Coffee Drinks Illustrated

Side-by-side diagrams of a few common espresso drinks.

I‘m new to the world of fancy coffee drinks. With the vast number of ordering options and new words with accented characters to pronounce the coffee shop ordering experience can be intimidating. I’ve created a few small illustrations to help myself and others wrap their head around some of the small differences.

About Espresso

Espresso is prepared by forcing pressurized steam through finely ground dark-roast coffee beans. Think of it is strong, concentrated coffee. You can add extra ‘shots’ of espresso to make your drink stronger.

Espresso

Espresso
[ess-press-oh]

Espresso Macchiatio

Espresso Macchiato
[ess-press-oh mock-e-ah-toe]

Espresso Con Panna

Espresso con Panna
[ess-press-oh kon pawn-nah]

Caffe Latte diagram

Caffé Latte
[caf-ay lah-tey]

Flat White diagram

Flat White

Caffe Breve diagram

Cafe Breve
[caf-ay brev-ay]

Cappuccino diagram

Cappuccino
[kapp-oo-chee-noh]

Caffe Mocha diagram

Caffé Mocha
[caf-ay moh-kuh]

Americano diagram

Americano
[uh-mer-i-kan-oh]

About the Diagrams

I gathered most of my information from Wikipedia and tidbits from other online sources. Know that drinks might be prepared a bit differently coffee shop to coffee shop, and especially country to country.

Comments

498 Older Comments

  3. Is the Macchiato diagram really half full/empty, or is a label missing?

     

    • A Macchiato is a shot (or two) of espresso and a small amount of milk foam, hence the name which is Italian for dappled or smudgy.

       

    • Well Starbucks slathers on carmel;ladden with corn syrup, but historically that diagram is along the lines of coffees found in old-school cafes.

       

    • Depends on which way you look at it -are you a pessimist or an optimist..? lol sorry couldn’t help it ;)

       

  4. The Macchiato diagram is correct. The definition of a Macchiato is a shot of espresso with a mark of foam.

     

  5. The diagrams are cool, however, this is depressing. Please stop ruining coffee!
    I challenge you to come to Portugal and have a coffee, just ask for a coffee at any café and be amazed.

    THAT’s what coffee is. This is just a load of male cow discharge. :-)

     

    • Yes, yes, yes! What you say is true in America as well. At least it used to be until Starbucks came along and ended the pure coffee experience. Now it’s nothing but fancy names and high prices. And there’s nothing in the cup but coffee and milk!

       

      • I don’t know where you are from Matt but probably from a very ignorant place, Portugal is one of the oldest countries in the world.

         

        • How can one country be older than another one? How is the age of a country defined please?

          Great illustrations anyhow :)

           

          • And Paulo, you are probably from the place without humor, aren’t you?

             

    • I was in Portugal and yes – the coffee is something I can’t get out of my head. “White Coffee” is what we ordered – can you tell me how this is made.

      Would love to have something like it again ….

       

      • White coffee is unroasted coffee beans, fresh from the cherry and ground…High Caffine…mix a white coffee espresso with powdered white chocolate and a shot of B52 coffee syrup…AWSOME!!!

         

        • I have seen “zombianco” coffee beans, which apparently are a white roasted coffee bean with a huge caffeine kick and a hint of “nuttiness”. Unfortunately, they are not offered by my supplier, but I would love some insight from anyone who has had the pleasure of sampling them. Also, any relation to this “white coffee” you are speaking of?

           

    • You are absolutely right, Pedro Couto e Santos.

      Here in the States, there is too much emphasis on bovine excretion in espresso drinks.

       

    • I really am LOL at your comment. My cube mates think something’s wrong with me.

      “…a load of male cow discharge..” Funniest thing I’ve heard in a long time. Thanks I really needed a good laugh.

      And I agree with you, I make “just” coffee at home, but sometimes, I will buy an Americano w/ Toffee flavored syrup as a sweetener for a special treat.

      Peace!

       

  6. Great diagram. How about filling in the empty 6th slot with the most obvious of all… Espresso!

     

  7. Your cappuccino diagram isn’t quite right. There’s not that much milk. The actual recipe has the cup slightly more than half full of foam, rather than a third like you illustrated.

     

  8. Great diagrams. I’m not too much into the fufu flavored caffe, but you missed a very luscious standard, the caffe breve, which is like the caffe latte only with half and half replacing the milk.

     

  9. Hey! Great site!

    These diagrams should be handed out to everyone who ever contemplated going into a coffee shop, so that they can make an informed choice!

    Just a quick note. Jordan, Cappuccino is SUPPOSED to have espresso, milk, and foam in equal amounts. (I used to work for Caffe Nero)

    Anyway, keep up the good work =D

     

  10. It took me a few hours to understand the difference between a Latte and a Capuccino last tuesday… and you put it very simple with those diagrams. Thanks a lot

     

  11. I’m pretty sure that a Macchiato is a shot of espresso poured through foam. Not topped with it. Or at least that is what I was taught.

     

    • There are 2 types of Macchiato, Cafe Macchiato which is a shot or two of espresso and the “marked” with milk. a Latte Macchiato is what you describe

       

  12. First off, very good diagrams. As a barista it is heartening to see people actually showing the right things. To completely clarify the confusion, a macchiatto translates to “marked” and it is literally a shot of coffee (often double, I personally have it ristretto) with a little bit of foam on the top, spooned in. Usually about 2 or three spoons worth.

    A cappuccino is by definition a drink of thirds. One third coffee, one third steamed milk and one third microfoam (not those massive bubbles, but incredibly small bubbles that taste and feel awesome)

     

  13. Nice pictures.
    I think a flat white is also quite common and could be added to the list.
    Shot of espresso and steamed milk, no foam.

     

  14. Thank God! i wish this was shown not only to people buying coffee but to people making coffee! i cannot remember the last time i had a proper latte in England. it is crazy.
    I am printing this and taking it with me everytime i order a coffee in this uneducated country!!!

    Once again thank you

     

  15. Dude! This rocks! I am a huge coffee buff and love these illustrations! I am going to blog about this and will use your wonderful illustrations as well…of course, will cross post! :) Please update with some of the other pictures as well…Frappucino’s perhaps? :)

    Great designing skills!

    -Mithun Dhar

     

  16. I agree with Lisa. I drink flat white. But I have no idea what proportions make it different from latte or cappuccino. It often has a dollop of foam.

     

  17. I will be adding a couple more drinks to the list this weekend. Thanks for all the nice comments.

    After the third or fourth time going into a coffee shop and having a friend explain to me the makeup of the drinks and then forgetting about fifteen minutes later; I had to take action! This is a case where being able to visually line up the drinks side-by-side and compare, goes a long way in helping comprehension.

     

  18. Lokesh, Good illustrations. Should be on display at every coffee place in North America–for the edification fo both the customer and the barristas.

    Hey Pedro!
    Please come to North America and open a Portuguese coffee shop! There is a large Portuguese population here in the Toronto area so you probably wouldn’t starve while waiting for the others to find you!

     

  19. mithun- if you are truly such a coffee buff, you would know that only one major coffee chain makes frappuccinos and that it isn’t a universal drink. if you came into my coffee shop and asked for a frappuccino, i wouldn’t make you one because i don’t have the recipe and it isn’t on my menu.

    otherwise, this is a great diagram. more coffee shops should have them. it’s sad that so many people order a drink and complain they didn’t want as much foam in their cappuccino.

     

  20. Hi,

    great diagrams!

    I’ve lived in italy for most of my life and I would like to add some Italian info, so tourists know what to expect when they order their coffee!

    - Espresso macchiato in Italy can be caldo o freddo: what you illustrated in thediagram is macchiato caldo; macchiato freddo is just an espresso with cold milk.

    - If you order a CAFFE’ LATTE, Italians often don’t really know exactly what to do, and they just give you a “cappuccino senza schiuma”, (cappuccino with no foam) which is what you call a flat white. if you want it different, try to explain your wishes to the barman.

    - I’d like to add LATTE MACCHIATO, a glass of steamed milk and foam, with one drop (literally no more than one sip) of coffee. it looks just like a glass of foam with a brown spot in the middle, the size of a dime.

    American coffee is not big in italy. If you ask for a CAFFE’ AMERICANO, all you usually get is a very long espresso in a tea cup, and it’s got nothing to do with the large mugs of coffee you get in American diners. It’s thinner, yet the taste is stronger and more bitter, and it’s half the quantity of what you would get in the US

    This is all over Italy, But there is one city where the names of coffee are all mixed up, and nobody really knows why! The city is Trieste, in the north east, near the border with slovenia.
    Follow these instructions if you want to have a flawless coffee-tour of Trieste.
    If you want an espresso, just say UN CAFFE’
    If you want a caffè macchiato, say CAPPUCCINO
    If you you want a cappuccino, say CAFFE LATTE
    if you want a caffe latte, well, you’re going to have to be very clear on how you want your coffee cause they don’t really have a word for what we call caffè latte.

     

    • Hm. That is interesting. I found that when traveling
      in Italy if I tried to order a caffe latte, they knew
      what I wanted but only would allow me to have
      this in the morning. They basically would not
      serve me a latte unless it was morning and gavemrs a cappucino instead. It was the only time I experiences
      frowning in Italy. (?) I traveled all over the country except
      for the far south and it was the same everywhere.

       

      • Your experiences with cafe’ latte and cappuccino are because, by and large, milk (latte) is a breakfast beverage, and only for breakfast (however, it is customary for children to have milk at all times of the day).
        In the northern, more tourist-y cities (Roma, Milano, Vincenza, etc.), bars accustomed to receiving foreign patrons will, of course, sell what the customers wish to buy.

         

      • Hi there,
        I am from Italy and I love all the comments here.

        @ solveig: every word you wrote is real.

        @ American Abroad: yes, caffé latte and cappuccino are usually for breakfast and a lot of restaurant’s tenders will give you a smile ordering it after lunch or dinner. But you will have your drink, anyway. Only caffé is for after lunch/dinner, every waiter will ask you if you wish caffé at the end of your meal.

        Hi everybody, enjoy caffé, milk and everything you wish. There’s not orthodoxy.

