Walk into any specialty café and you might overhear words like ristretto, normale, or lungo. They’re not secret menu items—they’re all about brew ratios.

Think of it like this:

– Ristretto – short and intense. Less water through the puck, resulting in a thicker, sweeter shot.

– Normale – the classic espresso. Balanced flavor, about a 1:2 ratio of coffee to liquid.

– Lungo – longer extraction. More water, lighter body, but can bring out extra bitterness if overdone.

The magic? Same coffee, same dose, just different amounts of water—and the taste changes completely.

Knowing your ratios can help you order (or brew) exactly the flavor and body you want.