Slurp Guide to Coffee Drinks

Have you ever walked into a cafe, looked at a long list of coffee drinks and been unsure of what to get, or what the different drinks on the menu actually are? Even if you know all the coffee drinks by name, do you know what actually makes them different? Here’s our guide to different types of coffee drinks.

Americano

Americano is a shot of espresso where you add hot water. If you do it the other way around with more espresso, meaning you first pour hot water and then two shots of espresso in your cup, you have a long black! Mixing more hot water with your coffee basically makes the drink last longer, and the flavour is a tad milder.

Cappuccino

Cappuccino is the favourite drink of many. A capp, as some of the cool people would say when ordering a cappuccino, is made of one shot of espresso, a shot of steamed milk, and finally milk foam on the top. A good rule is that a capp has ⅓ of espresso, ⅓ of steamed milk and ⅓ of milk foam.

Espresso

As you might have noticed by now, all the coffee drinks we have listed so far have one thing in common: they all contain a shot of espresso. Espresso is the key to coffee drinks! You can enjoy your espresso as a single shot or double (also known as a doppio).

Flat White

Flat white was invented by Australians. It is basically the same as a cappuccino, just without the top layer of milk foam and chocolate powder. It is different from latte as the coffee to milk ratio is higher than in a latte, and the milk is really smooth.

Latte

Latte is made of a shot of espresso and steamed milk, with a bit of milk foam on the top — just so baristas can have some fun and design hearts and latte art! Latte is usually served from a tumbler glass whereas cappuccino and flat white are served from a cup. This also differentiates the three coffee drinks! You can also enjoy a cool and delicious iced latte.

Long Black

As we pointed out when discussing americano, a long black is essentially hot water where you add two shots of espresso. Is there anything else that differentiates long black from an Americano, besides the order of adding things together? Well, long black is usually a bit stronger, as it contains two shots of espresso. So if you need a caffeine kick, choose long black.

Macchiato

What kind of a coffee drink is a macchiato? Well, it’s like a doll house version of a latte. It’s often served in a smaller cup too, hence it’s a stronger coffee drink than latte or cappuccino, as less milk can be added to the cup. Macchiato consists of an espresso shot, a dollop of steamed milk and foamed milk. If you request a long macchiato, you get two shots of espresso in your tiny drink.

Mocha

When your sweet tooth is aching, go for mocha. It’s a cappuccino with hot chocolate, oh dear! Basically, chocolate powder is added to the espresso shot, and then just like in a cappuccino, steamed milk and milk foam are added. Sprinkle sprinkle, a pretty layer of chocolate powder on the top gives a nice finish.

Ristretto

Ristretto is like a straight out intense version of an espresso. It’s made like an espresso shot, however, the amount of water used is less. The end result is a concentrated dark drink.

Tell us what your favourite coffee drink is and why?