Customers across the globe are swooning over Starbucks’ new blonde espresso roast. For the first time in more than four decades, Starbucks has introduced a blonde espresso roast. Having a flat white or a vanilla latte blonde instead of the regular espresso is now an option. But what is the difference between Blonde Espresso vs Regular? You’ll find the answer in this article!
The Main Difference Between Blonde Espresso and Regular
In terms of roast, blonde espresso is a lighter roast than ordinary espresso. Blonde Espresso is a blend of East African and Latin American coffee beans, and it has a smooth, creamy, mellow, and sweet taste. Dark-roasted beans from Latin America and the Pacific area are used to make the original normal espresso, which has a richer taste with caramel notes.
What is Blonde Espresso?
Blonde espresso roast refers to a light roast coffee that gets its name from the color it takes on being roasted. As far as Starbucks is concerned, the brew is just as excellent as traditional espresso in terms of caffeine and flavor. It has a somewhat sweet, smooth, and mellow coffee flavor due to its shorter brewing time. Blonde espresso can be used to make any drink, as long as it’s used to make regular espresso, like a mocha. Blonde Espresso can be used to make a latte because it doesn’t have to fight with other flavors.
How is Blonde Espresso Made?
To make blonde espresso, green coffee beans are roasted at 350°F to 400°F. The Maillard process is started around 400°F, which aids in the creation of flavor. There is an audible and visible cracking sound after 3 to 5 minutes of roasting, caused by the beans losing their water content. After the crack, the Blonde roast is taken out of the oven.
The roasting time and temperature are sufficient to produce more than 800 taste components in food. But they’re not enough to reduce the acidity of the coffee beans or convert the sucralose in the beans to caramelized compounds. As a result, the blonde roast has a more delicate body, a more delicate citrus flavor, and a higher acidity.
Making Blonde Espresso At Home
Starbucks’ Blonde Espresso is a signature mix. While a blend of identical coffee beans may be used to mimic the flavor, it will never be as good as the real thing.
Fortunately, Starbucks is now offering its Blonde Espresso mix in a variety of ways. Coffee pods, ground coffee, and whole beans are all available.
You may now make Blonde Espresso at home in any of the available formats.
Tips For When Making Blonde Espresso
- Starbucks uses almond milk and vanilla syrup to produce the blonde beverages on its menu because they pair nicely with blonde espresso.
- Drip coffee machines may be used to create brewed blonde coffee for a smoother and more caffeinated cup. You may use whole espresso beans in a drip machine even if the bag says “espresso.”. If you’re using an espresso machine, you’ll need to ground the beans differently.
- Grinding blonde roast coffee may be a challenge. Using a manual grinder, you will note that the beans are a little denser than dark-roasted beans.
Differences Between Regular Espresso And Blonde Espresso
There are a number of differences between Blonde Espresso and standard espresso in terms of the roast, blend, the origin of the coffee beans, flavor, color, taste, and other things.
Roast (Regular Espresso vs Blonde Espresso)
Coffee is green while it’s raw; when heated in the roaster, it becomes a rich brown color. The roasting characteristics of each and every espresso mix are unique. If you want to produce blonde espresso, the best method to do it is to roast the grounds at low temperatures for a short time, whereas for ordinary espresso, use dark roasts roasted longer. Regular espresso has a deeper color and a more intense, long-lasting flavor. Blonde espresso has a creamy, smooth texture and a milder flavor to emphasize its inherent sweetness.
The Blend(Regular Espresso vs Blonde Espresso)
The mix used for either the blonde or standard espresso is different. For a bold and sweet taste, standard espresso uses coffee beans, whereas blonde espresso uses coffee beans for a smooth and balanced sweetness with citrus notes as the primary flavoring ingredient
Level of caffeine (Regular Espresso vs Blonde Espresso)
Your espresso’s caffeine content may be determined by inspecting the coffee bean used for extraction. There is a correlation between the color of the coffee bean and its caffeine content. As a result, the caffeine content of the blonde espresso is likely to be higher. There is 360mg of caffeine in Starbucks’ grand blonde espresso, compared to 260mg in the usual dark roast1. Blonde Espressos are not low in caffeine because they are light roasts, as some people believe. These coffees are naturally sweet, yet the caffeine content is on level with dark roasts.
