What is a Ristretto Shot?
Ristretto is an intense shot of espresso served black. You make ristretto the same way you make an espresso: with an espresso machine. But the volume is smaller than a typical espresso. A ristretto shot has a volume of 15 to 20 mL, while espresso is 25 to 35 mL, but you make both with the same amount of ground coffee. Because the ristretto shot is more concentrated, it is richer and sweeter. It is distinct from a short shot, simply a smaller espresso that is not more concentrated.
What kind of coffee is a ristretto shot?
A ristretto shot is an espresso-based coffee drink. It is a highly concentrated form of coffee, usually served without any added milk or sweeteners. It is traditionally made with dark roast coffee beans, but various types of coffee can be used.
The flavor of a ristretto is not the same as an espresso; it is stronger and sweeter. This occurs for three reasons:
- The first part of any extraction is the most concentrated, as you will see if you prepare any espresso-based drink.
- The flavour compounds that extract fastest will be more prominent in a ristretto, and the slower extracting compounds tend to be the ones that contribute to bitterness.
- A ristretto will also contain fewer chemical compounds overall than a longer extraction, thus leading to a different balance of tastes and aromas.
Where does ristretto shot coffee come from?
The ristretto is a traditional Italian espresso drink. The word ristretto means “restricted” in Italian because the ristretto uses a finer grinder that results in a restricted flow compared with an espresso. In French, this drink is called a café serré, which means a “tight coffee.” It is the smallest of all the types of coffee drinks.
Ristretto gained popularity in North America in the 1980s thanks to David Schomer, owner of Seattle’s famous Espresso Vivace café. Schomer has described a properly prepared ristretto shot as the finest of coffee extracts, saying it has “the ability to preserve the fragrance of the roast, and caramelised sugars, through the brewing process into a thick chiffon with a silky mouth-feel.”
How to Make a ristretto shot coffee
A ristretto shot coffee is made using an espresso machine and very finely ground coffee beans. The exact steps to follow are presented below.
- 20 g very finely ground coffee
- Water
- Espresso machine
- Coffee scale
AT A GLANCE
BREW TIME
5 minutes
YIELD
Double ristretto shot
Extra notes:
- Coffee needs to be ground extra fine for a ristretto shot, so you won’t be able to buy pre-ground coffee at the grocery store. It needs to be ground fresh using a burr grinder.
Step 1: Prepare your espresso machine
Ensure you fill the espresso machine’s reservoir with cold, filtered water. Turn the machine on and wait for it to come to temperature. This can take up to 45 minutes, depending on the machine.
Using hot water, you can also preheat your espresso cup, also known as a demitasse. Because a ristretto shot is so small in volume, it will cool too quickly if the cup is cold.
Step 2: Prepare the portafilter
Add the 20 grams of ground coffee to the espresso machine’s portafilter. Tamp it down using approximately 30 pounds of pressure. Twist the portafilter into the espresso machine.
Step 3: Pull the shot
Start pulling the shot. You should stop for a 20-gram dose when you have about 30 mL of espresso in your cup. If you don’t have a volumetric espresso machine, the easiest way to measure this is to use a coffee scale. 30 mL of water weighs 30 grams.
What is the difference between a ristretto shot and an espresso?
The difference between a ristretto shot is the amount of water pressed through the ground coffee to produce the shot. Ristretto uses half to three-quarters the amount of water, making it “shorter” than espresso. A ristretto is made with a more finely ground coffee and is said to taste sweeter than espresso.
To learn more, check out our article on what is an espresso.
What is the difference between a ristretto shot and a lungo?
The difference between a ristretto and a lungo is the water used. Ristretto is made with half the amount of water used for espresso, whereas lungo is made with double water. Because the ristretto is extracted with less water, it often has lighter tasting notes, such as fruit and sweetness. A lungo will have deeper flavours, like chocolate, nuts, and caramel.
The lungo is often confused with the doppio, a coffee drink that is composed of a double espresso shot.
Related: What is a Lungo? Where Did It Originate?
What are the unique benefits of a ristretto shot?
Because it is so concentrated, a ristretto shot is a fast and effective way to consume the caffeine and antioxidants found in coffee beans. These can help improve the immune system, manage blood pressure, and ward off many diseases. You may also experience increased mental alertness and an energy boost.
A ristretto shot is very low in calories, and it contains no fats or sugars. It is a good way to consume coffee if you are worried about your caloric intake or trying to limit certain macronutrients – as on a low-carb or low-fat diet, for example.
What are the side effects when you drink a ristretto shot?
There are some possible negative side effects when drinking a ristretto shot. They can be categorised as low risk and high risk.
The Low-Risk Side Effects are:
- anxiety
- insomnia
- nausea
- restlessness
The High-Risk Side Effects are:
- decrease in bone density
- severe headache
FAQs
Yes, a ristretto has coffee in it, and it is an espresso-based drink made from 20 grams (for a double ristretto) or 10 grams (for a single shot) of ground coffee beans.
No, a ristretto shot coffee does not contain sugar, and it is an espresso drink made solely of extracted coffee beans and water. A double ristretto contains just four calories. If you add milk or cream to your ristretto shot, you will add fat, calories, and the naturally occurring sugars found in dairy.
A ristretto coffee’s taste is typically described as bolder, more flavourful, and with a sweeter tone than espresso. And it is noticeably less bitter. Because the extraction uses less water, fewer chemical compounds are extracted from the ground coffee beans. The compounds that contribute to bitter flavours are thus less present in a ristretto.
Yes, ristretto is a strong coffee if you’re referring to flavour. Because it is so concentrated, its flavour is much stronger than brewed coffee and even stronger than espresso. However, in terms of caffeine content, it has slightly less caffeine than espresso due to the lesser extraction.