         

  21. I beg to differ on the cappuccino. The classic is in thirds: espresso, steamed milk, milk foam. No spooning the foam! That’s the resort of charlatans. Measured and drawn well the milk will pour naturally into its respective components the steamed milk pouring in first and the microfoam last. Personally, I like my cappuccino’s classically made like this in either single shot or double shot measures. The edge of the foam should be tinged with espresso crema, so you’re not slurping through milk foam to get to flavor. We roast our coffee so it’s very fresh and provides a wonderful golden and sturdy crema. If the espresso doesn’t do this, the espresso beans are not fresh.

    These illustrations are generally correct though do not translate well to American servings of 12, 16 and 20 ounce cups. A cappuccino in a 12-ounce cup would be half full. Come on by and we’ll gladly translate from mermaid burblings to real espresso language and flavor.

    Try a Cuban espresso. As we were taught, we press raw brown sugar into the espresso as we tamp it into the portafilter. Coffee is so popular worldwide and it’s regional variations make it even more interesting.

    Pedro, we love to learn: What makes Portugese coffee different? How is it prepared differently from, say, American drip methods?

     

    • Agreed!!! Free-Pour! When the milk is steamed correctly and free poured it will eventually separate into 3 equal parts. If you were to pour the flat milk with the foam on top…. well that’s not only an abomination, but just a super foamy latte, haha ^_^

       

  22. Jack: ack ack ack! Sugar in the grouphead sounds like a disaster in the making to me.

    For the author:

    -I’ve always heard “breve” pronounced “breh-veh” or “breh-vey,” depending on American accents. Never before “breev.”

    -Americano, in artesan shops, will pull espresso as a float on water; to me, americano has water on the bottom and espresso on top.

    -Please don’t add latte macchiato to the list. I don’t think it warrants the attention. I’ve never heard of one ordered, anywhere.

     

    • Espresso on top of hot water is refered to as a Long Black. Americano is hot water on top of espresso. If anyone thinks there is no difference do it and see

       

  23. Although I side with Senhor Pedro (our espresso bars are really milk bars here), espresso in Portugal isn’t all that different from the espresso you can get in the finer espresso spots in the States:
    http://theshot.coffeeratings.com/2006/11/espresso-in-portugal/

    The cappuccino and other milky drinks are more an homage to the tourists. And while they do drink café com leite (coffee with milk) in the mornings, they’re more likely to drink straight shots of espresso — typically loaded with sugar.

     

  24. I would love to see these illustrations as a poster or a print somewhere. ^_^ I just love the way they look!

     

  26. Nice diagrams, though there are a couple of favorites missing:

    Ristretto – an espresso, that is stronger than a normal espresso http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ristretto

    Café con hielo (ice) – One espresso served with a whiskey glass containing ice. When the sugar has dissolved in the espresso, it is poured into the other glass. Very, very nice on a hot summer day.

    Another suggestion: Maybe incorporate the preferred cup size as part of the diagrams? (espresso is served in a very small cup, Cappuccino in a very big one)

     

  28. The ‘flat white’ should be called ‘cafe con leche’ the standard spanish coffee.
    You get a big cup with some espresso in it placed in front of you and then the steamed milk is poured on top. You can decide how much milk you want, great.

     

  30. An Espresso con Panna has the the whipped cream on the bottom, then the shot is poured over it. That way the shot doesn’t ‘die’ before you can drink it.

     

  31. You should add more types of coffee and make a poster with dimensions: 594mm height and 210mm width! I would buy that!

     

  33. The 3×3 diagram is great. It would make an awesome graphic for T-shirts (and coffee mugs).

    Seriously consider Cafe Press or the like to produce it for you.

     

  35. Working at an small independent coffee shop in the US, I find nothing more annoying that constantly having to point to our tiny coffee cups and ask whether they want the single shot or double shot one, rather than insult their stupidity when they ask for a “Carmel Macchiato” when what they want is a “Carmel Latte.”

     

  36. I believe the flat white originated in Australia (although it may be similar to cafe con leche).

    The difference between a capp and a flat white isn’t simply the foam. The milk is steamed at a much higher temperature in a cappucino, causing the milk protein to stretch causing, as the foam separates, the milk to become watery. The steamed milk in a flat white warms while retaining its creaminess.

    The cup can be filled to the top with steamed milk (or not), and there will often be a dollop of creamy (not foamy) foam.

     

  37. Hey, you added one more drink to my list with this illustrations. Good job!

     

  38. Great diagram. It has proved my suspicion all along. Having different names for each combination of milk, water and coffee? Nothing but an illusion of choice for the customers.

    I have suggestions for more descriptive names for these variation of coffee (Of course this will be considered blasphemy by the “experienced” coffee drinkers who took the time to memorize these names)

    Espresso -> Coffee

    Cafe Latte & Cappuccino-> Foamy coffee and milk
    (I will bet that most people can’t tell the difference between these two blind folded, and it wouldn’t even matter as different shops have different ratio in their recipes)

    Americano -> Watered down Coffee

    Even better, why don’t just sell Coffee, and then ask, what kind of toppings do you want on it? Nobody would have to memorize anything, and your 5$/hour “baristas” wouldn’t screw up your order. Oh yeah, i forgot, the shops probably wouldn’t be able to charge obscene prices on the coffee without the snobbery

     

    • If a Cafe latte and Cappuccino are both made correctly, pretty much anyone with functional taste buds can tell the difference. A cappuccino is significantly “stronger” than a latte. If you put them side by side it would be clear, unless you are at Starbucks, in which case they really are the same thing. They dumbed down coffee so they could hire anyone and train them for 2 minutes.

       

      • You must be in the UK because the way the diagram shows Cappuccino’s and Latte’s (and if that is how they are served in the US or anywhere else) I doubt very many could tell the difference. The fraction of bias toward the steam milk over the foam in a Latte would not lead to the cappuccino being ‘significantly stronger’ and IMO are pretty much the same drink!

        I like how we do it here in the UK, I know we are still catching up to everyone else in the coffee world, but I suppose that gave us the opportunity to really define what these drinks mean to us and the distinctions are quite clear:

        (When compared in same size cups)
        Cappuccino – Strong milky coffee drink, therefore 2 shots espresso, steamed milk and froth in equal measure.

        Latte – Weak milky coffee drink, therefore 1 shot espresso, steamed milk and froth where the steamed milk counts for 70% total volume and only about 1/4″ of foam.

        Now… these two drinks are quite different!!

         

  39. This is a wonderful design that really conveys what these drinks are. I love the muted colors for the ingredients, and the relative preservation of ratios, they all make for easy comparison. My only critique (given with the most constructive of intentions) is that my eyes keep getting distracted by the contrast of the black saucers and whites between, you may consider using a gray or ditching the saucer part all together.

     

  40. A mocha is only made with chocolate syrup in crap cafes. A decent cafe will use cocoa or powdered chocolate.

     

  41. What a bizarre collection of comments.We’ve got everything from “you are what you consume, so put it on a T-shirt” to “my wife ran off with a Starbucks barista, and I’m angry”.

     

  43. Where did all the trolls come from and why would they decide mistaking spanish for italian or that the website is broken in Opera is, at all, relevant to the entry? (which is, in the end, coffee drinks the author is familiar with illustrated in a beautiful manner).

    Everyone knows there are different ways to drink coffee all over the world. None of them are inherently better than the rest and it’s great that there’s variety. It’s sad to see so many comments try to dismiss one style for their own and it’s heartening to see some people actually contributing to the styles of the world.

    It would be hard to list all the different styles of drinking coffee all over the world, especially when so many are shared and change just in name. As has been mentioned even within the same country coffee names are not standard.

    I’d like to see a version of this in a poster format, with other variants added (maybe country variants) or other kinds of drink/food that can be had in several ways.

    For those complaining: These are the proportions used by the baristas in the US and in Starbucks, they are not universal and definitively not shared by your countries. They are no better than your own local variations, as yours aren’t inherently better than this. Take them for what they are and, if anything, contribute to the knowledge by sharing what YOU know, instead of slamming what someone else shared.

     

  44. Hmm. My comment came out as anonymous. Strange. What point is there to calling out the trolls if they can’t flame back? :)

     

  46. Hope you get the «cortado» in there. An espresso with a dash of milk. Let no one fool you, there’s just the dash nothing more. I get this from widespread experience with the cortado in Spain where the variant comes from.

     

    • Paalu: nice to see someone extoling the wond’rous virtues of the heavenly cortado! I too was introduced to the cortado in Spain (after 5 days in England I almost believed I’d died and landed in coffee heaven). A handsome young Spanish waiter (my wife wanted to bring him back to NZ!:) )in Antequera described it as espresso which has been “cutted” with an equal part of hot milk. For me it’s the hot, unfoamed milk that does it. I’ve been making it at home in NZ ever since.

       

  47. I’m just really surprised by how many people commenting didn’t know these already. I thought it was common knowledge!

     

  48. What the bloody hell is wrong with just having a black coffee? This is what the “Friends” generation has done.

     

    • Yes, a television sit-com from the 1990s is what caused the explosion in consumption variations of a drink introduced to the Western World by the Italians in the 16th century. And they bought it off the Arabs, who’ve been drinking it for even longer.

       

  50. I thought ‘cappuccino’ is italian for ‘liitle mountain’, but i can’t see any milk foam mountain on these pictures…

     

  51. Cappuccino doesn’t mean little mountain in Italian, Italian for little mountain is “collina”, like the soccer referee

     

  52. could you combine all of these pics into one? would be easier to save and print :)

     

  53. great! I link it on my Italian blog…
    useful for Italian people abroad searching a good coffee…useful to learn how to ask and what :-)

     

  55. Cappuccino is so named because its colour resembles the robes of the Capuchin monks. Same with the capuchin monkeys.

    By the way – in Australia and New Zealand, cappuccinos are always dusted with cocoa or powdered chocolate.

    Also: in Australia or NZ you’d want to call an espresso a “short black” when ordering, as ALL coffees down here are made with espresso as the base (you won’t see percolators in cafes or restaurants), and a plain espresso can be either long or short…

    There’s a “long black”, which is a short black (espresso) diluted with hot water to fill one of those little 90ml cups. Some cafes even have half-sized paper cups for take-away. This is the default “black coffee” down under.

    A short black will usually come in a small cup (90ml, or 3 fl. oz), half full. Strong and (if made well) naturally sweet. They’re designed to intimidate the weak and inspire the strong. Or vice versa. That’s versatility!

