If you think Cortado sounds like Microsoft’s virtual assistant or you can’t tell your Arabica from your Robusto, then you have come to the right place. It has been a humble rise for the Indian coffee, to say the least. The Indian filter coffee from down South. This is the only example of coffee invading our chai loving country. But now, with the invasion of global giants Starbucks and Costa, the Indian public is finally warming up to the idea of coffee. The dizzying arrays of coffee types available can be maddening for a novice coffee drinker. To prevent you from making any social faux pas.
An Ethiopian legend says that a goat herder was the first to discover the stimulating properties of coffee. The
Your guide to coffee
tale goes that the herder discovered coffee after he observed that after eating the berries from a certain tree, the goats become so energetic that they didn’t sleep at night. And that is how the world got acquainted with its beloved coffee. A boon for the tired and weary!
The Barista’s guide to coffee
If the coffee is roasted and brewed well, it will automatically taste good. So, what is the degree of roasting? Dark roast coffee is coffee beans that have been roasted for a long period of time. The prolonged roasting causes them to become brown. It has a smoky flavor and is low in caffeine. Light roasted coffee has not been under the roasting process for long. It is high in caffeine.
There is no difference between coffee bean and espresso beans! Espresso is simply another coffee brewing method. It is not a separate category of coffee beans or a different roasting style. Read more to know about coffee terminology.
- Espresso
An espresso is like a shot of coffee. It is thicker than the coffee made by any other method. This is because of the pressure involved. You can either have it “short” which means with less water or “long” with more water which tastes less strong.
The espresso is the base of many other coffee drinks.
The formula: Finely ground coffee beans brewed with steaming water under high pressure.
- Latte
The latter gets its name from its milky consistency. The word ‘lait’ means milk in French and the latter is full of milk- a single shot of espresso with three parts milk. Lattes can be paired with bread and cake and eaten as breakfast.
The formula: Espresso + Steamed milk= Thin foam.
- Au Lait
Cafe au lait is made with brewed coffee which is basically ground coffee beans with water poured over. No pressure involved. It is essentially a weaker form of the latte. Instead of espresso, it has brewed coffee.
The formula: ⅔ drip coffee + ⅓ milk= Au Lait.
4. Americano
Basically, an Americano is a watered down espresso. The name was coined as an insult to the Americans who had their espresso diluted.
The formula: ⅔ hot water + ⅓ espresso= Americano.
5. Flat white
A flat white is a lot like a latte but it has a higher proportion of coffee to milk.
The formula: Espresso + steamed milk = very thin foam.
- Mocha
With a dollop of chocolate added to espresso and steamed milk, a mocha is ideal if you are looking for something sweet. A mocha can be understood as a cross between a cappuccino and a hot chocolate.
The formula: Espresso + chocolate syrup + steamed milk= thin foam.
7. Macchiato
It literally means stain or mark. A macchiato is a shot of espresso with just a dollop of steamed milk. It has a very strong flavor with very little milk. The perfect macchiato has a layered look with a dark bottom layer of espresso, a middle layer of milk, and the top layer of steamed milk.
Macchiato
The formula: ⅔ espresso + ⅓ steamed milk= thick foam
- Cappuccino
A cappuccino in its original form is equal parts espresso and steamed milk. If made properly this creamy rich coffee can even double up as a dessert!
The formula: Espresso + steamed milk= thick foam
So now that you have perfected the understanding of your perfect brew, make yourself a cuppa and present it with your new found knowledge!