Most people need the fix of their preferred mild stimulant in the morning, which is caffeine. No matter how you get that fix, be it tea, coffee, or a soft drink, many of us cannot wake up in the morning unless we have our needed dose of caffeine.
Coffee is the more popular option in North America and many other areas of the world; there is just something irreplaceable about the slightly bitter tones of your morning cup of coffee.
Outside of North America, perhaps the most well-known bastion of coffee lovers is in Italy.
Italy is the home of some of our favorite kinds of coffee. Staples like cappuccino and espresso are Italian classics, so we coffee lovers owe a lot to them.
Many people have heard of ristretto roasters or ristretto as a form of espresso, but we will try to explain in the most concise way possible.
What is Ristretto?
You may be wondering what a ristretto shot is or a double ristretto. Ristretto is a form of espresso and very often comes in the form of a double ristretto for reasons we will soon explain.
Ristretto in Italian means restricted, and this is a fitting name because a ristretto has a more restricted brewing process than your standard espresso.
Your typical espresso is brewed in 30 ml over 30 seconds. This creates the typical espresso flavor that most of us know and love.
A double ristretto, on the other hand, consists of 30 ml of coffee, which is brewed over 15 seconds, hence where the name ristretto comes from.
How to Make a Ristretto
This usually means that your barista will have to brew two 15-ml ristretto shots of espresso at the same time, as the brewing period must be 15 seconds, and this only gives the machine enough time to make 15 ml, which is why most of the time a ristretto is a double ristretto unless you prefer to drink only 15 ml of coffee.
Ristretto vs. Espresso
Ristretto vs. espresso is one of those timeless arguments that will usually end with neither side having changed their opinion.
While the process may sound difficult, there is no complication when compared to the typical way you would make an espresso.
You are simply reducing the brewing time of espresso to cut down on the acidity and the harsher flavors, so you are brewing two purer espressos in a shorter amount of time, necessarily resulting in the need to make two.
How does it Taste?
Ristretto, due to the brewing process, contains a lot less of the acidic products that contribute to the bitterness of typical espresso.
While the brewing process may result in slightly more labor, the outcome is a richer, sweeter-tasting coffee that still has all the potency of your typical espresso.
More die-hard espresso fans will argue that the lack of acidity in a ristretto is exactly what shows its lack of character in comparison to espresso, but that is an argument for another time.
Ristretto is a good option if you do not want to use too much milk when making your coffee, as it provides a way of sweetening the coffee simply by changing the brewing process instead of adding sugar, milk, or other additives and potentially diluting the flavor of your coffee.
What to Use to Make Ristretto Coffee
Jones Brothers Coffee Capsules
These 50 Jones Brothers Nespresso coffee capsules are a good option to purchase if you would like to cut down on the cost of your coffee capsules every month. If you drink a lot of coffee, like we do, it can become a pretty expensive monthly cost.
This product is available for slightly less than many of its competitors, so you can enjoy your Nespresso without breaking the bank.
While these capsules may suffer from a lack of individual character when compared to much more pricey options for Nespresso capsules, the money you will save is certainly one of the best aspects to consider.
While the coffee may not be the most exciting that you have ever had, it is still certainly good espresso and will give you the required kick to get out of bed in the morning. It is simply not the fanciest coffee that you will find available on the market.
Nespresso Ristretto
This offering of Nespresso Ristretto is more expensive than the option from Jones Brothers, but the flavor is more dynamic and the brew is arguably more rich.
These ristretto capsules will result in a brew that is well balanced and has the trademark sweetness of ristretto when compared to other Nespresso capsules.
These ristretto capsules are a great choice if you are looking for a well-defined, potent ristretto in the morning without having to leave the house and go to a coffee shop.
They will put your Nespresso machine to good work in making a ristretto-style coffee worthy of any barista.
The only downside is the slightly higher price tag, but it is up to you whether you prefer a better-tasting coffee or slightly less expensive capsules; the difference is not as big as you may think.
Conclusion
Ristretto is a great way to enjoy your coffee; it balances the potency and quick energy of espresso with the softer, sweeter flavors of less intense coffees.
You don’t even have to leave your house to make a ristretto if you have the right machine and the right capsules, so go ahead and try it out.
