If you’ve ever stared at a café’s menu and found yourself overwhelmed with the delicious choices, you’re not alone. Luckily, whether you want to become an at-home barista or wish to master the Italian names, there’s a solution! Learn a bit about what each coffee name means and discover the tiny differences that set each cup of Joe apart with this helpful A to Z coffee name glossary. Affogato If you’ve ever wished you could get caffeinated while satisfying your sweet tooth, the affogato is for you. To make this traditional Italian dessert-drink, start by scooping vanilla gelato or ice cream into a mug or bowl. Then, pour or “drown” (as the coffee’s name, affogato, translates to) a freshly pulled shot of espresso over the cold ice cream to create a creamy, refreshing, after-dinner delight. Grab a spoon and dig in! Popular Variations of the Affogato: Chocolate ice cream Amaretto flavor Caramel sauce Pistachios Shots of Bailey’s Americano Americanos are one of the simplest espresso-based coffee drinks. Someone can add cream, sugar, or flavors as they please, but in their most basic form, an americano is typically one part espresso and three or four parts water. These can be made hot, with boiling water, or served cold with water and ice. Fun fact: The coffee’s name, Americano, originated in Italy during World War II. U.S. soldiers stationed there found the espresso too bitter and strong, so they added water to make the coffee drink taste more like the typical drip-style they were used to! Cappuccino A cappuccino is the perfect, frothy blend of espresso, steamed milk, and milk foam. Traditional baristas will use a 1:1:1 ratio to create the ideally lightweight feel and layered look of the coffee drink, but it can be adjusted to suit personal preferences. What is the Difference Between a Dry and Wet Cappuccino? Learning the different cappuccino coffee names is key if you want to get extra fancy with how you order your cup. A wet cappuccino has more steamed milk and less foam, while a dry cappuccino has more foam and less steamed milk. These can be helpful buzzwords for learning how to order your coffee drink just the way you like it when you’re out and about. Caramel Macchiato The caramel macchiato is a big-brand coffee chain invention through and through—so make sure you know what you’re asking for when you go to your local mom-and-pop shop. In reality, this type of macchiato is not a macchiato at all—it is just a latte with vanilla flavor and caramel sauce. To make this coffee drink, you do it in reverse order: add the flavor, the milk, the ice, and then the espresso on top. Chemex While Chemex is technically a brand name, its popularity as a brewing method deserves its own spot in the coffee name glossary. Chemex coffee drinks are known for tasting cleaner and more defined than other pour-over or drip methods. With an hourglass Chemex setup and either paper filters or a reusable metal filter, you can make however many cups of this delicious brew you wish. Cold Brew A cold brew is a great choice when you want a stronger version of an iced coffee, as it’s made completely with a cold pressing method. To make cold brew, soak coarse coffee grounds in cold water in a cold brew maker or bag and let it brew for anywhere from 12 to 24 hours. Once the allotted time span is complete, the cold brew concentrate is cut with more water to create a tasty, complex coffee drink with plenty of advantages. What’s the Best Coffee Bean for Cold Brew? You can use any coffee beans to make a cold brew! It doesn’t matter whether you enjoy light roasts with high coffee acidity or a robust, chocolatey dark roast—the only thing that matters is that the beans are coarsely ground and brewed with cold water, as the coffee name demands! Con Panna The coffee named “con panna” directly translates to “with cream,” which most baristas take to mean either storebought or homemade whipped cream. To order this tiny coffee drink, just specify the number of espresso shots you would like and ask for it to be in con panna style. Who wouldn’t want a dollop of sweet, whipped cream with their morning pick-me-up? Cortado A cortado is a shortened version of a latte, with equal parts steamed milk and espresso. For example, if you pulled a traditional 2 oz double shot, you would top it off with 2 oz of milk to create a balanced coffee drink. While this ratio can be replicated over ice, and it isn’t the traditional version of the drink, it can be a tasty alternative to a milk-heavy latte. Dirty Chai While it is technically more of a tea-based latte than a coffee drink, this is a coffee name everyone should know. To make a chai latte dirty, you simply add however many shots of espresso you’d like before serving. Drip Drip coffee is perhaps the most standard machine way to brew an at-home coffee drink. To make a cup, you simply fill a filter with your chosen grounds, place it in the machine, add your water, and push the button. The automatic machine will then slowly drip hot water through the grounds, leaving you with a satisfying and hot drink. Espresso Espresso is a concentrated type of coffee drink that requires a special machine to force pressurized, nearly boiling water through finely ground beans. Each 1 oz serving is typically referred to as a “shot.” While espresso is usually the base for other coffee drinks, it is often enjoyed on its own or with a little sugar. The best part? You can make espresso at home! Types of Espresso Shots Learning how to make espresso requires some trial and error. While the goal standard for a good espresso pull is a double ounce, you can manipulate the machine into pulling three different amounts: Ristretto: short pulled espresso Doppio: the standard two-ounce pull Lungo: long pulled espresso shot Can You Drink Espresso Over Ice? As with most coffee drinks, of course, you can drink caffeinated or decaf espresso over ice! But pouring the shots directly over