Being a connoisseur of coffees (here I am talking about myself)… Ok This may raise an eyebrow or two (the left brow higher than the right…meaning questioning)… or three(for the unique people); but I am fairly cool about coffee. The 3-in-1s at least. Not those percolated, drip dry.. or is it dry drip, perforated, ventilated, filtered, boil the beans, until the vapor(?) evaporates from the beans onto a glass vestibule. I mean its a long process.

How did I become a connoisseur of 3-in-1s? Companies / coffee brands have been sending me their products to try out and evaluate, give my views and feedback. These include their 2-in-1s and plain “kopi-o kosong” coffee sachets. “Kopi-o kosong” is usually local Chinese coffee in thin porous sachets which you drop in hot water, not boiling water. Boiling water burns the coffee.

I think we have become a culture of coffee drinkers. I dare say that some of us have become sophisticated in the art of “consuming” coffee. To be “with it” and sound as though you are “in the loop” of the coffee culture, you will have to know some of these “basic” coffees. If you toss some of these types of “coffee” names in the air; you will sound knowledgeable. These names do not include “kopi-o peng”, “kopi tarik”, and “kopi cham”, to name a few.

15 Different Types Of Coffee Drinks Explained (1)

If you’ve always been too shy to ask your barista the difference between a flat white and a latte, then this article is for you.

With over a dozen different types of coffee drinks on the menu at Merlo stores, it can be confusing trying to decide which one to go for.

This isn’t just a problem for new coffee drinkers, as many hardcore addicts often stick to what they know.

But that doesn’t need to be the case.

From affogato to short macchiato, long black to ristretto, this article will help explain all the different types of coffee drinks available.

List of Coffee Drinks

1. Espresso

Also known as a short black, an espresso is a single shot of coffee. No extra hot water is added, resulting in an intense and flavoursome drink.

An espresso shot, which forms the basis of many of the other drinks to follow, is produced by forcing hot water through finely ground coffee beans.

2. Doppio

A Doppio is a double shot of espresso with no added hot water or milk. This results in 60 ml of coffee. Doppio means ‘double’ in Italian.

3. Ristretto

A ristretto, which means ‘restricted’ in Italian, is a shot of espresso coffee but extracted with half the amount of water. This results in a delicious, concentrated shot. A ristretto is typically enjoyed straight but it can also be combined with milk.

4. Long Black

A long black is made by pouring a double-shot of espresso over hot water. Unlike an Americano which is made by adding hot water to the espresso shot, a long black retains the crema and is less voluminous, therefore more strongly flavoured.

5. Short Macchiato

A short macchiato is served in a small glass consisting of a single espresso shot then filled with creamy steamed milk and finished with a small layer of foam.

6. Long Macchiato

A long macchiato is similar to a short macchiato, except that it contains a double shot (around 60ml) of coffee.

7. Mezzo Mezzo (Piccolo)

A mezzo mezzo (also known as a piccolo) is a single espresso shot in a small latte glass, which is then filled with steamed milk.

8. Cappuccino

Recognised by the froth on top, a cappuccino is one part espresso shot, one part textured milk and one part froth on top with a dusting of chocolate to finish.

At Merlo locations, a cappuccino in a 8oz cup contains one shot of espresso, in a 12oz cup 1.5 shots and in a 16oz cup two shots. This is the same for a latte, flat white and mocha.

9. Latte

A latte is a coffee espresso shot filled with steamed milk and with a layer of foamed milk crema.

10. Flat White

A flat white is very similar to a latte, with un-textured milk (no air incorporated when being steamed) resulting in espresso and steamed milk with little or no froth.

11. Mocha

A latte with the added sweetness of chocolate. A mocha can be prepared by adding chocolate to the espresso shot before adding the textured milk, or adding the chocolate to the cold milk before frothing.

12. Affogato

Combine a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a double shot of hot espresso and you have an affogato. Great for a post-lunch or dinner treat.

13. Batch Brew

A batch brew is a coffee made in an automated pour over machine, like a Moccamaster. These machines use a filter and brew much larger quantities of coffee than devices like the AeroPress, V60 or Chemex.

14. Cold Drip

Cold drip coffee is similar to coffee brewed in a pour-over device, except that the process uses cold water and takes much longer.

15. Cold Brew

Our Cold Brew coffee can is produced by submerging our premium Zambia coffee beans in cold water for an extended period of time. This results in a smooth and refreshing brew with 180mg of caffeine – similar to a double-shot espresso.

16. Decaf

Not on the original list of the types of coffee; Decaffeinated or “Decaf” coffee is just regular coffee that has gone through a decaffeination process, and is as close as possible in taste and aroma to a regular brew.

Whilst there is typically a very small amount of residual caffeine left once the decaffeination process has finished, it is usually a negligible amount and allows people to enjoy a delicious cup without the stimulant effect!

The highly sophisticated coffee machines that are sold in big retail stores for personal and home use, offer short courses on how to make “proper” coffee using their very complicating machines. These machines don’t come cheap, too.

When I say, “culture of coffee drinkers”, it takes aim at my machine is better than yours (most of the time😉). Guess what? It is also more expensive than yours, too!

The idea of owning and learning how to use one of these expensive machines is not for the masses. It requires patience and a flair to come up with the special coffee concoction, at the right temperature and mix (if you want to add on milk, sugar or other flavouring influencers).

Till then, I am back to drink-tasting 3-in-1 coffees. Which one of the three that I am asked to try should I try first? All are not off the supermarket shelf yet, well at least; not the mainstream supermarkets. I’m inclined to try the “Arabica Brown Rice Coffee” first as the packing is simple, the colours aren’t too strong – its simplicity tends to lend a touch of class. What’s supposed to make this unique is that it is with Organic Soy Milk. I may try “Pak Babah’s Latte Macchiato” next for the very reason of local name with Italian sounding coffee?

NOTES:
1. Merlo – Thanks, Merlo for the explanation of the different types of coffee. All sounding very Italian.