How much caffeine is in a shot of espresso?
A single shot has roughly 63 mg of caffeine and a double about 126 mg, based on USDA's measured figure for espresso. These are typical figures; the real amount shifts with the beans, the roast, and the pour.