the ice will shock the espresso, causing it to lose flavor. To avoid this, add a tiny splash of water to your espresso shot to cool it down before adding the ice. There’s no real separate coffee name for this beverage, but it is tasty! Espresso Tonic The espresso tonic, or coffee tonic, depending on who makes it, is a more modern and popular Scandinavian coffee drink that pairs tonic or seltzer water with shots of espresso. This spin on an iced Americano is said to bring out the more floral or delicate notes of the coffee beans while adding a refreshing mouthfeel. While it may not be everybody’s cup of tea, the name of the coffee sure sounds exciting! Inside tip: If you’re feeling extra fancy, add a fresh wedge of lemon for a citrusy fun pairing. It’s the coffee drink of the summer! Flat White First popularized in Australia, this Down Under drink has become a favorite in coffee shops around the world. A flat white is always served as an 8 oz, double shot coffee drink, combining the delicious frothy feel of cappuccino and the steamed quality of a latte by using a micro foaming technique. Frappé Think of a frappé as being a cold, milkshake-like coffee drink. The coffee’s name comes from the French, directly translating to beat or strike something, much like the blades of a blender do to the ice, milk, flavor, and espresso used to make a frappé. Almost any flavor or additions can be added to customize the flavor—and don’t forget the whipped cream on top! Popular Flavors for Frappés When you’re stocking your at-home coffee bar with your favorite unflavored or even sweet French vanilla beans, make sure to pick up a few of these sauces and syrups to make blending frappés a treat: Mocha Caramel Peppermint French vanilla Strawberry French Press If you prefer your coffee drink to be a bit stronger and more flavorful than a standard drip coffee, the French press method is made for you. Just select your ideal beans, have them coarsely ground, and place them in your press. Add hot water to let the grounds bloom for about 30 seconds, stir and add the remaining water, and place the lid back on with the plunger extended up. After four to five minutes, depending on your desired strength, press the plunger down to separate the grounds from the brew and enjoy! K-Cup A K-cup machine or a Keurig is designed to be one of the easiest press-and-go versions of a single-serving auto drip machine. Skip the big businesses and buy our Stone Street Coffee Pods to get a high-quality cup at home with the push of a button! Latte Whether they’re hot and topped with creative foam art or iced and flavored, a latte is a universally loved coffee drink. With an espresso base and a milk of your choice, you can make a café latte of any size and strength. If you’re making it hot, ensure the ratio is mostly steamed milk with a small layer of foam at the top. For iced, you can just pour the milk directly on top of the espresso and ice and give it a stir. Mocha Another popular option for latte and chocolate coffee lovers is the mocha. Follow all the same steps for making a latte, adding in your favorite rich, decadent chocolate syrup. For an iced mocha, melt it using your hot espresso to get a perfectly blended sip. For a hot mocha, add it to the milk pitcher before you steam. Moka Pot If you’re looking for a way to make a mimic espresso or seek a full-bodied flavor that packs a punch, the Moka pot will make your perfect coffee drink. The coffee name comes from a city in Yemen that produces high-quality mocha beans beloved by coffee drinkers around the world. To use a Moka pot, you’ll need a stovetop, water, and your chosen grounds. After the water heats up, the vapor pressure pushes it through the grounds to make a brew, like an upside-down drip! Pour Over If you’re unable to hold yourself back from grabbing second helpings of your favorite roast from your auto drip pot, choose a single-cup pour-over method! When you brew with a pour-over, you can control the taste, temperature, and ratio of each serving—perfect for any coffee control freaks (no shame in that!). To use, set the pour-over apparatus on top of your mug, add the filter, scoop in the grounds, and slowly cover with water in a circular motion. Let the brew pour into your mug, like the coffee’s name describes, and voila! Traditional Macchiato The coffee’s name, macchiato, means that something has been marked or stained, which makes perfect sense once you’ve seen the tiny coffee drink in person. To make a traditional type of macchiato, think about the coffee name as you make it to get the perfect aesthetic. Add your desired shots of espresso to the cup, steam your milk of choice until frothy, and add a single dollop of foam to the top. Turkish Coffee Rich, authentic, and purposefully gritty, Turkish coffee is a favorite for coffee drink lovers around the world. To brew Turkish coffee, you need a special pot called a cezve, boiling hot water, and ultra fine grounds. In this style, the grounds dissolve directly into the water, making each small cup strong, full bodied, and worth the effort. Redeye A redeye is a slang term for a cup of normal drip coffee with an added shot of espresso. It’s believed to have gotten its name from pilots and fliers trying to make those dreaded redeye flights, but they can be enjoyed at any time. If you’re looking for a little extra pep in your step, ordering or making a redeye can help get you there. What is a Redeye Called When You Add Another Shot? If you typically drink a redeye but find yourself needing an extra boost one day, you can always order a drip coffee with two shots. This extra strong version of a redeye is referred to most often as a “blackeye.” When you order one, you’ll receive a double shot in your drip coffee of choice. Learning all of the coffee names and how to make them is only the start—now it’s time to get drinking! 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