8 Popular Espresso Drinks - A Beginner's Guide

Espresso drinks are a specialty coffee drink that includes several shots of espresso, which are "pulled" from the espresso machine.

The most popular espresso drinks are the Cappuccino, Latte (Caffe Latte), and Mocha (Caffe Mocha), however there are many others, and everyone seems to have their own preferred drink.

We've put together a list of the most popular kinds of espresso drinks. You can pick from the classic latte , the sophisticated macchiato. You can also try an espresso cocktail. You may be in need of a refresher about the different types of coffee drinks. If you're looking to make these drinks at home, you can click the recipe below to learn more. The recipes form part of our Barista Series where we teach you how to make coffeehouse-quality drinks at home. Are you ready to start drinking?

Espresso

Let's begin by discussing espresso, the principal ingredient in all drinks below. Espresso is a method of brewing coffee. This is a method of making coffee with a tiny amount (or near boiling) of water as well as freshly ground coffee under pressure.

Coffee is ground into small particles and tamped into"puck "puck" before being placed inside the espresso machine. Once the machine is engaged with water, it is delivered at an extremely stable temperature via a pump. To push the coffee through, the espresso machine uses 9 bars of pressure to fill the space over the puck of espresso.

The essence of a perfectly balanced shot of espresso is intended to drink on its own. What is the flavor? The taste? Along with being strong the espresso shot is expected to have a rich and balanced taste profile underneath that glossy crema on the 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 a coffee drink that contains espresso, steamed milk , and the foam layer on top. It is made up of 1/3 espresso and 2/3 steamed , topped with a an incredibly thin layer of foam over it.

The latte you choose should be made with an exact type of foam. The milk must have a texture that looks like microfoam. It isn't easy to achieve this kind of texture without the steamer. We'll show how to achieve it with different tools that you might have.

Americano

A Americano is an espresso drink that is made from hot espresso and water, sometimes referred to as a Caffe Americano. The drink is made by using either one or two shots espresso, as well as varying amounts of water. The diluted dark espresso roast will bring the taste closer to drip coffee, This could be the reason for the name! While it's unclear what the origins of the word are, it is believed to have come into existence in the 1970s. The strength of the coffee is more similar to the characteristics of drip coffees.

Does an Americano include milk? Never. A true Americano does not include milk like a latte, cappuccino, or macchiato. It is possible to add milk if you want however it's not the original form of the drink.

Espresso Macchiato

Caffe macchiato, also known as espresso macchiato is a shot espresso topped with frothed milk. Italian for "stained" macchiato translates to "stained". This is in reference to the foam of milk that is included in the espresso. According to some sources, the macchiato originated as a method of drinking espresso into the afternoon.

A latte macchiato, however, is a macchiato. A latte macchiato comprises steaming milk that is colored with espresso.

Cappuccino

A cappuccino is a drink made that is made with steamed milk, foamy milk and espresso. While it's very like a caffe latte (cafe-latte), the ratio of steamed milk in a cappuccino is different. Here is the comparison between an espresso and a latte.

Cappuccino is made using equal quantities of espresso, steamed milk as well as foam ( 1/3 each).

1/3 espresso, 2/3 steamed milk and a thin layer foam are the key ingredients of a latte. This chart will aid you in understanding it!

The flavors as well as the distinctions in the drinks are subtle.

Flat White

Flat whites are drinks made of coffee that include espresso, steamed milk as well as a layer of foam. It's akin to cappuccino and latte, but has a less dense layer of foam on top. Modern coffee shops often blur the distinction between these three types of coffee drinks. Generally, the major differences between a flat white vs cappuccino vs latte:

Flat White has a 1/4 inch of microfoam at the top. The steamed milk can be stretched between 20 and 25 percent.

Latte is medium frothy, with 3/8-inch of microfoam on top. The milk that has been steamed is stretched 25-35%.

Cappuccino is not frothy, but it is foamy. It has about 1/2 inch of microfoam in the its top. The milk that has been steamed is stretched the longest of the three, at 30 to 50%..

Mocha Latte

A mocha or mocha latte drink is that is made from espresso and steamed milk that's flavoring with chocolate syrup. The barista can make many variations on the definition of mocha. It is possible to make this drink by using different levels of espresso shots, different quantities of steamed milk and different amounts of chocolate syrup. Starbucks culture has seen the mocha gain popularity since the 1980s.

Red Eye Coffee

Red eye coffee is a drink that combines drip coffee and two or one shot of espresso. The name could be referring to a flight dubbed "red eye," which is an overnight flight on an airline that causes passengers to have tired eyes.

The number of espresso shots used in this drink can be varied by the name: Red eye is one shot, while Black Eye has two shots, and Dead Eye or Green Eye has three shots. However, if you're dining at a coffeeshop, you should be able to simply order a "red eye coffee" and specify the number of espresso shots that you'd like to have. This coffee consists of drip coffee, one to three espresso shots, depending upon the desired strength.