If you are a coffee lover who has traveled to Italy, the sacred land of coffee, you would be aware of some stark differences between ordering coffee in Italy and anywhere else in the world. Numerous variants of coffee are only alive in their land of origin, such as doppio, while many a few have lately sprung in the US.
For instance, macchiato has come to describe a giant serving of milkshakes around the United States. Doppio is another unfamiliar term in many states of the country, except maybe Seattle, where this word still gets heard at once without baristas blinking blindly at the customers.
Origin of Doppio in the United States
Starbucks introduced this term in the country. Though doppio is not technically a variant of the coffee, rather implies a double espresso, this term is quite unfamiliar in states other than Seattle.
What is Doppio?
This coffee, in reality, a double shot of espresso. It is extracted from twice the amount of ground coffee made in a large portafilter. Compared to a standard espresso, a doppio yields about 60ml of coffee. So, it is an Italian multiplier of espresso. A single espresso shot is known as a solo, while if you are in a mood for some more caffeine kicking your mind in action, then get doppio!
How to Pull a Perfect Doppio?
Just like espresso, this coffee is made from fresh dark roasted coffee beans that have to be very finely grounded. People might like to order an espresso with a shot of flavor or milk sometimes; the doppio, however, is not served with either.
For a fresh serve of doppio, espresso shots have to be properly pulled and served promptly. Things that make a huge difference in how the perfect doppio shot is pulled include:
- The temperature of the water
- The freshness of the grounded coffee beans
- The coarseness of the coffee grounds
- Hardness or softness of tamping
- Pull a blank shot first (without the espresso) to heat the portafilter
- Grind the espresso beans thoroughly and fill them into the portafilter. You would want to overfill it for a perfect pull
- Settle the grounds in the portafilter by hitting on the sides of the portafilter more than once
- Now tamp the grounds hard in the filter. Do not let any loose grounds get stuck, and seal the grounds tightly.
- A perfect shot is prepared in about 18 to 23 seconds. However, check for your automated timer in your machine too.
- Pull a shot between 16 to 26 seconds, or your doppio will result in a flavorless and bitter shot. A perfect shot is sweet and shot with more intensity.
Fun Fact
Outside of Starbucks, if you find yourself ordering a doppio anywhere in the US, be sure to clarify your order.
