All the Different Types of Coffee Drinks

Espresso, cappuccino, latte machiatto... You feel lost in all these names for a coffee? Don't panic, we'll explain it all...

Espresso, cappuccino, latte machiatto...

You feel lost in all these names for a coffee?

Don't panic, we'll explain it all to you!

You should know that coffee is a source of disagreement on almost every point of a recipe: best aromatic profile, quantity of espresso in a cup, addition of milk or not...

So we'll give you some figures for your information only!
Nothing prevents you from making your own recipes. After all, coffee is a passion, an art that keeps thousands of people awake and that can be customized in many ways!

As we say at Ma Caféine, to each his own!

Espresso	Espresso is best known for being short and powerful. A good espresso can be recognized by the strength of its aromas, its balance between body and bitterness, and its beautiful crema.	30 ml of espresso
Ristretto	The ristretto, also known as a strong coffee, is prepared with the same amount of coffee as a simple espresso, but with half the amount of water. You get a more intense coffee, but with less bitterness than an espresso.	15 ml of espresso
Cortado	The cortado accentuates and enhances the flavor of an espresso. The addition of milk(not frothed but just steamed) tempers the aroma and texture of the espresso without overpowering it, resulting in a dense and flavorful drink.	60 ml of espresso 30 ml of non-foamed milk
Lungo	Lungo coffee (or long coffee) is the opposite of ristretto. Same amount of ground coffee as an espresso, with twice as much water! You get a"filter" coffee, less intense and less aromatic than an espresso, and clearer.	90 ml of less concentrated espresso
Americano	Americano (or American coffee) is an espresso-based coffee that is similar to a lungo, but with hot water added. The intensity and caffeine content are roughly similar to a filter coffee, but Americano has more body, with richer flavors and more acidity. Legend has it that American soldiers based in Italy during World War II added water to the local espresso to match the intensity of the filter coffee back home.	60 ml of espresso 90 ml of hot water
Cappuccino	It is composed of a double espresso and hot milk , finishing with a milk foam. It is sometimes sprinkled with cocoa. It is a sweet and frothy coffee, which has the oldest history, its origins dating back to at least the 18th century in Vienna. It was prepared at the time with a very strong filter coffee, whipped cream and various spices. Its original German name is kapuziner, referring to the brown robes of Capuchin monks.	60 ml of espresso 60 ml of hot milk 60 ml of milk foam
Macchiato coffee	Macchiato means speckled/spotted in Italian. This is a subtle recipe, ideal for toning down the known characteristics of an espresso, namely intensity and bitterness. A little milkfoam adds a little sweetness to your coffee, without drowning it in milk. The espresso remains very present in the mouth, the milk only serves to enhance it	60 ml of Espresso 30 ml of milk foam
Latte coffee	Unlike a cappuccino, a latte contains more hot milk, with little or no milk foam. Be careful though, if you ask for a latte in Italy, there's a good chance you'll get a glass of milk!	60 ml of espresso 90-180 ml of hot milk milk foam (your choice)
Coffee with milk	As the name suggests, this is a filter coffee with hot milkadded.	150 ml fresh filter coffee 150 ml of hot milk
Flat White	This is a newcomer to the world of coffee! Prepared from full-bodied ristretto (often double) and frothed milkthat is poured into the coffee. Its foam is lighter and more velvety than that of a cappuccino, allowing the crema to be preserved. It requires milk that is sufficiently fatty and rich to produce a smooth foam, the primary characteristic of flat white. A great challenge for Baristas.	30 ml of double ristretto 150 ml of milk foam
Mocaccino	An espresso base to which chocolate can be added during preparation or cocoa powder can be mixed with the espresso before pouring the milk. You can also replace some of the hot milk with melted chocolate. There are several ways to prepare it according to your taste. You can use dark chocolate (more bitter), white chocolate (sweeter), or even mix the two for a marbled drink! You can then decorate it with milk foam, chocolate chips, mini marshmallows... It's a drink for gourmets!	60 ml of espresso 150 ml of hot milk 1 to 2 teaspoons of cocoa
Irish coffee	What makes this coffee special? The thick, cold cream that floats on top of the hot, sweet, alcoholic coffee. A true delight! Irish coffee was created in 1940 at Shannon Airport, Ireland, after a flight was cancelled on a particularly cold winter night. Joe Sheridan, the owner of a local coffee shop, had the idea of adding whiskey to the coffee he was serving to chilled passengers. When one of the passengers, warmed up and comforted, asked him if it was a Brazilian coffee, he answered with confidence that it was an Irish coffee! An American barman later recreated the recipe in 1950.	150 ml black filter coffee 60 ml Irish whiskey 60 ml cream 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
Viennese coffee	For this coffee, two shots of strong espresso, topped with a good layer of whipped cream (cold), and sprinkled with cocoa. Compared to the Irish coffee, it is a shorter and more bitter coffee. Viennese coffee is an emblematic drink of the cafés of Vienna, Austria. They are true gastronomic institutions and are even listed as a cultural heritage site by UNESCO.	60 ml of espresso Whipped cream
Affogato	This is an Italian dessert made by pouring espresso over a scoop of vanilla ice cream! All you need is a good, strong espresso and a high quality ice cream to impress your guests! You can also add a little liqueur (usually amaretto) or syrup (if you don't want alcohol). Very pretty to look at, the melting ice, mixed with the coffee, draws pretty patterns.	60 ml of espresso 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream

Lexicon used:

Acidity: Since coffee is a fruit, it is rich in sugar, and acidity. Most coffee varieties are acidic, with an average pH of 4.85 to 5.10.
Acidity and bitterness are often confused. To put it simply, acidity"stings", it is a taste found in lemon, apple or vinegar.
A balanced acidity, and a sweetness present in the cup is a sign of a quality coffee. It is especially present in 100% Arabica.

Bitter / bitterness: Bitterness is one of the four fundamental tastes, just like acidity. It is detected at the back of the mouth, it is often present in dark roasts, and coffees with a robusta dominance. It can be accompanied by a dry mouth, and gives the taste a harsh sensation.

Aroma / Aromatic: Smells, flavors that emanate from a brewed coffee. The aromas develop at the time of the roasting under the effect of heat. They stimulate the sense of smell and taste, contributing greatly to the pleasure of tasting a coffee.

Barista: Specialist in the preparation of coffee and its different recipes, such as flat white or cappuccino. It is the sommelier of coffee who has an extensive knowledge of coffee, coffee blends, espresso, quality, coffee varieties, roasting degree, coffee extraction, preservation, latte art...

Body: This is a physical impression in the mouth. The body of the coffee indicates a certain heaviness, thickness in the mouth, and which gives sensations on the tongue. We speak of a coffee that has body often for dark roasts

Full-bodied: A full-bodied coffee has several aromas and flavors that are felt in the mouth.

Crema: Crema is the creamy caramel-colored foam on top of a good espresso. It is actually the fat in the coffee from the extraction of the oil from the beans at the time of brewing.

Filter:

Intense: An espresso is intense when it has a full body, rich flavor and significant aromatic feel.
A scale is normally used to define intensity levels:

1 to 4: light-bodied coffee with a delicate flavor.
5 to 7: balanced coffee, rich in flavor.
8 to 10: full-bodied coffee with a generous aroma.

Strong: This is a strong coffee, most often an espresso, prepared with the usual amount of grind, but using less water. We would say a strong espresso if we use a little less water.

Texture: The texture of a coffee is what it makes us feel physically in the mouth, like when we say it has body for example.