Food & Spirits

Can You Put Regular Coffee in an Espresso Machine?

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Some of us may be wondering if our trusty espresso machine is capable of whipping up a regular cup of joe. After all, if you’re not a coffee purist, you want to vary your morning perk-me-ups once in a while. So, how about a cup of filtered coffee for days that aren’t so trying?

Today, we’ll show you whether or not it’s a good idea to make a regular cup of java and other coffee types with your espresso. You can also supplement your coffee education and read more about your favorite morning drink at Freshpresso.

Can You Use Ground Coffee on Your Espresso?

The short answer to this is: yes, you can. But is the outcome going to be the same as using small-grind-size espresso beans? Now that’s another story.

When you use the medium-size beans of regular coffee for your espresso, it results in an increase in acidity levels that could turn your coffee’s taste sour. Ordinary coffee is best made with a medium grind, which is why you can never make the most of using it with an espresso, which churns out the best brew using small grinds.
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Things To Keep in Mind When Using Ground Coffee With Your Espresso

Experimenting with different coffee types using espresso machines also means lowering your expectations with the outcome. After all, these machines were designed only to process finely ground espresso beans perfectly.

The Finer the Grind, the Better

Espresso machines work pressurized hot water into finely ground coffee beans to create the best espresso shot. Hence, it is worth noting that when you want to use the machine with anything other than espresso beans, going finer with the grind size will always lead to better results.

That’s because the smaller the grind size, the more coffee comes in contact with water, resulting in a more efficient infusion process. The smaller gaps between the coffee also factor into the equation since it allows water to pass through the gaps slowly and more thoroughly, absorbing all the flavor they can.

Store-bought ground coffee is more likely to be coarse than fine, which won’t complement the brewing process of an espresso machine. That’s because they’re usually meant for brewing filtered coffee, whose method of preparation fits perfectly the larger-sized coffee beans.

When you use coarse grinds in an espresso machine, water passes through them quickly, interfering with the infusion process. The water then fails to absorb the richness and flavor we want in our usual cup of joe.

Solutions for Store-Bought Coffee Beans

What should you do about store-bought coffee beans, which are usually of the coarse variety?

Grinding

Of course, having access to only coarse grinds isn’t the end of the road for your experimentation. Some grinders can finely grind those store-bought coarse grounds with ease.

However, take note that it isn’t just having a grinder that matters; the way you grind using the machine also impacts the outcome. You want to grind more forcefully to reduce the acidity and sourness of the resulting brew.

Tamping

Dial down on the tamping aspect of grinding, as well. This is when you press down on the grounds in the portafilter to make them flat and compact. When making regular coffee, you would normally be tamping on the beans too hard, but doing this on an espresso machine might result in too-bitter coffee.

That said, forceful tamping on coarse grinds can make it difficult for water to pass through the coffee, resulting in a slightly more flavorful outcome.

Using Hotter Water

Using hotter water than usual allows coffee to mix with the water better and, in turn, be less sour-tasting. That said, there’s a fine line between going hotter and going too hot, the latter of which could result in burnt-tasting coffee.

Out With Espresso, in With Ristretto

Sometimes, you have to accept that espresso isn’t the best kind of coffee to make with the type of beans on hand. In that event, you may want to brew a ristretto instead. It’s still an espresso by nature but has an even bolder and more pronounced flavor. The great thing about this type of brew is that it tastes pretty much like an ordinary espresso when you use coarse grinds.

Espresso-Specific Beans

Instead of subjecting coarse grounds to the espresso process, you want to opt for espresso-machine-specific beans instead. That way, you can grind the beans yourself for optimal espresso making. This gives you more control over the grind size, which happens to be the most important factor in espresso brewing.

Experiment With Your Coffee

Those who are passionate about coffee are always on the lookout for the next best thing. Sometimes, those things come to them, while other times, they find themselves coming up with these specialty creations.

Using regular coffee beans on an espresso machine could be your attempt to find the best-tasting coffee for yourself. Just make sure to note the tips above when you do to actually come up with a decent brew.

Photo by Luke Barky

About the author

Aubrey Stevens