You might think of an espresso shot as fairly simple thing, one hit of coffee with a small amount of water - a quick, fast, hit of caffeine. However, if this is all you think of when you hear the word espresso then you've obviously never explored the many styles of coffee that all start with a simple espresso.
23 different styles of coffee explained
In this poster from Orbit Visual Graphic Design and the Pop Chart Lab, the Exceptional Expressions of Espresso, all 23 different styles of coffee are laid out and explained: here is the list, what's your favourite?
Espresso, doppio, ristretto, lungo, macchiato, café creme, café noisette, cortado, cappuccino, dry cappuccino, americano, affogato, breve, mocha breve, mocha, café con hielo, café bombon, con panna, flat white, black eye, latte, galao, double latte.
Here are some of the most popular coffees explained:
Espresso
A 30ml shot of intense black coffee. Perfected in Italy, it's the classic small-cup coffee drink to give you a morning boost.
Doppio espresso
A double shot version of a single espresso that packs an extra caffeine punch.
Ristretto
A more concentrated version of an espresso. Contains the same amount of coffee but is extracted with a finer grind and uses less water.
Lungo
A longer and less concentrated version of an espresso with added hot water.
Espresso macchiato
A single or double espresso (60ml) topped with a dollop of heated, texturised milk and (usually) served in a small cup.
Café crème
A double espresso topped with heavy cream.
Café noisette
A double espresso topped with hot milk.
Cortado
Literally “shortened”, a double espresso topped with foamed milk.
Cappuccino
The cappuccino - named after Capuchin friars because the colour of their robes is the same colour as this coffee-milk mix -is a single shot of espresso topped with steamed and foamed milk.
Dry cappuccino
Sacrilege in Italy, this cappuccino comes with the foam but none of the steamed milk.
Americano
A shot of espresso or two, diluted with hot water. The classic black coffee is the perfect long hot drink on a cold day.
Affogato
A delicious treat, your espresso shot literally “drowns” a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Breve
A double espresso topped with the same amount of half & half.
Mocha breve
Like a breve but will the addition of chocolate…
Mocha
An indulgent combination of coffee, chocolate and steamed milk.
Cafè con hielo
A summertime coffee hit, quite simply a double espresso with ice cubes.
Cafè bombon
For those with a sweet tooth, your espresso comes on top of a layer of rich sweetened condensed milk.
Con panna
No surprises here, espresso with the addition of whipped cream.
Flat white
The flat white is simply an espresso drink made with a shot of espresso and two shots of steamed milk - a refreshing balance of coffee and milk.
Black eye
If you need an espresso hit but want a longer drink, why not have it with a slug of brewed coffee on top?
Latte
Not just milk, but an espresso topped with plenty of steamed milk and a small layer of foam.
Galão
Originally from Portugal, this coffee is made by adding foamed milk to espresso and is then served in a tall glass.
Double latte
If you can’t get enough milk and really need a drink, a double latte is twice everything you get in a latte.
Below is a 21st century guide to coffee with a really simple style for setting out how each type of brew is made. And if you still need some caffeine, don't miss the coffee-related contents featured on Fine Dining Lovers. Click on the image below to enlarge:
