It’s that time of year again. A new semester begins, which means only one thing…coffee. It’s not just a trend it’s a necessity for those 7a.m. classes, late nights of procrastination and everything in between. But are you the kind of person who looks up at a Starbucks menu like…
…Like suddenly you’re in a foreign country and it’s really just a guessing game as you finally step up to order either the first item you see or whatever sounds the best? If this is you you’re not alone, and we are here to help. We’ve done the research. All you have to do is take notes!
Understanding what’s on a coffee menu isn’t so hard once you’ve done your homework. Just knowing the difference between coffee and espresso will relieve a lot of confusion at the café and ordering won’t be such a shot in the dark.
Coffee vs. Espresso
What is the difference between coffee and espresso? The answer to this will eliminate a lot of general questions early on. For starters, espresso coffee is typically a blend of many different coffee beans whereas drip coffee is made up of just one kind, such as Arabica or Robusta. Most of the difference between these two caffeinated beverages comes from the brewing process. Just like its name and due to the reduced fineness of the bean the brewing time for espresso is a lot shorter. The process for brewing espresso involves hot, high-pressurized water creating a small amount (shot) of caffeinated espresso.
Drip coffee uses a much gentler process by dripping boiling water over much finer coffee beans and distributing the caffeine through a larger volume of water up to the size of a pot. Although espresso has a reputation of containing more caffeine, this isn’t necessarily true. A cup of coffee has just as much caffeine as a shot of espresso, if not more (depending on the size). An espresso shot just gets the job done quicker. Overall, espresso is typically richer, thicker, darker and considerably stronger than drip coffee.
Espresso Drinks
Now that you know the basics the more immediate questions arise, such as “What in the world is a macchiato?” Most likely if there is a fancy word on the menu you can’t pronounce it’s an espresso drink. Macchiato, latte, mocha, cappuccino and Americano are the typical espresso drinks. Once you understand these, everything else is a piece of cake. It all may seem like foreign language at first (which it is), but the good news is the difference between these drinks is not as complicated as their names. It sounds too simple to be true, but the difference really lies in the layering.
Besides the Americano, each espresso drink contains steamed or iced milk mixed with espresso (if you really want to look impressive or are looking for a healthier drink, ask for a “skinny” which is simply the use of skim milk instead). A macchiato is topped with dense creamy foam and the espresso is added last with the optional flavor drizzled on top. For instance, instead of a plain Espresso Macchiato you can ask for a Caramel Macchiato. Lattes are for the most part a reverse macchiato. Instead of flavor drizzled on top, it is added first at the bottom of the drink and includes a lighter layer of foam. Mocha is simply a latte with a chocolaty mocha sauce as its flavor and your choice of whip cream.
If you want something a little more straight-to-the-point, cappuccinos and Americanos are the answer. Espresso plus foam is the definition of cappuccino making it a light, airy sensation. Americano is the odd ball. Instead of milk, baristas (those people who make your coffee and espresso drinks) add hot or iced water to two shots of espresso. And there you have it, espresso drinks in a nutshell!
As a side note and as mentioned, you can have most of your espresso drinks iced if you’d prefer. However, another cold drink option is the Frappuccino. This is basically a coffee smoothie. Instead of cubes, the ice is blended with your choice of coffee or espresso and flavor.
Coffee Blends
Drip coffee has a much simpler background although the variety is endless. All you really need to know is what the difference between a dark and a light roast is. Coffee ranges from light (or blonde) to dark roasts. The darker the roast, the lower the acidity in the drink. Acidity is what brings out most of the flavor. So in other words, the darker the roast the less natural flavor of the coffee bean it has. However, darker coffee is considered to be stronger in its own unique flavorful way. It has also been described as being flatter than the light or medium roasts. However, preference is dependent on an individual’s taste buds.
The truth is ordering coffee is still a guessing game in the sense that you never know what you like until you try it and there is an endless list of coffee forms not mentioned here, but it’s just enough to get started. Hopefully now you’ll at least know what you are getting yourself into!