Ristretto is a coffee that, while widely recognized, is not always well-understood in terms of its preparation. Ristretto coffee may be made similarly to espresso, but its flavor differs. Let’s start with the basics.

What Is Ristretto Coffee?

Ristretto coffee is essentially a more concentrated form of espresso with less water. It is a smaller, more concentrated coffee with a richer taste and a slightly sweeter profile compared to regular espresso. One reason ristretto is sweeter is that it contains less water. This results in more pronounced “aromatic” notes because the sweet and acidic flavors are extracted first, while the bitter compounds are extracted later.

What Does Ristretto Mean?

Ristretto means “restricted” in Italian and refers to the limited amount of water used to prepare this coffee. It’s important to note that a ristretto is 15-20 ml, whereas an espresso is 25-35 ml. To make an espresso, it takes about 20-30 seconds to pull a shot. For ristretto, the extraction time is a few seconds shorter.

How to Make Ristretto

Use your espresso machine as usual. Stop the extraction once you have 15-20 ml of coffee and ensure that no coffee flows for more than 20 seconds.