Espresso Long Shot vs Ristretto: What's the Difference?
published on: 2022-05-10
If you’re a seasoned coffee enjoyer, you’ve no doubt drank an espresso or two during your life. But have you tried different variations of espresso? Let’s discuss few of the more popular espresso variations: long shot espresso and ristretto.
What is the difference between long shot and ristretto? If you haven’t had either, how might you decide what could be a better fit for you?
A long shot espresso is espresso that is brewed with the standard espresso amount of coffee grounds and twice the amount of water. This creates a less concentrated espresso drink.
On the other hand, ristretto espresso is espresso that is brewed with the same amount of water but half the amount of coffee grounds. This creates a more concentrated espresso drink.
The primary distinction between these two drinks is therefore water. A long shot is prepared with extra water to balance the strong flavor of espresso, while a ristretto is made with less water than usual to enhance its natural flavor.
Because one is diluted and the other highly concentrated, they’re a great way to discover your comfort level with espresso flavor.
Let’s take a closer look at the similarities and differences between ristretto and long shot in our head-to-head comparison of a long shot vs. ristretto.
What is ristretto coffee and how does it taste?
Ristretto coffee is espresso that is brewed with the same amount of water but half the amount of coffee grounds. This creates a more concentrated espresso drink.
What does ristretto mean? Ristretto is Italian and translates roughly to “restricted”. That refers to the amount of coffee beans used to make a drink and also to the volume of the coffee beverage.
Often ristretto is only 20-30ml of drink while a normal espresso is roughly 40-60ml. Long shot by comparison is larger than either of these drinks.
Ristretto tastes a little bit different than a normal espresso.
The aroma of a ristretto coffee is often described as aromatic, with undertones of floral coffee notes. The finely ground coffee beans produce a concentrated flavor with a sweeter taste since less hot water is used than in a normal shot of espresso.
A shorter extraction time avoids making the coffee taste bitter.
What does long shot mean and how does it taste?
A long shot espresso is espresso that is brewed with the standard espresso amount of coffee grounds and twice the amount of water. This creates a less concentrated espresso drink. Long shot is also known as espresso longo in some parts of the world.
The long espresso shot has a similar aroma to the ristretto, with undertones of floral coffee notes. The taste is less sweet than the ristretto since more hot water was used in the extraction process.
A longer extraction time can make this coffee taste bitter.
Now that we know a little bit more about espresso long shots and ristrettos, let’s compare them side-by-side.
Ristretto vs Long Shot: How They Compare
 Here’s a quick summary of how espresso long shots and ristrettos compare:
Ristrettos are made with half the amount of grounds and the same amount of water while long shots are made with twice the amount of water for the same amount of grounds.
The taste of a ristretto is more concentrated and sweeter while the taste of a long shot is less concentrated and more bitter.
Ristrettos have an aromatic floral smell while long shots have a similar smell.
The extraction time for a ristretto is shorter, which avoids making the coffee taste bitter.
We hope this article helped you understand the difference between espresso long shots and ristrettos! If you’re still undecided, why not try both and see which one you prefer?
Filed under: espressoristrettolong shot