Blog :: Brewing Coffee a short history part three

The espresso machine was first conceived as a way of producing a lot of cups of coffee on demand and as fresh as possible. There is some debate as to whether the term 'espresso' refers to the speed of brewing or to mean that the coffee was made 'expressly for you'.

The distinguishing feature of the espresso method is that the water is forced through tightly packed grounds under pressure rather than just by gravity. This extracts and exposes all of the flavour elements in the coffee highlighting the positive and potentially negative aspects of the beans. Skill is required to ensure that the extraction lasts long enough to achieve the best flavour possible but not so long that the coffee becomes harsh.

The earliest espresso machine was invented by Louis Bernard Rabaut in 1822 and first used on a large scale by Edward Loysel de Santais in 1843. This machine was the talk of the Paris Exposition of 1855 where it produced 2000 cups per hour. But these early machines only brewed by the pot rather than by the individual cup.

The first modern espresso machines appeared in Italy at the beginning of the 20th Century. In 1907 Desidero Pavoni from Milan patented the Ideale Urn which could make 150 cups per hour and in 1909 Pier Teresio Arduino from Turin one which made 1000 cups per hour. These machines had a round water tank and were often highly ornate, mounted with an eagle, and festooned with gauges, valves and unusual spouts. They found their way to the United States and dominated the cafe scene until the Second World War.

These vertical machines relied on steam pressure at the top of the tank to force the water through the coffee. By the 1950s in search of stronger coffee new machines appeared with a horizontal tank and the valve was replaced with a spring powered piston to drive the water through the coffee more quickly.

By the 1960s a hydraulic system was developed to replace the manual piston machines with two cylinders and two pistons, one large one small, one above the other. This system produces a more consistent pressure and is now adopted universally.

As techology has advanced we have more and more ways to make a cup of coffee. I am often asked "what is the best way to make coffee" and the truth is that the best way to make coffee is the way that you like your coffee best. After all you are the one who is going to drink it. Everyone swears by their own method and that is how it should be. The most important thing is always use good fresh coffee.

Posted on Thursday, 16th February 2012

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