     

  56. really nice illustration..now i’m more clear about the differences..thank you!

     

  57. This is great!! Having just returned from Australia, this makes it easy to order a flat white in the U.S. Love the graphic!

     

  59. Afagato- Espresso over vanilla ice cream.

    It doesn’t get any better than that!

     

  68. Awesome. Get this printd on something

    drinks tray/place mats/ cups and I will buy.

     

  69. Thanks! I always wondered what a Espresso Macchiato was!! Now I know :-)

     

  71. talk about snobbery – HUH
    the only people who really have problems with ordering a drink are those posers afraid of being shown up for what they are.
    Any coffee shop worth going to will gladly take the time to make sure you get the right drink. the owners and the staff love the product and should be glad to share their love and knowledge.

    as a side comment do you have the same problem ordering at TacoBell? there are only a few components there too. (meat, cheese lettuce and tomatoes) or are they snobs too?

     

  75. Good imagery for a primer, although there are variations of everything.

    Regarding: Klang: (espresso is served in a very small cup, Cappuccino in a very big one)

    While you certainly could serve cappuccinos in a a very big cup, the WBC (World Barista Championship) standard is a 5.5oz cup containing 1oz espresso, and roughly 2oz milk and 2 oz milkfoam.

    In practice, “third wave” shops in the US often pour a “wet” cappuccino (freepoured microfoam generally with a miniscus, in monkshead or other pattern which allows a halo of coffee around the milk) using two 0.75 oz ristretto-style shots, 3oz milk and 1oz microfoam for the design. No spoons are used and the foam is tight, but not stiff.

    In other words, there really aren’t any rules anymore. Just ask for specifically what you want.

     

  76. I like your post, very informative and great illustrations, but I must say:
    Are you out of your mind?

    Your Macchiato shows something like a mini cappuccino. To make a macchiato you put a teaspoon or two of milk, no more. It’s not a 1:1 relationship of ezpreso to milk, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

    Also, there’s macchiato caldo, e macchiato freddo.
    In macchiato caldo steam milk is used, in macchiato freddo cold milk is used.

    Mamma mia!

     

  77. A poster or printer friendly version would be awesome!

    I often used t ask for a Double-shot Flat White, and get told “why don’t you just order a Latte” – but seems most places don’t make a Latter as a default Double-shot brew.

    Anyone want to comment on the correct level of ‘shots’ per coffee styles?

     

  78. If you stick to the “thirds” way of making cappuccinos, customers complain they are getting ripped off. I for one don’t want 1/3rd of FOAM! FOAM is mostly AIR!!

     

    • A cappucino is by definition 1/3 foam, if you don’t want as much foam, order a latte-that’s basically what you’re getting if you want a cappucino without it.

       

  79. Great infographics! You should seriously get the put on a T-Shirt and start selling it on your site. I am sure there are plenty of people that would by that.

    Steve

     

  80. And even since my last comment, still even more T-shirt and angry Starbucks cuckold comments…

     

  83. Arby,
    Foam is what provides texture to the drink. If done right the bubbles will be VERY, VERY small and should be strong enough to hold up sugar when dropped on it. The foam that we are talking about in a proper cup of cappuccino is very close to the same consistency as whipped cream.

     

  85. Cafe Latte & Cappuccino-> Foamy coffee and milk
    (I will bet that most people can’t tell the difference between these two blind folded, and it wouldn’t even matter as different shops have different ratio in their recipes)

    i’ll take that bet in a heartbeat, and i bet half the other commenters here would, too, so stfu

     

  86. Thanks for the great pics big help for work! What about the long black? Is there a bit of hot water in the bottom or not?

     

  88. A note on the breve pronunciation. In English breve is “breev”, but in the world of coffee, one pronounces the final e just as in latte, so “brev-ay” would be the better caption for that drink.

     

  89. And where is the Café Ristretto¿¿????…. which is almost half of a Espresso = 25ml…..!!!!???

     

  90. In Australia, what you call the Americano would usually just be called a “black coffee” or sometimes, a “long black”. The plain espresso is sometimes called a “short black”, thought that is going out of fashion these days. A “flat white” may be what you’ve described, or it might be the Americano with a dash of cold milk added.

    I asked for a cafe latte in Italy once. The barista asked “cappuccino?” I said “no, latte”. I was given a cup of steamed milk. (Milk translates as latte).

     

  91. Great job. Just a little note. [kap-oo-chee-noh] is not so correct. The right pronouncation is [kapp-oo-cchee-noh]. Single or double consonants make big differences in Italian words. The same is for most of the other words in your diagram: [e-spres-oh] => [e-spress-oh] and so on.

    Bye!

     

  94. Hmmm… bloody great idea!

    However, I’m not seeing one of my personal favourites for summer – Affogado! One rich expresso shot brewed over a scoop of ice-cream or vanilla gelato and served in a glass.

    Mmm – how many vices can you get in a single glass?

     

  96. Wouldn’t “Espresso Drinks Illustrated” be a more accurate title?

    Great infographic thou, love it.

     

  97. i know exactly what to ask for next time and it won’t be confusing anymore…..

     

  98. I dislike the taste of coffee, so this whole page is useless to me. In fact, I’m wondering why my wife sent me the link!

     

  99. Coffee isn’t coffee unless you roast your own. Anything else is stale catpiss.

     

  100. If I had to think that much about the type of coffee I drink, I wouldn’t need to drink it.

     

  102. Very cool idea. I might put together something similar in PDF so burgeoning baristas can print it for reference!

     

  103. Carly: That’d be a “latte”, most of the time.

    I love this thing. If a poster could be made it would be awesome (although it may mean repeating some of the existing ones, maybe with the different names in different countries).

    Funnily in Spain an “americano” can be either a very long black coffee (really watery, as in Mexico and, probably, the U.S.) or an espresso-and-a-half (small cup, strong black).

    In Venezuela “Coffee-with-water” (an “Americano” in the chart) is called a “Guayoyo” (no idea why, no obvious ethymology there) and is drunk in the middle of summer (the heat helps you feel less hot).

    In Madrid, Spain, it’s very comon to have the aforementioned “Café con hielo” (Coffee with ice) in summer, a long black and a glass of ice cubes where the coffee is poured. This and the custom of having “café con leche” (coffee with milk, literally, like the latte or “au lait”) in a big glass instead of a mug is seen as strange in the rest of Spain.

    In Veracruz, México, coffee is made bizarrely strong (to the point of being actually syrupy) and poured in huge glasses (half a liter or so). Only a small shot is poured and then near-boiling milk is poured to top it off. The ratio is almost 20 to 1 and the end result is usually dark brown anyway. This is also the custom in some very old, traditional coffee houses (“Bisquets de Obregon” in Mexico City, for example) and, funnily, in the “Chinese Coffee houses” (Cafés de Chinos), also in Mexico.

    I could go on, you know. I *really* like coffee. :)

     

    • Ok, i’m a bit confused with Cafe Au Lait, it is either the french way of saying Caffé Latte… OR a Cafe Au Lait is actually an americano… with a dash of cold milk.

       

  104. The cappucino and the latte appear exactly the same to me. Am I missing something?

    And to the person who commented that a “good” cafe makes mochas with powdered coacoa…no. No they don’t. A good mocha is prepared with actual melted chocolate and can be a bit rare to find. Chocolate syrup is the next best thing as it dissolves easily. Powdered anything leaves a layer of undissolved silt on the bottom of the cup and most people prefer gritless coffee.

     

  105. -Cappuccino are one third of each espresso, steamed milk and foam, but I find here in Australia customers don’t like too much froth because they see it as less value in their dollar.
    -Where I work we make macchiatos with espresso, 2 spoons of steamed milk and 2 spoons of foam.
    -Our mochas don’t have whipped cream but instead foam, like a cafe latte.
    -We also do vanilla cafe lattes and flavoured cafe lattes.
    -Caramel cafe lattes are with vanilla and caramel also with caramel drizzled on top.
    -The americano we call long blacks and espressos we sometimes call short black. -People like to abbreviated cafe latte to latte, but correctly latte is milk. Cafe latte is coffee and milk (and foam).
    -So don’t be too surprised if, in another country, you get milk when you only say latte.

     

  106. You MUST copy right these graphics and print and sell them any way you can think of they a truely fantastic. A wonderful help to those of us who are to scared to try something new for fear of what we will get. Everyone needs a credit card version for their pocket book or wallet. Tees and posters are a must for the true coffee lover.

    and please people; stop complaining!!! geez……

     

  107. Excellent, very nicely done. You might consider adding a short and long espresso to the series. Espresso corto or ristretto, espresso and espresso longo. There is a common misconception that a double espresso is the same as a long espresso, but a long espresso just has more water as an espresso, but not as much as an americano. A double espresso is two espressos.

     

  108. Macchiato means stained. You “stain” the black coffee with white milk. A macchia is a stain and a smacchia is a stain remover.

    Most orders in Italy are simple. Caffe’ (espresso), Ristretto (short espresso), Lungo (a longer espresso), Caffe’ macchiato (caldo or fresco), Cappuccino, and Caffe Latte.

    However, the very best of all is Caffe’ correto or coffee ‘corrected’ with your favorite shot of liquor.

    It is all getting a little exagerrated outside of la bella Italia. We can only hope that soccor/football will not move in the same direction.

     

  109. This is awesome. I want a wallet-card sized version to hand out at coffee shops to help people know what they’re ordering. I can hardly contain my urge to hit people when I hear the word “expresso”…argh! Yes, I’m a Pacific Northwest Coffee Snob, and proud of it!

     

  110. I find two different types of cappucino to be the most common. One is the one illustrated in the diagram above, the other is a latte with a sprinkling of cocoa dust.

     

  111. if there was ever a natural for “Cafe Press” t-shirts and such, this has gotta be it.

     

  112. How about a print friendly version? When I try to print I don’t get a 3×3 printed on one page but two pages with all the diagrams vertically lined up. I very much want to print a copy , laminate and take it with me:-)

     

  113. I love this. And I’d buy it on a shirt for my husband if you decide to make one available.

    Gryndyl: Yes, the best mocha’s use melted chocolate, but syrup is worse than powdered chocolate. If you prepare the powdered chocolate correctly, there is no grittiness; while most syrups available these days become bitter when added to a hot liquid. I usually have chocolate ganache on hand… just melt and add.

