8 Popular Espresso Drinks - A Beginner's Guide
Espresso drinks are an exclusive coffee drink that contains at least one shot of espresso that are "pulled" from an espresso machine.
The most well-known espresso drinks are the Cappuccino (Caffe Latte), Mocha (Caffe Mocha), however there are many more and everyone seems to have a personal preferred.
We've compiled a list of some of the most loved types of espresso drinks. We've got everything from the good old latte to the more sophisticated macchiato with an espresso cocktail mixed with. You may be in need of a refresher about coffee drink types. If you're trying to make these at home You can follow the recipe to learn more. These recipes are part of our Barista Series where we teach you how to make coffeehouse-quality drinks at home. Are you ready to drink?
Espresso
We'll begin by explaining espresso, the main ingredient in every drink below. Espresso is a method of making coffee. It's a method for making coffee in which a tiny quantity of boiling water is pushed through finely ground coffee under pressure.
Coffee is ground to a fine powder and then is tamped to form a "puck" before being placed in the espresso maker. Once the machine is engaged, it delivers water with a high stability temperature through a mechanical pump. To push the coffee through the espresso machine, it employs 9 bars of pressure to fill the area above the espresso puck.
In essence, an incredibly balanced shot of espresso is meant to sip by itself. How is the taste? Yes, it is strong. The ratio of 1:1 coffee to water is much less concentrated than a standard cup of filter coffee (closer to 1:15 ratio). Besides being strong espresso will have a distinct and balanced flavor profile underneath that shiny crema on its top.
Espresso is served in small cups named demitasses, which holds around 2 -3 fluid ounces, the volume of a double, or a triple espresso shot. The best espresso cups are made from porcelain, or double wall tempered glass.
Latte
A latte is described as a coffee drink consisting of espresso, steamed milk, as well as a layer of foam. It is made up of 1/3 espresso and 2/3 steamed , topped with a the foam layered over the top.
One special thing to note about one of the most popular latte drinks is the kind of foam that you're hoping to obtain. The milk must have a texture that is similar to microfoam. It isn't easy to achieve that texture without steamers. We'll demonstrate how you can achieve this using various tools you may have.
Americano
A Americano is an espresso drink made of hot espresso and hot water. It's often referred to as Caffe Americano. The drink can be made with either one or two shots of espresso, as well as varying amounts of water. The diluted dark espresso roast brings the flavor closer to drip coffee, which might be where the name originated! Although it is not clear where the term originated however, it is believed to have originated in the 1970s. The coffee's strength is closer to the characteristics of drip coffees.
Can an Americano permitted to drink milk? Never. A true Americano does not include milk like a latte, cappuccino, or macchiato. Although you can add milk, it is not the original recipe for this drink.
Espresso Macchiato
Caffe macchiato, also known as espresso macchiato is a shot espresso, topped off with frothed milk. Italian for "stained" macchiato translates to "stained". It refers to the foam of milk that is included in the espresso. According to some sources, the macchiato was designed as a method of drinking espresso until the end of the day.
A latte macchiato in contrast is a macchiato. A latte macchiato comprises steamed milk stained with a little espresso.
Cappuccino
Cappuccino is an espresso drink which includes steamed milk, milk foam and espresso. It's a lot like a cafe latte (cafe latte) however, the proportion of steamed milk is different. This is a comparison between an espresso and a latte.
Cappuccino is prepared using equal amounts of espresso, steamed milk and foam ( 1/3 each).
1/3 espresso, 2/3 steamed milk, and a thin layer of foam comprise the components of the lattes. This chart will assist you in understanding the concept!
The differences between the two drinks are pretty subtle, and so is the taste.
Flat White
A flat white is a coffee drink made with espresso, steam milk, and a layer of foam on top. It's similar to a cappuccino and latte, but has a thinner layer of foam on top. Modern coffee shops often blur the lines between these three kinds of coffee drinks. The major distinctions between flat whites and latte include:
Flat White is the least foamy with around 1/4 inch of microfoam at the top. The milk that is steamed is stretched 20-25percent.
Latte is medium frothy with about 3/8 inch microfoam on top. It is possible to stretch the milk by 25-35 percent.
Cappuccino should be frothy but not foamy. It should have about half an inch of foam on top. The milk that has been steamed is stretched the greatest of all three, with around 30-50%..
Mocha Latte
Mocha, also known as mocha latte is a beverage that is made from espresso and steamed milk that's flavored with chocolate syrup. There are many variations regarding what constitutes a "mocha": it's entirely up to the barista! It can be made using varying levels of espresso shots, quantities of steamed milk and amounts of chocolate syrup. The mocha rose to popularity through Starbucks culture starting in the 1980's in America.
Red Eye Coffee
Red eye coffee is a coffee beverage that combines drip coffee and two or more shots of espresso. This is likely to refer to a trip called "red eye," which is an overnight flight with an airline that causes passengers to have tired eyes.
There are a few variations to the title of this drink that are referring to the number of espresso shots. The red eye is one shot while black eye takes 2 shots and dead eye, or green eye, is 3 shots. However, if you're dining at the cafe, you'll be able to order the "red eye coffee" and indicate the number of espresso shots you'd like. Once again, this cup contains drip coffee and 1, 3 or 2 espresso shots, based on the strength desired.