Mochas, lattes, macchiato, espresso, hammerheads – there are just SO many different types of coffee drinks to enjoy.
If you’re confused about how the drinks differ, you’re not alone: many “new” types of drinks seem to appear as if overnight; it’s hard to keep up (what is a lungo!???)
We describe the different types of coffee drinks below.
Lungo.
The word lungo is Italian for long. The drink caffè lungo is a coffee drink made with an espresso machine that has an extra long pull, which allows for about twice as much water to move through the machine as for a single shot, making for a “longer” coffee. Hence the name.
Some people mistake a lungo (when they see it) for a caffè Americano, which is single shot of espresso with six to eight ounces of added hot water. The term Americano is something of an insult, deriding Americans who wanted to drink diluted espresso.
Espresso.
This is coffee brewed by “forcing” under pressure a small amount of very hot (nearly boiling) water through coffee beans that have been finely ground. The drink usually is thicker than when coffee is brewed via other means and has a higher concentration of dissolved and suspended solids. It also has crema on top (a creamy foam).
Espresso can have a very strong taste. It also has a greater amount of caffeine: The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that espresso has 63 mg of caffeine in one ounce while a regular cup of coffee has 12-16 mg of caffeine in one ounce.
Espresso is the “base” for most every other type of coffee drink: lattes, mochas, cappuccinos, etc.
Mocha.
Known also as mocaccino, a mocha is the chocolate variety of a latte. At its most basic, a mocha is a hot chocolate with a shot of espresso added: it’s pretty much simply espresso with hot milk, with either cocoa powder or chocolate syrup added. Mochas often are presented with the milk froth on their tops, although – just like hot chocolate – they also often are served with whipped cream as their topping. Cinnamon or cocoa also often are sprinkled on top of the whipped cream.
Latte.
The term latte is a shortening of the drink’s original name, caffè latte, which means “milk coffee.” Lattes typically are made of a single espresso shot with steamed milk. The ratio normally is three parts milk to one part espresso.
Latte art has become something of a “thing,” here in the U.S. , with baristas creating intricate designs in the milk, including Christmas trees, faces and even 3D latte art (some of which can be amazingly intricate.)
Cappuccino.
These drinks traditionally are equal parts espresso (two shots), steamed milk and frothed milk. Cappuccinos usually are smaller than lattes, with a thicker layer of foam.
Hammerhead (often known as Shot in the Dark).
A hammerhead coffee drink is one that is made by placing a shot of espresso in a coffee cup and then filling the cup with drip coffee.
It can go by different – and quite clever – names, such as All-nighter, Better than Coke, Black Eye, Dead Man Walking, Morning Face Maker, Early Shirley, Coffee Suicide, Train Wreck, Redeye, and more.
If you haven’t done so already, buy some organic, fair trade Ubean Coffee and try making these different drinks at home.