     

  114. A suggestion to quell the international coffee connoisseurs: create a “Coffees of the World” diagram chart with different examples of the various coffee beverages around the world.

    The only problem with this is getting a majority to agree on what is what.

     

  116. Good effort, but all the diagrams are all incorrect. Everyone knows that coffee and espresso drinks have four steam lines, not three. Get it right, smart guy!

     

  118. just thought i’d share :) i worked in a bar/restaurant in england when i was a student there, and i was always proud of the coffee we did. everything was made with a combination of espresso shots, milk, and mini chocolate curls (roughly the size of choc chips). this is our menu, besides the basic espresso, in order of how much of an arse it is to make on a busy day.

    americano = espresso shot + hot water

    macchiato = espresso shot + small dollop of microfoam (looks t3h bomb)

    latte = espresso shot + steamed milk nearly to the top + layer of microfoam

    cappuccino = espresso shot + steamed milk to just over the halfway mark + lashings of piled up microfoam + sprinkling of mini chocolate curls

    mocha = espresso shot + hot chocolate (made with cold milk mixed with mini chocolate curls, then steamed) + thick layer of microfoam + sprinkling of mini chocolate curls (pwned)

    would love to try what was suggested in one of the earlier comments, ie tamping brown sugar in with the grounds. i miss making coffee some days.

    i live in singapore now, and the native coffee is a rather different beast. as someone mentioned earlier about “chinese coffee shops”, liquid coffee in its rawest form here is synapse-fryingly thick, like concentrated syrup of coffee essence. it’s brewed in tall metal cans and if you drink it unadulterated you might go into immediate cardiac arrest. no one’s ever tried. and a small quantity of this is the base of each coffee drink, replacing the espresso shot, as it were.

    i’d sketch out a guide to ordering coffee in singapore (a real local coffee shop, not the shiny starbucks on the corner), but i think i’ve gone on too long already.

    unless someone’s interested of course ;)

     

  119. Nice graphic! A great example where pictures are so much easier than words.

    I think most people in the US order flat white as “latte, no foam”.

    And the vowel in “panna” should be represented as “pahn”, not “pawn”, so those that distinguish the two vowels don’t use the wrong one. It’s not the vowel in “Dawn” but the one in “Don”.

    It’s too bad that adding cafe au lait would mess up the rows and the espresso theme, because besides the cappuccino/latte distinction, that was the most common error people made in ordering coffee when I worked in a cafe.

     

  120. There’s another: espresso allonger (sometimes seen as allongé). It’s french for “drawn out”. The way it’s made is to run the water through the coffee longer (as opposed to the Américano, where the water is added later, thus diluting the precious, precious espresso far too much). It’s quite popular in Montréal.

    I guess its diagram would have the espresso nearly filling the cup, albeit with a lighter shade of orange (or, perhaps with wavy blue stripes).

     

  121. Great illustrations.. wondering where the ever popular South Indian “Filter Coffee” will fall in this list – Maybe Flat White or Cafe Latte?!!

     

  123. Nice infographics!

    I would love to see your take on Starbuck’s “venti cappuccino with cream”. But you would need a much larger cup – or bucket for comparision. It is the single most horrible espresso based drink I have ever come across, and possibly the furthest away you can get from true Italian coffee culture.

     

  124. Where’s the monte bianco??

    a shot of espresso in a clear glass espresso cup, with as much foam as can fit into the glass spooned on top.

     

  125. Just a suggestion – find a linguist friend to translate your attempts at phonetic spellings into IPA.

    Alexis – Don and Dawn are exactly the same vowel for me. Dialects differ signifigantly.

     

  126. Americanos really should all be doubles. With the second shot any talk of “watered down” goes right out the window… the barista is pulling two shots at a time anyway. In fact, why not make everything a double?

     

  127. I’d like to print this out high-res for our kitchen.

    Is there a way to get the images in Vector-format? (svg or ‘such as’)

    And: Will you release them altogether in one big collection (on one sheet, as a pdf for example) ?

    thanks.

     

  128. a hah ah ah ah a ha
    “Caffè Latte” is note a “trademark” but only coffee=caffè + milk=latte. If you ask in Italy a “Latte”, they give you a simple cup of milk…
    Also a big error is only one size of cup: espresso need a little one, cappuccino a bigger one, and a “flat white”(i think “latte macchiato”) surely a glass made of glass tall and tight. The mug don’t exist in Italy bar (sure for tea or at home).
    I like the illustration, but i’ll never use the instructions to made something about coffee!!

     

  129. americans shouldn’t make italian coffe-related things up.

    “caffé macchiato” has not “milk foam” but a dab of milk. you can have it “macchiato caldo” (hot milk) or “macchiato freddo” (cold/just not hot milk).

    cappuccino is not made of “steamed milk” and “milk foam” like two separate ingredients. you steam the milk, it makes some foam.

    and there are no country to country variants. there’s a right way and a wrong way. you might like the wrong way better but that doesn’t make it suddenly “correct”.

     

  131. Where’s the most important one: the double espresso!
    And isn’t Café Lungo not the official name for Americano, or is that a in-between?

     

  134. Marco: You come off a little arrogant, don’t you think? One would assume Italy invented coffee.

    Different countries have different variants and, even though the names were “borrowed” from the italian variants you should be mature enough to understand they stopped being direct and literal references to them.

    It’s been made clear there are different ways of doing it and Italy being the most famous doesn’t mean it’s the only or best, just the one with the best marketing.

    I lived in Mexico and I don’t make a fuss when someone in the U.S. talks about their version of “Tacos”.

    Learn to be tolerant. The world assumes you’re an arrogant lamer otherwise. You have a preference but you don’t own the absolute truth. Your preference is, by definition, subjective.

     

  135. I agree with Marco,
    because out of Italy (or without a real coffe machine, all made in Italy) it’s veeeeeeeeeery difficult to find out a nice caffè or cappuccino etc.

    I’m talking about the style, not the people who make coffe.

    We own the absolut truth about it!!

    Ciaaao!

     

  136. As others have mentioned, it would be great if you could add cortado. I’ve tried in vain for years to order it in the U.S. I explain it in detail, I insist on “NO FOAM”, but despite the barrista/cook/waiter/cashier claiming to understand exactly what I want, they always end up serving me a Cappuccino or Macchiato.

    The correct wikipedia link for Cortado is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortado

     

  137. I’d argue that the cafe mocha does not always have whipped cream on top. That may be the case in a lot of shops, but I’ve always been asked if I preferred whipped cream, not if I’d like to remove it.

    Very cool too by the way.

     

  138. You know, it is just strong coffee plus milk to take the edge off. I’m surprised at the number of people that order something ‘wet (if the above description is correct) when it is going to be put in a paper cup with a sippy lid. Con Panna sounds interesting though.

    But mostly, it is mostly people justifying their caffiene addiction, and paying a premium for their self satisfied illusion of being a snob. Wet Half Caf low fat with Splenda? Gee, just set up a vending machine.

     

  139. Make mine Vietnamese iced coffee. Pour some sweetened condensed milk (Eagle Brand or something like that, 3/4″ or so to taste) in a tall glass, fill the glass with ice, SLOWLY (so the glass doesn’t break!) add good strong French-pressed coffee and more ice to replace what’s melting, and stir well. It’s dessert all by itself.

    Oh, and before you ask: This is NOT made with that weird civet-cat-$#!+ stuff!

    BTW, it’s “cah-FEH.” “Caff-eh” is the Canadian spelling :-)

    Back to my half-caf Maxwell House Colombian with Coffee-Mate. OK, I blaspheme. So sue me………….

     

  140. I agree about the caffelatte thing.
    It consists in coffee plus a large amount of hot milk, it’s not so popular in italian bars but it is quite popular when having breakfast at home, especially for children.
    Italy didn’t invent coffee but was responsible of its spread in Europe and subsuquently in the Americas (not considering the improvements on its preparation processes).
    So it’s not a matter of absolut truth. For example, if i’d want to know something about tacos, i’ll go straight to a mexican, since he probably know how an “original” taco is.
    Anyway it’s a quite fascinating matter, since it meets food with culture and anthropology.

     

  141. Thanks for all the comments. I’ve learned a lot from reading them.

    Early next week I hope to add another post about the diagrams in which I hope to do a few things:

    • Release the source files under a Creative Commons license so others can extend and localize the diagrams.
    • Offer a PDF that contains all the diagrams.
    • And possibly offer shirts and mugs through a print-on-demand service, time permitting.

    I’m off to Long Island for a few days. Check back early next week for the new post.

     

  142. Those are simple but brilliantly so. I really like them. Maybe some people will realize they’re hardly even drinking coffee. (95% coffee and a splash of skim milk for me, please) Nice designs Lokesh.

     

  143. Love the diagrams. Very helpful. But,

    > Espresso is prepared by forcing hot water through finely ground
    > dark-roast coffee beans.

    Steam, live steam, not hot water. That’s why espresso machines operate under pressure and give that nice hissssssing sound.

    If you put hot water through coffee grounds you get good ol’ American coffee.

     

  147. Hi
    in Venezuela, we have another one we call it “tetero”. it´s made with some drops of espreso and the rest, milk. “Tetero” means “feeding bottle”.
    bye

     

  148. Major D :

    “Steam, live steam, not hot water.”

    Nope. Most espresso machines produces steam for milk frothing, but water is pushed through the coffee grounds at around 90degC.

     

  149. very cool, lokesh… nice work…

    interestingly, I think Starbucks (or maybe Peets) back a few years ago offered a brochure in the stores with sketchy diagrams with lots of gridlines and architectural-style flourishes…

    anyone else remember such a thing?

     

  150. Not to complicate things further (bet you never thought a simple espresso drink primer could get so much attention), but perhaps a future post on methods of making coffee? Percolated, boiled, forced (like espresso); Italian vs. Turkish, etc.
    Someone else mentioned that all styles are valid, and I agree. I have had good percolated coffee and crappy espresso – depends on how it is made, quality and freshness of coffee, proper grind, good water, Boyle’s Law, sun spots, etc. Okay, maybe we can already find those details on Wikipedia.
    BTW – can I get the permission of Starbucks Corporation to punch any barista who says “expresso.”
    Matt
    P.S. Lightbox rules! Thanks. (http://www.ctrockgym.com/news.html)

     

  152. “Espresso is prepared by forcing hot water through finely ground dark-roast coffee beans.”

    Actually the best tasting espresso is made with medium roast beans. Check your sources…

    From Wikipedia :

    “A common misconception about espresso is that it is a specific bean or roast level. Any bean or roasting level can be used to produce authentic espresso. While some major North American chains push dark roasts as their espresso roasts, some of the winning blends used in the World Barista Championship have been what is classified as a medium or “City” or “Full City” roast, with little or no visible surface oil on the beans.”

     

  153. In searching for a halfway decent cup of coffee in California, I found the way to order a flat white, seems to be to ask for a Wet Cappuccino.

    It is still a mystery to me, how ground coffee, an espresso machine and a pair of hands can turn out such a terrible brew as is served in Starbucks and the like, yet produce wonderful coffee in just about any cafe in an metropolitan Australian city.

     

  154. You have to take this further and cover alcohol!!! It’s brilliant. Sell this to Betty Crocker!

     

  155. Hi Lokesh,

    Great illustration & extremely good reading, especially all the comments!!

    I cannot comment too much on the authenticity of the descriptions though as I am sorta uneducated in the world of coffee!!!

    But hey, can you put in some more chocolate flavoured coffees here? I LOVE my coffee with chocolate and the only option available here (in India) seems to be the ‘Mocha’ and I am sorta tired of it!!!

    Look forward to seeing some Yummy choco-coffees!

    Keep up the good work!

     

  156. One of the differences of, say, a latte macchiato is that usually the espresso is poured in last instead of first.

     

  158. I love this. Makes me want a coffee right now! I agree with Touhey – your next project should be cocktails.

     

  159. Concerning italian coffee the popular Latte Macchiato is missing, it is served in a tall glass, steamed milk and foam poured in first, then a small cup of strong espresso is gently added to generate the thress layers. Milk (60%) at the bottom, then comes the espresso and the foam is on top. Looks awesome when made properly.
    Also missing is the ristretto, an espresso prepared with about half the water, and then there is the espresso lungo, which is an espresso prepared with twice the amount of water. Italians mostly drink it for breakfast.

    For detailed information on coffee the german version of wikipedia offers a lot more information especially on international coffee varieties.

    Here in Europe coffee is made in so many different variations and styles that you could drink one coffee a day for a year and you would not have the same one twice…

     

  162. Lindy – the main reason that coffee from different shops tastes so different is largely in the beans and the roast – many coffee devotees dislike Starbucks coffee because the roast is so dark (possibly to mask low quality beans?), referring to the shop as “Charbucks”. Get yourself a good grinder, a good espresso machine (can’t go wrong with Rancilio Rocky and Silvia if the budget allows) and a home roaster (I use an iroast2) and with a bit of practice you’ll be making coffee so good you’ll never want to go in a coffeeshop again.

    Excellent website design, really nice and clear, great use of whitespace.

     

  163. Ok, I lived in Italy 23 years and I can tell you almost got them all right except 3:
    1 – Flat White does not exist but its the came as Caffe’ latte
    2 – Caffe’ Mocha does not exist either
    3 – Espresso Breve is actually Caffe’ Corto

    There is aslo another kind of coffee calle Caffe’ Lungo and its when they make espresso, but they double the amount of time the espresso drops in the cup so you have like a double espresso with half of caffeine.

    Great Job

     

  166. Stumbled on to this page…………………..love the pics, they would have helped me in my days of attempting to make coffee for the public.

    I would like a pic that comprises 2 shots of expreso, almost to the top with hot water and a small amount of COLD milk.

    For some bizzare reason, this is considered a very odd thing to drink in a high street coffee shop in England.

     

    • r u joking??? This drink u describe was the most popular in england up until a few years ago. It was called a… wait for it… “White Coffee”

      Now its called a white americano, or an americano with milk and still quite popular!

       

  167. great job and interesting comments !

    In France, as long as you don’t go to Starbucks or to one of the first Mc Café, you don’t have so many different cups. You go to a café or a brasserie, and If you say “un expresso s’il vous plaît”, people will know you’re a tourist, because we simply ask for a “café” to get this small cup of expresso.

    if you’re popular somewhere and you come everyday, you can say “un petit noir” (a small black) but any foreign accent will make the expression ridiculous.

    Most of the men i know drink their café plain/black (café noir), women are more likely to add milk.

    Personnally i always order a “noisette” (“une” or “un” noisette, doesn’t matter, noisette means nuts so i guess it’s the color of it). Une noisette is a expresso with a few drops of milk.

    A “café au lait” is served in a bigger cup with about 25% of milk. In Belgium i like the “lait russe” (russian milk) which is served in a long glass, it’s some light coffee with a lot of milk, sort of what you call “café latte”.

    we call “American café” a big pot of warm water that has a vague odor of coffee.
    Each time my best friend makes some, her husband makes a face, throws it away and makes a new pot of strong black coffee, “for men”. So I put lots of milk as i’m a weak woman :-)

     

  168. One more to add: the “long black” is a coffee known only in Australia, New Zealand and parts of Itally, where it is known as an “espresso lungo” (sp?). It is an espresso with extra water passed through the coffee grounds to make a bigger cup of coffee with more caffeine than a single espresso. It is not a double espresso, which uses more coffee grounds, and it is not an Americano, which has extra water added afterward rather than during the extraction.

     

    • Cool that’s what I have every morning I didn’t know it had a name! :D

       

  169. I work for a german coffee company, and Ive found that every country declares they have the best coffee, , but its down to personal tastes, its always best to try them all.

    Many of the drinks made with milk, the latte macchiatos, mochacinos ect should be made in glass mugs as, if made right by the barista, gives a good visual display, with the coffee sat between the milk and foam, with an extra layer if it contains chocolate.

    The type of bean is very important too, 100% arabica beans give the best coffee, and the robusta bean is added to make it more cheaper, also the grind of the coffee is important, the finer the grind the more coffee extracted, but is slower to make, too course and the water runs through too fast to pick out the coffee.
    watch the water temperature too, boiling water can effect the taste, burning it
    i hope this is helpful to someone

     

  170. i guess i’m surprised to know as a dedicated quad iced venti latte drinker to see how similar this drink is to a cappucinno…i always knew the elements were the same but having more or less limited myself to starbucks for expedience and consistency im wondering if their latte conforms to these guidelines

     

  171. Cafe latte is Milk + Espresso + Foam and not Espresso + Milk + Foam. This way it wont have the alternate colors which makes it look attractive!

     

  172. I would like to try and make some tshirts from your design..
    will pay you a percentage of sales..
    wold you consider that..
    Peter kastan

     

  176. Great graphic – you should sell it to that mermaid company before they steal it! Seriously, if they were smart they would put it in every store.

    As to the Capuchin monks, I always heard the drink was named after the way the top of the cup resembles the top of the monk’s tonsured head: white foam encircled with brown crema.

    Also, I have to agree with the complaints about a macchiato. The “stain” should be minute, just a dab of foam or milk.

     

  178. You could consider posting a version of this in threadless, to make a T-shirt of it.-

     

  179. And if you go to Portugal for a coffee, like Pedro Couto e Santos suggested, there are some specific names you should use.

    BICA [bee-cah] is the best espresso you ever had.
    BICA CHEIA [bee-cah shey-ah] is an espresso with extra water.
    CAFE DUPLO is a double espresso.
    CAFE DUPLO PINGADO [peen gah-do] is a double espresso with a tiny droplet of milk. My favourite!
    GALAO [guh-lao] is a glass of coffee with lots of milk.
    GALAO ESCURO [guh-lao sjkoo-roh] is a longer shot of coffee in a glass with milk.
    GALAO (ESCURO) DA MAQUINA you should ask to be sure they use hot steamed milk.

    Only downside in Portuguese coffee is that they use UHT (dead milk). So you are better of asking a glass of water next to your espresso.

    Try to look for a place that sells Delta, Buondi or Segafredo coffee.

     

  180. that’s genius! :) bravo!

    just one thing: caffellatte has no milk foam on top (well, at least not here in Italy).

     

  181. Great job!

    Now the next level…: what is a “caffè ristretto”? And a “macchiato freddo”? And “al vetro”? I’ll keep an eye on you…

     

  182. Excellent! Thank you — I was a barista for a while and I would go nuts over people who yelled at me for making their macchiatos “wrong”. Simple and lovely.
    Maybe it’s a personal thing, but the milk foam on the latte is to scale? I know some gets on top (as per taste, too) but that seems like a lot.

     

  186. A-ha! It proves that the difference between a ‘flat white’ and a ‘latte’ really is 95% in the mind of the (angry) (Australian) customer!

    Great chart.

     

  187. Brilliant diagrams! As a coffee lover it helps immensely to know what I’m buying from the coffee shops. ;)

     

  189. Thank you so much! People not knowing these simple guidelines is the main reason i haven’t gotten coffee at a cafe in almost 2 years. I am blogging this diagram, linked back here, of course, to spread the coffee education.

     

  190. hey, to all those people that labeld those diagrams wrong – same difference! regional differences aside tho, im a firm believer of the customer gets what the customer wants.
    good work on this site tho mate, educating the masses is what we need!!

    p.s. biased i might b but i reckon a flat white (from new zealand) is the best mix – small tulip cup, doppio shot, smooth flat and creamy milk :) mmmmm

     

  191. Thank you for this post. I came across it on stumbled and will be back. I never really knew the differences and would never remember to look it up. cheers!

     

  192. Dude one word.. Thanx! you cannot imagine the relief you give to someone who has spent countless hours at cafes wodering what to order… sleek…

     

  194. Very informative! Nice Illustrations!

    What is the correct way of drinking caffucino? Do you mix it before drinking? Or is it taken in as is letting the foam kiss your lips in the process?…….Thanks.

     

  195. Great! just got hired at a coffee bar- and this is way more helpful than the training manuel.

     

  201. Very good illustrations; I have posted it on my blog in a German version thanks to your perfect preparatory work and the use of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License. Thank you very much! Great job!

