8 Popular Espresso Drinks - A Beginner's Guide

Espresso drinks are a specialty coffee drink, which includes at least one shot of espresso which are "pulled" from the espresso machine.

The most popular espresso drinks include Cappuccino, Latte (Caffe Latte), and Mocha (Caffe Mocha), although there are many more and each has their own personal favorite.

This is a list of the most popular espresso drinks that we put together for you. We've included everything from the good old latte to the more sophisticated macchiato with an espresso drink mixed in. You may have to refresh your knowledge about the different types of coffee drinks. If you're trying to make these yourself then click on the recipe below to learn more. The recipes form part of our Barista Series where we teach you how to make high-quality coffeehouse drinks at home. Are you ready to start drinking?

Espresso

The primary ingredient in the drinks listed below, let's start by defining espresso. The first and most important thing to understand is that Espresso is the method of brewing coffee. It's a method to make coffee in which a tiny amount of near boiling water is pushed through finely ground coffee under pressure.

Coffee is ground to the consistency of a fine powder. It is then is tamped to form"pucks "puck" prior to being put in the espresso machine. When the machine is turned on to deliver water with a high stability temperature via a pump. The space over the espresso puck is filled with water. The espresso machine uses nine bar of pressure to push water into the coffee.

A perfectly balanced espresso shot is something that you must drink. What is the flavor? The taste? A shot of espresso must not only be strong , but should also have a balanced taste and a distinct flavor profile beneath the shiny crema.

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 that includes espresso, steamed milk and a layer foam. The latte includes 1/3 espresso and 1/3 steam milk. There is also a thin layer of foam over the top.

A latte must have a specific type of foam. The milk should have a texture that appears like microfoam. It's not easy to achieve that texture without a steamer. This article will show you how you can achieve this using the various tools you have.

Americano

A Americano is an espresso drink made with hot espresso and water, also known as a Caffe Americano. You can make the drink with one or two shots espresso and varying ratios of water. The espresso's strong flavor is then diluted to create drip coffee. This could be the origin of the name. Although it is not clear which country the name originated from, it is believed to have come into existence during the 1970s. "Americano" means American in Italian or Spanish, referring to the coffee's strength being closer to an American-style drip coffee.

Does an Americano include milk? Never. A true Americano does not include milk like a latte, cappuccino, or macchiato. While you can add milk, it is not the original version of this drink.

Espresso Macchiato

A caffe macchiato or espresso macchiato is a shot of espresso topped with frothed milk. Italian meaning "stained", macchiato means "stained". This refers to the milk foam that is included in the espresso. According to some sources the macchiato was originally invented as a way to drink espresso in the afternoon.

A latte macchiato on the other hand, is a macchiato. A latte macchiato is made up of steamed milk stained with espresso.

Cappuccino

A cappuccino, also known as an espresso drink, is made that is made with steamed milk, foam from the milk, and espresso. It is, however, very similar to a caffe latte (cafe-latte), the ratio of steamed milk in a cappuccino is different. Here's a breakdown of cappuccino and latte:

Cappuccino is made using equal amounts of espresso, steaming milk, and foam ( 1/3 each).

1/3 espresso, 2/3 steamed milk and a thin layer foam are the main ingredients in the Latte. This chart can assist you in understanding the concept!

The distinctions between these two drinks are fairly subtle, and the same goes for the taste.

Flat White

Flat whites are drink made with espresso, steam milk and a layer foam on top. It's similar to cappuccino and lattes, but it has a thinner layer over the top. Coffee shops in the modern era often blur the lines between the three different types of coffee drinks. The major differences between flat white and latte is:

Flat White is the least fluffy, and has about 1/4 inch microfoam at the top. The steamed milk is stretched between 20 to 25 percent.

Latte is medium frothy, with about 3/8 inch of microfoam at top. Spread the milk out 25-35%.

Cappuccino should be creamy, but not foamy. It should contain about half an inch of foam on the top. The steamed milk of 30 to 50 percent, is by far the most stretched of the three.

Mocha Latte

A mocha or mocha latte, is a drink made of espresso and steamed milk that is colored with chocolate syrup. There's a myriad of variations in what is a mocha; it's all up to the barista! It is possible to make this drink using different espresso shots, various amounts of steamed milk , and various quantities of chocolate syrup. Mocha became popular due to Starbucks culture beginning in the 1980's in America.

Red Eye Coffee

Red eye coffee is a coffee drink that mixes drip coffee with one or two shots of espresso. The name could refer to taking a "red eye flight," an air traveler's flight that is over night, causing passengers to be tired and have red eyes.

The amount of espresso shots in this drink can be varied by the name: Red Eye is one shot, Black Eye has two shots, and Dead Eye or the Green Eye is three shots. If you order at a coffeeshop, however you can just select "red eye coffee" with the option of specifying how many espresso shots you want. This coffee includes: drip coffee, 1 to 3 espresso shots, based on the desired strength.