SunBros Café started as an idea by two brothers to bring espresso style coffee drinks and breakfast to north east Florida. Travis had been in the restaurant business for many years and after a family vacation in Europe was impressed by the sidewalk cafés. After purchasing a former business in the heart of Flagler Beach, the dream of SunBros Café is slowly coming to life.
We plan to serve many different styles of coffee and espresso drinks from the traditional tastes to more modern recipes. Below is our attempt to share some of the styles of coffee that we plan to offer. This will evolve with time and experience. We are definitely not coffee experts but we do understand the difference between a great tasting drink and just an “ok” one.
The differences between typical “drip / filter” coffee and espresso?
If you’re not 100% sure how espresso is different than drip coffee, you’re in good company. People ask about this all the time. Few coffee lovers are familiar enough with espresso to know how it’s really different. By learning the main differences between espresso and drip coffee, you’ll know exactly what you’re drinking when you visit coffee shops. You’ll also have knowledge for when you’re looking at new coffee equipment for home.
Espresso: The basics
First and foremost, espresso is a brewing process. It’s the process of forcing hot water through extremely fine coffee grounds under immense pressure. Modern espresso machines use 8-10 bars of pressure to pull shots, using super-fine grounds and 25-35 seconds. You can only make true espresso with a high-powered espresso machine. What you get is a highly concentrated, yet still balanced (if you’re a good barista) shot of coffee. On the surface of the shot is a layer of crema, a fine foam created by coffee oils and air.
Yes, it has a very intense flavor, but anyone can learn to enjoy drinking it on its own. It’s not just for people with hardened palettes. You can have rich flavors just like any other kind of brewed coffee. Crisp acids, sweet sugary notes, bright aromas, and low tones – they’re all there! The heavy concentration also creates a heavy, creamy body.
Most of the time, espresso shots are mixed with hot steamed milk to make more approachable, less intense drinks. Like for example, latte, cappuccino, or americano coffee drinks.
Flavor and intensity
Drip coffee usually has a clean body with a rounded, simple flavor profile. Compared to a shot of espresso, it’s far less intense because it’s far less concentrated. For example, if you’re using the golden ratios, it takes roughly 16g of coffee beans to brew a regular-sized mug of drip coffee. A standard double shot of espresso is usually pulled with 16-22g of coffee, but the end result is only ⅛ the volume (1-ounce shot vs 8-ounce mug).
Imagine the flavor of your favorite drip coffee – multiplied by eight times! But wait, this doesn’t mean you should fear espresso. Many regular coffee lovers enjoy a rich and balanced espresso from time to time. Drinking espresso is a great way to experience the full range of a coffee’s flavors in a few breathtaking sips. However, it is true that most people aren’t too fond of their very first espresso shot. Our taste buds aren’t used to tasting things so intense, so they often reject espresso at first. After a couple sips, your taste buds calm down and allow you to really enjoy the flavors.
How the final brew is used
Drip coffee, for the most part, is just a simple mug of coffee. You don’t do much with it other than add cream or sugar if you’d like. Espresso, on the other hand, is wildly versatile. Since it’s 8 ounces of flavor packed into a 1-ounce shot, you can cut it with other liquids without losing the flavor. We already talked about lattes, cappuccinos, americanos, and the espresso tonic, but there are hundreds of creative drinks that use espresso as the primary flavor ingredient – and more new drinks are released in coffee shops around the world every week.
Explanation of some of the more traditional espresso drinks
The simplest espresso drink is a single shot of espresso. To make one, you use a single shot filter and about six to eight grams of finely-ground coffee
An Americano has a similar strength to a cup of regular black coffee but is made by adding hot water to a single or double shot of espresso. This results in a different flavor from traditional black coffee.
Doppio is another word for a double espresso shot, made with a larger amount of coffee grounds. These espresso shots are pulled using a double shot filter
To make a lungo, you pull twice as much water through a single espresso amount of coffee grounds. This results in higher caffeine content and a higher level of coffee extraction. Very similar to the americano but with a different taste profile.
A latte macchiato has the same ingredients as a caffe latte but the espresso shot is added last. It is served in a tall glass and has distinctive layers between the foam, espresso and milk with the foam on top, espresso below the foam and milk at the bottom.
Cappuccino, named for its similarity in color to the robes of Capuchin monks, is simply a shot of espresso with steamed milk and a frothy dry foam.
A caffé latte, often shortened to latte, is made of one-third espresso, two-thirds hot milk, and a topping of micro-foam. These are often made with double shots of espresso
Caffè breve is an espresso-based drink that’s made like a cappuccino, but with steamed half-and-half instead of milk. This produces a very creamy foam.
Flat whites are similar to cappuccinos, but with a higher coffee-to-milk ratio and prepared without milk foam.
An espresso macchiato is made by adding a small amount of steamed milk and foam to a shot of espresso.
Mocha is a sweet coffee drink, consisting of a latte with chocolate syrup or cocoa powder added. If you like your coffee sweet, you may also want to try adding caramel or peppermint syrup.
A frappe (pronounced frap-pay) is a cold beverage that has been shaken or blended with ice to produce a tasty, foamy, and refreshing drink. It is served cold, often with whipped cream and toppings. You can add custom additives such as sugar, milk, and sweet sauces. Typically will have a whipped cream topping.
We have partnered with Kaldi’s Coffee Roasting Company to bring their freshly roasted, sustainably sourced relationship coffee’s, teas and drinks to Flagler Beach.