     

  202. Actually,I cannot find but one place in our entire city that truly knows how to make any kind of coffee that is drinkable(boy,you can tell I’m from the country!)Soooooo,I started making up my own recipes and using my blender.I have to warn you tho,you may get a tummy ache before you finally arrive on clouds of bliss.Believe me when I say that you can visit our local flea market and find bags and boxes of every kind of coffee you can name,and some you can’t!Lots of imports from other countries and they sell like hotcakes!But please take some advice from someone who knows,never overdo it on any kind of coffee if you have health issues!Take care!

     

  203. mmm…coffee. thanks for making things clear for the morons but wouldn’t we serve the world of coffee and the world at large better if we just started firebombing Starbucks?

     

  205. is it hilarious or scarysad how many of these commenters derive their main coffee knowledge from the standard starbucks curriculum?

     

  207. I think your effort is is remarkable but there are some mistakes and something is missing.

    “Caffè breve” does not exists, it is just a wrong translation of “caffè ristretto” or “ristretto”. I challenge you to go in an Italian cafè and ask for a “caffè breve” and see how the bartender (barista) will look at you. The “caffelatte” it is not served in the “tazzina da caffè” or “tazza da cappuccino” but it served in a glass. In this sense the picture is misleading. One variety that’s quite widespread and it is missing in your list is “caffè corretto” that means an espresso with a shot of liquor (brandy, grappa, …) . The “core espressos” in Italy are:
    - espresso
    - ristretto
    - macchiato
    - corretto
    As time goes more and more variations are cropping up: “estivo” (“summer”), “macchiatone” (big macchiato), “etoile” (star) according to the place and taste.

    Ciao e buon lavoro

     

  210. “Non capite un cazzo di caffé, lasciate stare!”

    ha, so true! all these stupid varieties of ‘coffee’ just serve one goal – to hide the bad coffee used in the fancy and overpriced drinks. go to italy, take a caffè in ANY place and you know why you should stick to the basics.

     

  211. I really love the design of your diagram. Feels iconic, good colours, very clean, useful. Good to see function and form in equal measure.

     

  212. re- Flat White,

    This is made using an over-extracted espresso as a base, not just a shot of espresso, ie similar to an Americano but without being so extremely over-extracted, more like 2 shots worth of water thru one basket of grinds.

    (over-extracted = so much water forced thru one shot in order to weaken the coffee)

     

  213. How about French etc translations or variants? I recently ordered a cafe creme in England, it seemed the best choice of the multi-lingual variations on offer, and got black coffee. What?

     

  214. Cappuccino as served in England: to one spoon of Nescafe, add half a mug of lukewarm water. Make some froth with washing-up liquid and stick a handful on top. Add pepper to taste. (The last was a joke.)
    I never really understood the point of cappuccino; who wants fluff on their coffee? And because latte is taken to mean cappuccino but in slightly different proportions, it’s quite difficult in some places to get a cafe au lait, aka white coffee, aka caffe latte as I would have thought it might have been.

     

  215. ummmmmmmm, i can’t speak english.. well,
    but i want to tell you “very very thank-you!!!” *^_^*

     

  217. FINALLY! Someone ACTUALLY knows what a real Americano looks like. Everyone learn please! Stop using Starbucks lingo- it’s made up Americanized crap!

     

  218. … I didn’t mean Americano, I meant Espresso Macchiato. Haha, I was so caught up and excited. Apologies!

     

  219. Pronunciation is wrong
    ess-press-o muck-e-a-to

    the first o should be hardly heard, muck should be the good pronunciation of the first part of macchiato ,the t shoul be pronounced with your tongue not between yout teeth but it should press against the upper teeth.The last o is pronounced with your mount open and not closed as in “go to”.

     

  222. We are a coffee magazine based in Australia.

    Not sure if this is of use to anyone, Have posted the url for a page which features the main different types of coffee – the only difference is that in Australia we have the ‘flat white’ which is typically similar to a cafe latte, but served in a cappuccino-sized cup.

    Hope you find this helpful.

     

  225. its cool and everything. but with the cafe mocha, at starbucks, they put the syrup in first, then espresso. just thought i would point that out.

     

  228. Being a daily espresso drinker, I think this diagram would make a great poster or desktop :)

     

  229. Nice illustration. You might consider a treatment where the dish and handle are not so prominent. The dark bold, heavy outline seems to compete with the key information. Just something to consider. I like the simple shapes and palette. Thanks.

     

  230. So are you paying Coffee Company in Amsterdam for using their illustrations that they have used for their menus for the last few years?

     

  231. I absolutely love the diagram. I’d like to echo Belle’s comment: any possibility of developing a poster version?

     

  232. One more possibility for the diagram: I’m not sure how common the expression is, but “Shot in the Dark” refers to a shot of capp topped up with black coffee. Bang bang!

     

  234. Awesome illustrations. Now I this would help my friend understand those different kinds of coffee.

     

  235. i love your diagrams, it think you should send them arround to all the coffee shops in the world, because at most of them they also dont know what they are serving and therefore they make up strange names and mixtures not necessairly with a good result ;)

     

  236. excelente para los neofitos pero interesados en saber mas del cafe

     

  239. Please make these international symbols.

    I’ve never heard of a flat white – for many years I’ve been ordering a capuccino and stiring the foam in. :P

     

  241. There is a basic error on Cappuccino. It is served in a cup of double capacity than coffee cup. I think it’s important and must be visualized. Cappuccino is another category, with hundred of types. We wait a cappuccino drink illustrated.
    And last…
    Consider “Corretto Coffee” with other hundred of types: with “grappa”, “sambuca”, “sassolino”, and the esplosive “ponce” hot with rhum!

     

  242. Beautifully simple and elegant. I will be finding a way to display this at work.

     

  244. Thanks, this has saved me. I am doing a project on this stuf and couldnt find it aly place. thanks

     

  245. How great. I like the amount of Chocolate in the Mocha…that looks about right, well, It’s how much I would put into it.

    Thanks for these. I am “helped”, and feel more confident in ordering my next coffee drink.

    Jorge

     

  246. i have recently opened a coffee shop and would like to display details and a history of coffee through its history if you or anyone you know has any useful info i would greatly appreciate it

     

  248. How light is the coffee in a latte compared to a cappuccino? Because I always like my espresso coffee light brown but NOT that light I believe compared to a latte. Do anyone have ACTUAL pictures of the differences in the darkness/lightness within the two drinks?

     

  250. Espresso is NOT made by pushing “pressurized steam” through coffee grounds. It is made by pushing hot WATER through a bed of finely ground coffee; the water is “pushed” by the actions of a rotary or a vibrational pump or a piston that is pushed using a lever-activated spring. Steam has nothing to do with it aside from steam in the boiler increasing the resting pressure of the water (and providing steam for milk frothing). The work is done by the pump or the piston.

    I pity everyone on here who has never had a proper 5- or 6-oz cappuccino made with silky microfoam at a decent cafe.

     

  251. Hey! Thanks for the help, especially the pronounciations, btw is this spoken/with the intent of an american accent? Because we have different way of speaking in NZ

     

  252. This is sooo cool! Thanks for posting

    for the Americano god’s gift to coffee drinkers!

     

  253. I have a question about the chocolate syrup in the caffe mocha. Is this the clear chocolate flavoring you find at the shops or is it actual chocolate syrup? In case I lose this bookmark, someone please email me with the info….my addy is info@meyersforhouse.com

     

  255. Thanks for that! Now I can make an informed choice next time i’m in a coffee shop and not guess! Nice Website.

     

  256. GREAT DEPICTIONS. YES the espresso diagrams posted here.

    It helps to kind of clue people in and I send the blogger “good job,” pat on the shoulder,” etc. . I’ve travelled around the globe..had wonderful coffee etc.
    Please. you coffee snobs are well-known..you’re hardly new.
    Uh, have you tried Paxil?
    Cheers e Pace. ;-)
    Mark

     

  258. Hi,

    I like this a lot: it helps makes coffee clearer. Two questions though: The diagram makes a cappuccino and a cafe latte the same. What is the difference? And also, what is a Lait Russe?

     

  259. I used to work for a coffee chain in England and we always made the Americano with the hot water first then the expresso. Otherwise the coffee would be burned by the hot water and wouldn’t taste as nice.

     

  263. Nice site, like your work, the coffee shop pictures excellent idea, with the pronounciations aswell, well smarrt and class.

     

  264. I recently helped open a coffee shop in manassas, virginia after serving a three years sentence with the major coffee chain we all know and should hate. I must say i really like the site and enjoyed reading the blog. Posted is the website to the gift line that my coffee shop was inspired by. The owner started the gift line first, and then the coffee shop. The name of the coffee shop is Java Roo, come visit!! Ask for Daniel(i am the manager)

     

  267. I started my owe coffee shop in eldrige iowa, im having so much fun

     

  268. Great!!! Nice illustration~~~Thank you :)>-
    (p.s Here is korea~~)

     

  270. The ‘flat white’ should be called ‘cafe con leche’ the standard spanish coffee.
    You get a big cup with some espresso in it placed in front of you and then the steamed milk is poured on top. You can decide how much milk you want, great.

     

  272. Thanks for the helpful illustrations. My husband and I just bought and espresso machine; we thought it would be fun to make our own drinks instead of paying $4 for a good cup at coffee shops. Anyway, I have been searching all over for knowledge on what makes up each drink and what goes in first and all that, so thank you!

     

  275. I am so happy I stumbled upon this site…I just began a job at a new cafe…had a crash course in coffee and the cafe opened two days later…There is nothing like being thrown into this kind of work without proper training…These diagrams are coming to work with me!!! Thanks!

     

  276. HI ITS NIGE TO TELL ABOUT WHAT WAS PROPORTION OF THE COFFEE.THAT IS VERY HELPUL FOR ME.THANKS.

     

  281. awessome diagram.. ristretto and doppio! what’s the difference??

     

  282. Just linked to this post on our blog: stuffcoolpeoplelike.tumblr.com

    Bravo!

     

  283. I’ve never seen better illustrations than yours. I’m an ESL teacher in Hong Kong. Can I use your great diagrams in my worksheets on teaching my students how to order different types of coffee?
    Thanks.

    Phoebe.

     

  284. I haven’t seen anyone address the questions regarding cafe’ au lait/misto. Misto is Starbucks’ term for cafe’ au lait, which, in the U.S., at least, is half regular (American) coffee and half steamed milk. I first fell in love with this drink in Paris, at an outdoor cafe, where they came to my table with two pots, one full of coffee, the other of hot milk. They poured both simultaneously into a large round cup. Delicious!!

