Top 5 Different Types of Coffee, Explained

I don't know about the rest of you, but if you give me a menu with a list of coffee drinks and ask me to order, I will most definitely greet you with a blank look on my face because I simply don't know which is which and the damned difference between them. So, I decided to educate myself on coffee drinks and here's what I found out. You're welcome. 

Here are the top 5 different types of coffee, explained.

ESPRESSO

Espresso is the starting point of most coffee drinks. It has no milk and is probably the purest form of coffee. It is brewed by an espresso machine that forces a small amount of boiling water under high pressure through a finely ground consistency of coffee. It has a thick texture, high concentration and sometimes a bit of crème (an oily texture found at the top of espresso). Espresso is generally served in a small, petite cup. 

AMERICANO

An Americano is a style of coffee prepared by adding hot water to espresso. It's said to have originated when the American fleet was in Europe during World War II. At the time, American taste buds weren't quite ready for the strong taste of espresso, so a more diluted version of the drink was created. The strength of an Americano depends on the number of shots of espresso added to the water.

CAPPUCCINO

Cappuccino is basically an espresso-based drink with a surface topped with foamed milk, often garnished with a type of ground spice (generally cinnamon or nutmeg). In a cappuccino, the espresso is poured at the bottom of the cup, followed by an equal amount of hot milk, which is prepared by creating a froth using an espresso machine steam wand. This foamed surface of the drink is generally decorated with drawings made with the same milk. Cappuccino can be classified into two kinds: wet and dry cappuccino, depending on the amount of milk used in the coffee. Wet cappuccino has a greater quantity of milk whereas dry cappuccino has a smaller quantity of milk giving the coffee a stronger flavour profile.

CAFÉ LATTE

A latte is made with espresso and steamed milk. It has more milk than cappuccino. The steamed milk is added slowly, mixing the milk and the shot of espresso, leaving just a small amount of foam on top. In simpler terms, latte is oversized cappuccino, minus the foam.

CAFÉ MOCHA

Café mocha is similar to a café latte where a portion of chocolate is added, usually in the form of sweet cocoa powder or chocolate syrup. Mochas can contain dark or milk chocolate. 

A lot of coffee shops use flavours like vanilla, hazelnut and many more. Café mocha usually has milk froth on top but sometimes they're served with whipped cream instead, topped with a dusting of either cinnamon or cocoa powder.

Nazifa Raidah is a paranoid teen, who obsesses over oven baked pasta by day and still checks for monsters underneath her bed at night. Send her life advice at nazifa45678@gmail.com