What is Doppio?
A doppio espresso is quite simply two shots of espresso. It’s the ideal drink for anyone that loves espresso but wishes their drink would last longer. A doppio has the same great taste and the exact ratio of coffee to water as an espresso; there’s just more of it.
The doppio is so popular that it’s becoming the standard way of serving espresso worldwide.
Where does doppio come from?
The name doppio means ”double” in Italian and refers to a double shot or two espresso shots. In Italy, ordering un caffe will get you a single espresso, and ordering a doppio (pronounced DOH-pee-oh) will get you a double shot.
It gets confusing that outside of Italy, a 60 ml shot is becoming the standard serve of espresso. It’s also the case for many cafe-style drinks—for instance, lattes, which now tend to have a double shot as their base.
In my opinion you should always make a double and never even touch the single spouted portafilter.
An espresso doppio at Starbucks is slightly smaller than elsewhere at 45 ml, but it is still double the size of their solo espresso, which is 22 ml.
How do you prepare a doppio?
- Espresso machine
- Double portafilter basket
- 20g coffee beans
- Coffee grinder
AT A GLANCE:
BREW TIME:
3 minutes
YIELD
1 cup
How to make a doppio:
- Grind your beans to a medium-fine grind, exactly as you would for espresso.
- Fill and tamp a double portafilter and place it into the espresso maker.
- Place the scale under your cup and start the extraction.
- Stop the extraction when you reach a volume of 60 ml, which should take around 25-30 seconds.
What are the differences between doppio and Americano?
The main difference between the doppio and Americano is the addition of hot water. An Americano is made by pulling a shot of espresso into a 175-236 ml glass and topping it with hot water. As a result, it has a much less concentrated coffee taste than a doppio. An Americano made using a single shot of espresso contains 70-80 mg of caffeine, compared to 140-160 mg for a doppio espresso.
If you’re looking for another version of a less concentrated espresso, you may want to read up on the lungo.
What is the difference between doppio and espresso?
The only difference between doppio and espresso is the serving size. Traditionally an espresso is 30 m, and a doppio is 60 ml. A doppio and espresso are made with the same ratio of coffee to water and have the same taste, aroma, and concentration of caffeine. The only difference is in the levels of caffeine. Due to the larger serving size, a doppio espresso contains 140-160mg of caffeine, which is more than 70-80 mg for a single espresso.
What are the differences between doppio and ristretto?
The critical difference between doppio and ristretto is the ratio of coffee to water. A ristretto is a more concentrated coffee made by extracting coffee and water at a 1:1 ratio. A doppio uses the same ratio as a regular espresso, at 1:1.5-1:2. A ristretto means a shorter extraction time, which can highlight different flavours in the beans, making them richer and sweeter.
FAQs
You should drink a maximum of 2-3 doppios per day. The recommended daily caffeine intake for an adult is 400 mg, and a 60 ml doppio can contain between 140-160 mg of caffeine. If you want to get the doppio experience without the total amount of caffeine, you can switch to decaf. A 60 ml doppio made with decaffeinated beans contains 10-30 mg of caffeine.
It’s not possible to make a doppio at home without a machine. Doppio is an espresso, and you can only make authentic espresso using the 9 bars of pressure created by an espresso machine. You can make espresso-style coffee at home with a Nespresso machine, Moka pot, or French press, in which case a doppio would be a larger serving.
A doppio tastes precisely like an espresso, with a concentrated coffee taste and aroma. A well-extracted doppio will have a palate balanced between sweet, acidic, and bitter. The individual flavour notes will depend on the espresso beans used and can be anything from sweet and fruity to earthy and nutty.