     

  286. Dear Lokesh

    I recently went to buy cappucino sachets from the supermarket and noticed other cartons labelled such as latte, mocha, espresso, which was mind boggling for me. So I just bought cappucino with which I was familiar, and left in a state of utter confusion. As I could not be at ease without researching this subject, I looked up on the internet and found your website VERY HELPFUL, and has put my mind at ease and given me more confidence in making future purchases. Thanks a Tonne. I will share this information with other people as well.

    Regards

    Fatima

     

  288. any ideas on a “steamer”? I usually order a caffe latte (here in america, a “latte”) but since i’m now on a budget, I was perusing the cheaper options, such as an americano or a “steamer” but since I don’t actually know what steamer is, I didn’t order it.
    any ideas what it is?

     

  289. A Cappucino is so named because when made properly with a brown rim of crema around the outer part of the cup and the white foam in the middle, it looks like the top of a Capuchin monks head. Not because it is the same colour as a Capuchin monks robe!

     

  290. thankyou so much!!! i have just started my first job (i am 16) and i do not drink coffee myself but where i work we sell it. and i do not know the different types of coffee or how to serve them ect.. i decided to research them a bit to help me . this has been most useful with the diagrams!! much thanks x x

     

  291. You should REALLY delete those pronunciations, they are bad to the point of being funny. If you want to pronounce the name of these drinks like they are displayed here, you’ll only look like an Olsen twin (not very sophisticated).
    Other than that, the diagrams are great. Thanks.

     

  293. These are awesome illustrations because they are so simple! I am adding it to my favorites list as we speak!

     

  294. To everyone who wants to complain about these diagrams – GET A LIFE…!!

    Who cares if it’s not 100% accurate… Who cares who invented coffee…? who cares that some people drink coffee from beans extracted from jungle cat crap…?

    For all intents and purposes, the diagrams are perfect. Sure, there’s no weak skinny chai latte with extra froth, but who cares…?

    Great work, you rock…. And for anyone who disagrees with any of the diagrams, why don’t you get off your ass and create a better site, and I’ll look at that once it’s complete…

     

  295. In response to “a”: A steamer is an espresso-free drink that contains steamed milk and a flavored syrup. No coffee, no caffeine.

     

  296. These illustrations have really inspired me to go out there and actually learn a bit about the different types of coffee drinks…this really should be made into a t-shirt or something. I know I’d buy it!

     

  297. Amazing illustrations!

    Really well done!

    Great help for those who would like to know how to make different types of coffees!

    Excellent job! Well done! Keep it up!

     

  298. Your illustrations were so easy to comprehend.I can now order knowing fully well what the different types are. Thank you.

     

  299. I love the graphics and the information provided. It’s very easy to understand.
    I wonder, could someone explain more about making Cuban coffee? We’ve bought an espresso maker (stove-type) and wonder about the brown sugar in the grounds. How much? Any other recipes?

     

  300. Lokesh you may also consider that to obtain the correct mix of espresso and milk or whatever else you choose to bastardise brilliant espresso with, you must consider the size of the vessel. It is not suffuce to presume that the correct mix will be obtained unless you truly understand what each drink represents for example a ‘flat white’ should taste slightly more robust than latte, cappucino etc. This means use a smaller cup (tulip). I can appreciate what you have endeavoured to point out, but perhaps understanding your palate may take you to a ‘higher plain’.

     

  301. I love everything there is to love about coffee..from my first cup in the morning that brews on my stove top,to the mid morning one i share with good friends and finally the one i run to at the end of my working day… Passion plays a big part in making coffee and i think if more ppl displayed this and strive for nothing less then a perfect shot and beautifly textured milk we would all be a lot happier..I just started a new job in a coffee shop where i wouldnt feed the coffee to my neighbours cat..Thats not because i cant make a great cup, its because my boss loves the machine so much he is killing it and wont let anyone near it..Some how ppl keep coming back for pure diluted muck in a cup..I would love to hand them a copy of your diagrams when i hand in my resignation;)

     

  303. I love coffee and don’t go without a good cuppa when I first get up in the morning. My favourite is a mocha.
    On a personal note, I have used quite a few drink machines over the past few years and my favourite so far is the Flavia drink machine. If you haven’t heard of them then take a look at http://www.myflavia.com
    The coffee is very good but you can also have tea, hot chocolate etc from the same machine which is great for a family or office with different tastes!

     

  304. the problem is….the cappuccino should be a 8oz. drink by the way the pic looks…and a latte would be 16oz. to make sense. no?

     

  305. I’m amused at the number of self-proclaimed “caffeati” who try claiming your proportions for cappas and lattes are wrong because they’re too small.

     

  307. Wow! I am in the process of becoming a barista–this is so helpful. I’ve been an avid high-end coffee drinker for years (Blue Bottle in SF) but it’s quite different when YOU have to make the drinks. Thank you!

     

  308. Essential addition: Espresso Affogato! It would make a very cute image, too. It’s a small scoop of ice cream (classcally vanilla gelato) doused with a single shot of espresso. Most delicious! Kind of like a frozen reverse espresso con panna?

     

  310. Espresso can be: regular as yoy show in the illustration, or short (less) stronger , or long (more) lighter

    take care

     

  311. Perfect! I’ve been needing a diagram like this for years!

    And I’d like to throw my vote in for this showing up on a t-shirt as well. Cafe Press charges an arm and a leg, but there’s always Spreadshirt.com or Threadless if you’re feeling competitive. ;)

     

  312. Cheers for this, it really helped on my A levels to do with making a coffee shop. Really helpful

     

  313. Nice attempt, Lokesh – and very welcome. But the responses predictably include a whole host of differing opinions on exactly what proportions the ingredients should be in, what order they should be placed into the cup, at what temperature, in what sized cup, and numerous other disagreements — especially from individuals trained in some particular way by some particular shop.

    This kinda tallies with a survey I saw in a local (Birmingham, UK)newspaper 6 months ago in which interviewers visited eight familiar coffee chain outlets (Coffee Republic, Starbucks, Cafe Nero, etc, etc), and came away with differing responses from every one of them on every coffee type! And that’s just in one country.

    Those here who argue that it’s all very simple are kidding themselves. It’s all very complicated!

     

  314. These are beautifully illustrated, thank you.

    Coffee isn’t mechanical; it’s an art. It’s luxurious and highly fraught…no wonder there are so many slight variations. At least more countries are beginning to serve espresso-based coffee.

     

  317. hi i work for starbucks… and a few of ur diagrams are wrong… i can tell you the secrets to fix them…

     

  319. One convention that I enjoy from the Cubans.
    Making a froth by whipping the first discharge of expresso with sugar and then floating that froth on top.
    In miami they make small electric hand held whips just for this purpose.
    By the way, the color that results is the exact color of cappucino.

     

  320. Without reading through all this drivel, nothing about espresso means that the beans have to be roasted dark. The drawings are nice, but the fundamental concept of what makes espresso is flawed. One of the reasons espresso is often flavorless and bitter is because places insist on using burnt beans because they don’t know any better.

    As for cuban coffee, all of the traditional cuban style coffee I’ve had has been made with a moka pot, which discounts it from being an espresso drink. Many of the cuban places these days use espresso machines for convenience…but most of the sit down old mom and pop places here in Florida use moka pots. Mmm…makes me want a cafe dulce…

     

  321. At the risk of getting flamed :-)

    I think Cafe Breve might be more accurately defined as:

    ‘An American drink…blah blah’

    To be honest, if you do som searches on caffè ristretto or corto, you get various definitions (none which mention half and half) – anyway, I refer to the two Italian ‘experts’ that contradict each other.

    Ok, maybe Italy is the source of coffee knowledge in the world but as mentioned in many posts, it has evolved into various ‘regional’ connoctions. It is evident that even in the ‘mother country’ there is variations in recipes and names.

    Anyway, my quest for the proper Double Espresso Macchiato drives me crazy. My hometown local shop does an excellent job and the other day told me that they love it when I come in and order one because then they get to make it ‘right’. I get a kick out the various designs they try to make in the ‘mark’ of foam.

    I do hate Starbucks but at least they offer consistency. I just came back from Shanghai and I can get the same ‘so-so’ cup of coffee there that I get in the USA. Also, they do have the correct recipe for Macchiato-now if they could just start buying better beans…ck

     

  322. i work at a coffee shop in california and i really suck at making espressos. never really got trained the right way by any means. so sorry in advance to anyone who gets coffee from someone like me who has never drank coffee before let alone made it. the only cool thing i learned is how to layer cappuccinos and lattes. they look pretty cool lol. one thing i dont see on here is a cafe ole i think its called. i think its like a latte but with regular coffee not espresso.

     

  323. They should put this diagram on the front of coffee machines that provide espressos, cappuccinos and lattes.

     

  324. Cool coffee diagram and useful to know. I agree with the comment above from Sig. It would be cool if they could put a diagram like this on any machines, shops that sell these sorts of drinks so you know what you are getting.

     

  327. Simple and clear pciture describing the differences between kinds of coffee. Very well, cheers.

     

  330. coffee dwarf, I agree that mochaccinos need a diagram, but café au lait… a café au lait is either exactly the same thing as a caffe latte (replacing Italian with French) OR refers to French press/filter/stove-top espresso coffee with loads of hot milk and foam, and in both cases wouldn’t deserve mention here.

    I’d also like to add that a caffe mocha doesn’t always involve whipped cream (that’s usually an add-on and will cost you more), and that both the caffe mocha and the mochaccino are frequently made with hot cocoa (itself a mix of pure cocoa powder and hot milk, not Swiss Miss). Not everyone likes sweetened coffee, and any time you use a syrup you’re adding A LOT of sugar.

