Hard-to-pronounce Italian labels, light-medium-dark roasts, certain water temperatures, and special espresso pressures, the more you get into the world of coffee, the more complicated it gets. 53.51% of Indians drink coffee regularly, as found by a study called ‘India: Regular Beverage Consumption’. If you are a coffee aficionado or a so-called coffee snob, you surely visit cafes and coffee places more often.

But have you ever looked at the coffee menu and felt confused with all the coffee terminologies? Here is your quick guide to knowing the terms while ordering coffee. 

1. Espresso and doppio

Espresso is the foundation of almost all the coffee types, a concentrated, strong brew served in a small shot glass. Baristas extract it using high-pressure water through compacted ground coffee, creating a thick, syrupy liquid. These shots form a beautiful layer of creamy tan froth called ‘crema’ (Spanish for cream).

On the other hand, doppio is simply two shots of espresso. A 60 ml drink, which is commonly called a standard double. Doppio has a stronger taste than espresso.

2. Macchiato 

The name macchiato comes from Italian origins and means marked, stained, or spotted. This describes the milk’s mark when it is added to the dark, rich espresso. So, basically, it is an espresso with a dash of milk.

3. Latte and cappuccino

Latte, also called caffè latte, is a common name that you often see on cafe menus. In Italian, latte literally means milk. It is a coffee drink that is made with espresso and hot, steamed milk. Latte and cappuccino have a slight difference; a latte is made with steamed milk, whereas a cappuccino is made with frothed milk.

4. Affogato

It is simply an espresso drink with a scoop of ice cream. Usually, it is vanilla-flavoured ice cream.

5. Long black and Americano

The Long Black and the Americano are almost the same thing: water and (a single or double) espresso. Here, the pouring of water during preparation makes the difference. It’s called a “long black” when the espresso is added after the water during the preparation process. It's called an “Americano” when the water is added after the espresso.

6. Decaf 

Decaf, or decaffeinated coffee, is made from regular coffee beans that go through a process to remove the majority of the caffeine. In decaf coffee, beans are at least 97% decaffeinated.

7. Mocha

Mocha is basically identified as coffee with a chocolate flavour. A shot of espresso is combined with chocolate powder or syrup, milk, and cream. It is made with a specific high quality coffee bean called arabica, which was originally grown only in Mocha, a city in Yemen.

Refer to these terms, save them for later, and flaunt them!

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