Albino Espresso
So I finally managed to track down and sample some ‘white espresso’ the other day. Ancora serves it in their White Zombie drink. I had it served two shots served over ice.
First, it should be explained that ‘white espresso’ (or Albino espresso, or cafe bianco or a variety of similar terms) is made from coffee beans that are underroasted. This causes the beans to be so hard that they must be ground with special grinders. This also means (from what I’ve read) that the caffeine content is roughly triple that of regular espresso. I first heard about this drink here: (http://www.thedailypage.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=45984&start=30 ) via a person named bitcharista.
When I ordered it, it was an odd enough request that it I had to reassure the girl at the register. Having tasted the drink, I realize that very few people would enjoy this.
The barista cleaned out the portafilter, pulled out a plastic container of ground Albino espresso and poured some into the portafilter. She didn’t tamp it, just brewed it.
It does not look or taste at all like coffee, or any kind of coffee byproduct. It was a light yellowish color, a little milky, and smelled like Honey Nut Cheerios with a slightly fermented bite. It tasted like some kind of odd tea (I’ve heard it described as similar to ‘peanut tea’ but I’ve never had that, so can’t compare it). Very light flavor, not a very pleasant one to my palette. I didn’t get much of a caffeine buzz, but I’ve read things about how it’s a milder buzz and also arguments that less bean is used to brew a shot.
Not something I ever see myself ordering again, but at least now I can say I’ve had it.