Taste (Regular Espresso vs Blonde Espresso)
For its flavor and delicious delight, blonde espresso is rising in favor nowadays. Compared to the usual espresso, it has a more delicate flavor and is a touch sweeter. Espresso produced with dark roasts, which have a strong and roasted taste, is the norm in most cafes. Blonde espresso is a great alternative for espresso drinkers who want a milder cup of coffee but still want to get their daily dose of caffeine. Because it isn’t as bitter as other espressos, the Blonde is more delicious and citrusy. In cold and hot latte drinks, it will offer you a boost of energy thanks to its caramel flavor and orange and lemon flavor.
Appearance (Regular Espresso vs Blonde Espresso)
Blonde espressos are made using light brown or beige beans, whereas conventional espressos are made with dark brown beans. As a result of a shorter roasting time, blonde espresso beans are less oily than ordinary espresso beans.
Flavors (Regular Espresso vs Blonde Espresso)
Both ordinary espresso and blonde espresso have distinct roast characteristics, which result in distinct tastes. The flavor of this blonde espresso is delicately sweet and smooth. Compared to traditional espresso, which is rich, dark, caramel-sweet, with hints of chocolate and nut flavors, this has a milder roast and citrus notes.
Espresso drinkers who aren’t merely looking to boost their caffeine intake will like the mild flavor of the blonde espresso. In comparison to ordinary espresso, which has a deeper, fuller caramel taste, this one has a floral and citrus aroma and flavor. For those who don’t like espresso’s full flavor but still want a cup of coffee with a little cream and sugar, blonde espresso is the solution.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Calories Does Blonde Espresso Have?
There are around 5 calories and no sugars in a single shot of blonde espresso. The number of calories in a double shot of coffee is often doubled at coffee shops. In the case of a latte or cappuccino, these figures shift dramatically when using a blonde espresso as the base.
Is Blonde Espresso Stronger?
There is less depth of taste in the blonde roast when compared to the darker one. Those who don’t like the bitterness of coffee will like this brew since it is less bitter and smoky. The flavor is powerful and smooth, and it contains more caffeine per shot than standard espresso.
Is Blonde Roast Only for Espresso?
For the best results, use an espresso machine with Starbucks Blonde Espresso Roast. Espresso machines are the best way to make coffee, even though you can use a French press or a Moka pot.
What Affects The Strength Of The Blonde Espresso?
The length of roasting, brewing, and caffeine source all influence the intensity of a blonde espresso. Caffeine extraction and brew stringing are affected by water temperature. Blonde espresso is less bitter than darker roasts because of its lighter roasting. A medium or light roast is perfect for blonde espresso, but bear in mind that caffeine content stays consistent.
Why Is Blonde Espresso Popular?
Coffee isn’t for everyone, particularly if it’s prepared from the darker and more bitter roasts. As a Starbucks customer, Not everyone likes coffee, particularly if it is made from dark and bitter roasts. You may be wondering why individuals like the new Starbucks espresso roast over the classic espresso. Beginners or experimenters may like the blonde espresso due to its smooth, light appearance and citrus notes.
With certain beverages, blonde espresso blends better than others due to its acidic sweetness. Blonde espressos are bright and dark, perfect for iced beverages like the Americano. So it’s perfect for those who can’t live without having a cup of iced coffee
Takeaway
Changing up your daily espresso routine by experimenting with different coffee roasts may be a fun way to re-energise your taste buds and experience something new. Different coffee roasts have unique and distinct flavors, so you may choose the one that best suits your needs and preferences.
