Coffee has always been an integral drink in our lives. People love to drink hot and cold coffee drinks to start their day with an active mind. You might also have your favorite drink to battle that mid-afternoon slump.
However, have you ever been confused about choosing a coffee drink from that long list at the local coffee café? Mostly, people go with the 3 or 4 types of coffee drinks they are familiar with and are hesitant to try new ones. Well, if you want to try something new, we’ve got you covered. Check out the list below for a quick overview of the different types of coffee drinks.
9 Different Types of Coffee Drinks
1. Espresso
Espresso is the base for almost all coffee drinks and is a single shot of strong coffee. Hot water is forced through the finely ground coffee beans and is consumed as it is. Espresso is also known as short black because it has one ounce of deeply concentrated coffee. That leads us to what’s call a “Doppio,” which has two shots of espresso in one cup, giving it a highly concentrated, intense, and heavy flavor.
Pro tip: most coffee shops will “pull a double,” meaning that their espresso machine is set up to pull a doppio. If that’s too much or too little, it’s fine to ask them to adjust by single-shot increments.
2. Cappuccino
Cappuccinos are the most loved traditional coffee in Italy. The typical cup of cappuccino has one-third espresso, one-third hot milk, and is topped with one-third milk foam. If you prefer less milk, you can also order a dry cappuccino.
3. Café Latte
A Café Latte, or sometimes just a “latte,” is a popular coffee beverage. Lattes are made using one-third espresso shot with two-thirds of steamed milk. Usually, it is also topped with a lightly steamed milk foam with sprinkles of ground cinnamon, brown sugar, or cocoa powder to enhance the flavor. Steamed milk also adds to the light sweet taste of the latte.
4. Mocha
Mocha is a latte type with cocoa powder or chocolate syrup for added sweetness. The top is layered with 2-3 cm of milk foam and some chocolate powder sprinkles or whipped cream to add to the look of your mocha. Many cafes will mix the chocolate directly into the espresso shot before adding the steamed milk.
5. Americano
You can make a delicious cup of Americano by adding one shot of espresso to a cup of hot water. To enrich the flavor profile of your Americano, add some sugar and whipped cream to your cup.
Often espresso-based drinks use milk, but an Americano does not require milk. The Americano allows you to enjoy the rich and bold flavor of the espresso shot with reduced strength.
Pro tip: while some people pour water into an espresso shot, the pros prefer to pull a shot of espresso onto their water. It helps maintain the flavor, trust us.
6. Frappuccino
Frappuccino is the iced coffee drink that was made popular by Starbucks. A quality Frappuccino uses a double shot of espresso, half cup of whole milk, about two cups of ice, and sugar.
These ingredients are thrown into a blender, usually a commercial one, and mixed until the ice is finely crushed. To layer the taste of your Frappuccino, add some chocolate or mocha syrup to enjoy your iced coffee to the fullest. If you’re tired of paying $7 for your Starbucks, try making your Frappuccino in a Vitamix. It should work just as well!
7. Caramel Mocchiato
Caramel macchiato is also another delicious iced coffee made popular by Starbucks’ customization. It requires two espresso shots or 80ml of strongly brewed coffee, cold milk, vanilla syrup, caramel sauce, and a large cup of ice. Caramel sauce is added for a sweet and delicious flavor on the top. The ingredients are added to the serving cup and then blended to make a smooth texture.
8. Iced Coffee
Iced coffee is known for its cool and smooth taste. The iced coffee requires freshly roasted rich coffee beans seeped in water for 10-12 hours. Brew it overnight in your fridge for best results. Afterward, add milk and sugar are per your taste. A cup of crushed ice can also be added to the serving mug, but beware of watering down your coffee’s flavor.
Pro tip: make coffee ice cubes to prevent your iced coffee from tasting watered down!
9. Dalgona Coffee
Dalgona coffee became quite popular during the pandemic as an easy way to get your caffeine fix during the worldwide lockdowns. Its base is made from equal parts instant coffee powder, sugar, and water. The base is whipped together until fluffy. Hot or cold milk is then added to the base. You can then add customizations like cinnamon, chocolate flakes, or caramel.
What makes Dalgona so simple is that it’s made from instant coffee. You don’t need any brewing equipment: just go to the grocery store and pick up some Nestle or Folgers instant coffee! Even though we’re out of the pandemic, this fluffy, instant trend seems like it might stick around.
Conclusion
We have listed some most famous and loved coffee drinks from around the world. The next time you go to get your coffee, you will have much information about the different types of coffee drinks.
Just make sure that the coffee beans are high quality because most of the flavor comes from the beans themselves. Brew and blend the coffee beans perfectly to enjoy a splendid cup of coffee that you remember for the rest of your life.
If you’d like to know more about other coffee drinks, leave a comment below and we’ll do the research!