Coffee types explained: all types of coffee in one overview

Espresso is the starting point for all kinds of coffee drinks. You may also have heard it called a short black and, besides being delicious on its own, it is the foundation of milky pleasures like cappuccino and latte.Espresso is the starting point for all kinds of coffee drinks. You may also have heard it called a short black and, besides being delicious on its own, it is the foundation of milky pleasures like cappuccino and latte.

Making espresso:

1 shot of espresso in an espresso cup

Origin: Italy

Whether you call it a 'doppio' or a double espresso, this highly-concentrated drink offers a more intense coffee taste experience than a single espresso. Fun fact: the Italian word for double is 'doppio'.

Making a double espresso:

2 espresso shots in the same espresso cup

Origin: Italy

Many coffee aficionados say that measuring and pouring drip coffee truly makes a difference. This so-called ‘slow-brewing’ method is both popular and surprisingly economical. With a bit of dedication and practise, you’ll get delicious results that are worth the effort.

Making drip slow-brewed coffee:

Put the filter in your pour over or drip pot
Bring water to the boil
Measure out 2 tablespoons of ground coffee for each cup and add to the filter
Gently pour the hot water over the ground coffee in the filter
Allow the coffee to drip through into the coffee pot for 3-4 minutes
Take out the filter and serve the coffee

Origin: Germany

While a flat white may look lot like an Italian cappuccino, the milk in this little brother from down under has a very different texture. Don't mistake it for a latte either, the flat white is bit smaller and stronger. The name comes from the frothed milk: it has to be silky smooth and topped with a super-thin layer of milk foam. There aren’t supposed to be any air bubbles in the froth on top.

Making a flat white:

1 shot of espresso in a medium cup
Add micro-frothed milk to the espresso

Origin: New Zealand/Australia

Ever heard of the Piccolo Latte? It's like a Caffè Latte but made in an espresso cup or little glass. This means that it's got a strong flavour but softened a bit by the frothed milk and microfoam. Want to make a top notch Piccolo Latte? Use Ristretto instead of espresso. They say that the Piccolo Latte was created by Australian baristas and roasters in Sydney to taste test their brews with milk while not overdoing the dairy.

Making a piccolo latte:

1 shot of Ristretto in a small glass or espresso cup
Add frothed milk to the Ristretto in the cup
Add a small amount of microfoam to top it up

Origin: Australia

An Americanized version of the Caffè Latte, the Caffè Breve is made with steamed half-and-half – a U.S. product that blends single cream and milk for a fat content of 10-18%, so it comes out creamier than an ordinary Caffè Latte. If you're fond of a bit of cream in your morning coffee, be sure to try a Caffè Breve!

Making a caffè breve!

Brew 1 shot of espresso in a cappuccino cup
Add steamed half-and-half
Add 1 cm of microfoam

Origin: United States