To appreciate complexity of making a consistently good espresso take a look at the chart below.

It is not enough to say that OK espresso comes out of being between the two lines separating too sour and too bitter ends of it. One has to stop extraction at the moment when there is a right balance between sourness, bitterness and other flavors.  Some baristas let first sour drips of the coffee to go in the drip tray and then put the cup under the flow. But, unfortunately, the most complex flavor is in these first sour drips. Without them the shot looses multiple facets of flavor.  Sourness is a background that attenuates  complex flavous. If it is not sour, the taste is not pronounced enough. To figure out role of sourness, try to have a sip of good espresso right after having a bite of orange or a sip of orange juice. Not having enough bitterness does not help either. First, bitterness is a taste of caffeine. If you do not have it, the espresso has no punch.

If you appreciate whiskey, grappa, schnapps, or cognac, you would know that their complex taste is coming from spirits other than ethanol.   Ethanol is the base of it, but the flavor is in heavy spirits that are called “tails”. Too much tails in the drink give you hangover, but enjoyed in moderation and in skillfully made drink, they are exquisite. This is what we are paying our money when we go for a shot of 33 year old Glendronach or Camus. The same idea, but the time frame is different. Your espresso is good fresh. The flavor lasts for a couple of minutes. What a wonderful reminder of   impermanence!

My favorite coffee is Ethiopean Yogercheffe. I like roasting it to full city about 10 second into the second crack. It is better than all espresso blends I tried so far. To be fair, I did not try too many yet. I am sure some blends are as beautiful as the Yogercheffe.

I love sniffing espresso aroma right after pulling a shot. I think if I have made a perfume (and I can do it, but you do not know about this hidden passion of mine yet) it would be wonderful!