Understanding the Range of Coffee Drinks: From Espresso, to Cappuccino, to Cortado and More
We all have our favourite coffee drink, whether it’s a strong, traditional espresso made straight from an espresso maker, a luxurious cappuccino or a milky latte. One thing all coffees have in common is that they begin with the core element: a quality coffee bean brewed as an espresso shot.
With lattes, cappuccinos and macchiatos being common in most coffee shops and cafes, we likely know what goes into creating each of these much-loved drinks. But what about lesser-known coffee drinks, such as the ristretto, lungo and cortado
Whether long or short, milky or dark, there is a wide variety of delightful coffee drinks that all start with espresso as their base.
Espresso
An espresso is a small, strong drink made using finely ground coffee that is brewed under high water pressure.
An espresso should ideally have a dense layer of ‘crema’ topping the drink. Espresso crema is one of the key features of an espresso, created when the carbon dioxide present in the ground coffee is dissolved into the high pressure water, then released when the coffee is poured into a cup as tiny bubbles, forming a stable foam.
A good rule to follow when brewing an espresso is to use a ratio of the weight of ground coffee to the weight of the finished drink at around 1:2.
Cappuccino
A luxurious combination of espresso, hot milk and dense milk foam, the cappuccino is traditionally prepared in Italy in the mornings and limited to one a day, with espressos being enjoyed thereafter.
To make a cappuccino, use a ratio of around 1/3 espresso, 1/3 hot milk and 1/3 foam, allowing enough room in the jug to hold both the hot milk and foam, and only add enough milk to fill about 1/4 of the jug.
To make the foam, place the steaming arm just under the surface of the milk and begin to steam, angling the jug at a 45-degree angle. Keep the arm submerged under the surface until the jug begins to become too hot to touch, at which point move the steam arm to the base of the jug for a few seconds, resulting in an equal measure of hot milk and foam. Into your cup, add your espresso and hot milk, then carefully add the foam.
Caffe Latte
The caffe latte did not originate in Italy, as many might think. When espresso first spread around the world, it was a bitter and intense coffee, but for some people, this bitterness was too much for their tastes and they added hot milk to make the drink sweeter and less bitter. There is more liquid milk in a caffe latte than in a cappuccino, making the coffee flavour less intense, and it is traditional to have less foam in the milk as well.
Macchiato
Taking its name from the idea of ‘marking’ or ‘staining; an espresso with a small amount of milk foam, the macchiato originated when busy baristas would line up several cups of espresso on a bar for customers. If one of the customers wanted a small drop of milk in their drink, the barista would add a small dollop of milk foam as a way to indicate which cup contained the otherwise difficult to notice drop of milk, which will likely sit hidden below the espresso crema.
Today, macchiatos are generally created by topping an espresso up with foamed milk to create a slightly weaker, sweeter drink.
Flat White
The flat white can often be confused with a latte. Essentially, it is a small, strong latte that should have a strong coffee flavour, and is usually made with a double ristretto or double espresso, topped up with hot milk to make a 150ml-175ml drink. The milk also has a small amount of foam added to it.
Americano
The Americano was supposedly invented when American soldiers stationed in Italy after World War II found the espresso to be too strong and would often ask for them to be served with some hot water, or diluted down to more closely resemble the coffee they were used to at home. The drink soon picked up the name ‘caffe americano’. To make an americano, pour some fresh, clean hot water into a cup, then brew a double espresso on top.
A disadvantage of diluting espresso is a slight increase in the bitterness of the drink. This can be addressed by scooping the crema off the top of the americano and discarding it as soon as the drink has finished brewing.
Ristretto
Translates from the Italian word for “restricted”, with the idea being to create an even smaller and stronger cup of coffee than an espresso. A ristretto is therefore made using less brewing water for the same amount of ground coffee. The coffee should also be ground finder than with an espresso, so that the brew time is long enough to extract all of the flavour and aromatics from the coffee.
Lungo
The lungo, or “long” coffee, is brewed using an espresso maker, but with two or three times the amount of water to the same weight of coffee used for an espresso, resulting in a much longer drink that is not as strong as an espresso. Lungo coffees might be made using lighter roasted coffee beans, which can result in a complex and balanced brew.
Lungos can be a great alternative if you have been struggling to balance the acidity in an espresso, although the grind will need to be a bit coarser than a usual espresso grind, to allow a faster flow and prevent over-extraction.
Cortado
One of the few coffee drinks that does not have Italian origins, the cortado rather comes from Spain, where it is commonly served. A cortado is brewed slightly longer and a little weaker than an espresso. To make a cortado, about 30ml of espresso is combined with an equal quantity of steamed milk, then served in a glass.