     

  331. Cher “mademoiselle cafetière”,
    Having recently visited France for the first time, ever, I can tell you a few things
    1) In small towns such as Mazan, the cafe owners are extremely happy to serve anyone (tourist or not). They are very tolerant of accents, etc and are more than willing to accomodate. They certainly were nice to me….
    2) You must be from Paris or the surrounding area as your mannerisms are extremely arrogant in nature. So one could say to such behavior from a parisian (as we call you here in the USA) mais bien sur!
    3) Every morning I went down the small cafe on the main rue du Mazan and ordered une cafe. Let me tell you it is excellent I agree with you there.
    4) Since you are so fond of telling us how WONDERFUL the cafe in France is, let me tell you how wonderful things are here in the United States:

    A) There are many cultures here and they influence each other.
    B) Because of (A), there is a great deal of variety
    C) NO ONE who is a lover of coffee (cafe, etc) will drink coffee just anywhere. This is well known. So why poke fun at us when now have ALMOST as many McDonald’s as we do. (French cooking?) Non, c’est ne pas vrai!
    D) For a good example of (A) and (B), order coffee from a cuban coffee shop in one of these fine cities: (Miami, New York City, West New York [in NJ], Los Angeles.

    I also would like to let you know that I think the people in the south of france are wonderful and easy to get along with and they were very tolerant of my accent and vocal inflections.

    Au Revoir

    -I’ve been to France!
    PS: France would not exist at all as it is today if we (the USA) had not come in there and saved you. Please do not forget that.

     

  332. We run a lot of barista courses and work as barista trainers. I have come across this sheet a couple of times when people have printed it. It is very useful for people, so great job!
    Even though we might make some coffees different, this is a great illustration.

     

  333. In my haste to respond to someone else I forgot to write: “Nice Job!”

     

  335. Awesome, great job! You know what you should do with this? Make it more clear at card-size, so that you can put it on one side of a card, and on the other a calendar or something. To fit in a wallet, you see?

     

  336. When I did my barista training (this is in Australia), I was told – repeatedly and insistently – that the only difference between a latte and a flat white is what they are served in (latte comes in a glass, flat whites come in a cup). Both are put on the menu to stop arguments with ignorant customers.
    However, some shops change it to suit themselves.

     

  338. So, why are Starbucks going so badly wrong when you ask for a caramel macchiato? Caramel aside, it’s just another Latte isn’t it? Don’t get my wrong – I like Starbucks, but it’s American coffee flavoured drink. Here in the UK, Costa is far better for coffee.

    Top work – keep it up!

     

  339. Could you possibly provide along with the diagram the volume in millimetres of each additive to each coffee? Otherwise this is a fantastic access for all us lovers of the coffee bean!!!

     

  341. Great illustrations, thanks! I manage an ice cream shop, and we just added coffee drinks to our menu for the winter, so I have been doing a lot of studying lately!

    1) Is it ok to print the pics for my staff?
    2) Can anyone with experience tell me how this translates to American 16,18, and 20 oz sizes? (e.g, one shot for 16 oz, 2 for 20oz? Or 2 shots for 16 oz?) Thanks!

     

  343. porca miseria!! vaffanculo a “starbucks”
    coffee is simple in italia. is better
    where is caffe corretto???

     

  345. caffe corretto mean caffe corrected. is when you put the grappa or sambuca in the caffe

     

  346. I’m a postgrad student and just bought my first espresso machine – all I needed to know were these basics – a great starting point! Nice clear diagrams

     

  348. This is the best ever! I have it printed and posted in my cube. :-D I’d purchase if you offer high quality prints!

     

  350. No this diagram issss soooo wrong first a macchiato has stemed milk as well as a touch of foam, macchiato means marked, and as this drink predates the use of milk foam, a traditional macchiato has ONLY STEAMED MILK, ALSO a flat white is espresso then 1/3 boiling water and 1/3 steamed milk NO FOAM, without the water element it is only a NO FOAM LATTE (as you would ask when ordering it)
    Damn guys do more research before u praise people on the net, 3/4 of all info is BS.
    I am a Barista of 10years, let me tell you, if u are curious about drinks go to a nice cafe order yourself a double espresso sit at the bar and talk with the barista who would be happy to fill you in on all the methods and origins of the drinks
    ciao guys
    James

     

  353. …. hi… what about the spanish typical cofee “milked cofee”?

     

  354. Also in Spain there is something deliciuos for summer: Coffee on the Rocks (Cafe con Hielo-Coffee with Ice). Cold coffee is usually cold american coffee brewed long ago and let it cool, losing the aroma. For a summer “delight”:
    1) Ask for a expresso or a bouble expresso
    2) and a glass with ice cubes
    3) (for those who add sugar [OMG!]: add the sugar to the hot expresso and stirr)
    4) Pour the coffee on the glass with ice and stirr.

    Indulge yourself with all the aroma of a cold expresso.

     

  355. NOT EVERYTHING IS ALLRIGHT IN THAT DIAGRAM.
    I LIVE IN ITALY AND I SEE “CAPPUCCINO” TWICE EVEN IF CAPPUCCINO IS MADE WITH ESPRESSO AND FOAMED MILK ONLY!!

    CIAO!

     

  361. Very nice illustrations!

    Now I know what I am getting with.

     

  362. Weird, you`ve missed ristretto. You basically fill the piston for two espresso`s but then select one espresso. Strong and dark, perfect for a Boston morning.

     

  365. I miss my Favorite Espresso: Quadrospresso (just 4 Espressos in one cup)
    It kicks you awake!

     

  367. I dont drink coffee but this is cool.. now i want some coffee..

     

  368. Firstly, I want to add my praise for a job well done.
    Secondly I want to ask that all those who have posted comments specifying that this or that type of drink is wrong because in ‘insert any place you like’ we do it this way and that is the only correct way, to consider how intolerant, arrogant and stupid their assertions are. Coffee is a world of sensory delight and cultural diversity – this is it’s strength. Yes there are some drinks that are based upon standards – like the espresso – which are correctly made only if they conform to those standards (for instance espresso is approx 30ml in approx 25 seconds with a pressure of approx 8 bars and a water temperature of approx 93′C) – everything else is up for grabs and is a gift for your enjoyment and exploration, if you can open your mind to the beauty offered by diversity.

     

  369. Hey, great and clever diagrams, very handy.

    Forgive me if these comments have already been made, I haven’t read through the long list of previous comments – I got part way down but didn’t go the whole way!

    Couple of points. Your pronunciation guide for Espresso Macchiato does’nt seem quite right. You have macchiatio as “mock-e-ah-toe” but that first syllable has a vowel more like cat than dog.

    Likewise, I would represent the first syllable of panna in Espresso con Panna to rhyme with caf rahter than your pawn rendering.

    Secondly, the reason for the confusion about the meaning of macchiato stems from the following. macchiato translates as “stain” (or “mark”, as someone above said). A caffé macchiato means an espresso with a stain of milk. I.e. just a tiny smidgen of milk. A latte macchiato is the opposite – a tall glass of hot milk with a stain of coffee. It’s even weaker than a regular caffé latte and usually only ordered in the morning, in Italy.

    The difficulty is that, in English speaking countries, we have shorted caffé latte to latte (leading to occasional confusion when tourists to more remote areas of Italy try to order a milky coffee only to be given a glass of hot milk) and one often sees just the word macchatio on a coffee menu with no indication whether it’s a caffé macchiato or a latte macchiato!

    You’d think from all this that I’m a huge coffee drinker and expert – I am neither, prefering, as it happens, tea! But I spent some time in Italy with a friend of mine (also English but who moved there decades ago and is now a real local). Her friends took the time to explain the many different coffees properly and I was then, over time, able to see how these were translated/ represented by coffee houses around the world!

     

  371. I know zero, and I mean zero about coffee. This really helps in a clear, easy, fast, digestible manner. I know nothing about beer and mixed drinks, any ideas???

     

  372. I love this illustration, I really do and I agree with the 11 or so comments above about selling a poster or print. I would definitely purchase it. :)

    Good job!

     

  373. Hey Lokesh – Great job.

    Since you said you were going to distribute it anyway, I went ahead and created a copy myself. As long as you don’t object, I can go ahead and upload to Cafe Press and set all the prices to the lowest price (where I would make no profit). Please let me know…

    scott@bitstar.com

     

  378. Nice illustration. And so nice to see this being commented for over two years :-D

     

  379. Great… it’s surely useful for coffee-lover like us.

    Now I have the knowledge… just wait till get enough money to have the coffee-machine heeheehee. Then I can practice.

     

  380. Wheres the ‘long black’ and ‘double long black’ ? One or two shots of espresso with a bit of water.
    The Americano on the other hand is a frigging sin against coffee. It shouldn’t exist….so weak it couldn’t pull the skin of a rice pudding

     

  381. Great graphic and many interesting comments (if a bit repetitive). I am another Australian, and I enjoy fine coffee (mostly as the Aussie “flat white”).

    We are savvy coffee-drinkers who are spoiled for choice, because of the diverse ethnic makeup of our population. Starbucks closed most local stores because they could not compete with the real baristas in the numerous family coffee shops.

    I would like to see Greek / Turkish / Lebanese coffee more widely publicised (I have some Greek ancestry). There is no better way to get the flavour rush, although some are turned off by the gritty finish.

     

  382. While there are so many coffee lovers gathered, can anyone tell me if there is any real difference between Cafe au Lait and Caffe Latte, other than the language?

     

  383. In most of Europe Cafe au Lait and Caffe Latte are the same. However, in the US Cafe au Lait is made with drip or French press coffee instead of espresso

     

  384. Good post! I enjoyed reading it and enjoyed reading the helpful comments from your readers. I want some pix for iced coffee and my blended frozen coffee :)

     

  385. The best coffee in the world you will taste it in Italy…here is my favorite recipe: the same as Caffe Moka but instead of chocolate syrup use NUTELLA and you will have “Cappuccino Nocciolato”…enjoy it!!

     

  386. @everyone who put things like “you wrong, it shouldn;t be 1/3 of the cup”, “the cups is the same”.. c’mon you guys are whining, appreciate people’s work. This is an illustration, no one is going to use this for Barista’s guide.. read the title carefully, “Coffee Drinks Illustrated” period.

    Anyway, great post Lokesh, I’m also a coffee lover, just can’t live without cafe latte in the morning. And I think I’m going to print this illustration to my daily T-Shirt.

     

  388. Americano! They are so sophisticated. Experts in destroying all goodness in coffee.

     

  389. Excellent work! I have printed the illustrations and put the paper behind my espresso machine!

    Have you considered creating an iPhone app with these? or at least an iPhone formatted page?

     

  394. HI, Lokesh..
    I was finding for some jquery plugins and found Lightbox ..great work..! N then i find this coffee blog, amazing and astoudnding ..great work must say..!
    Enjoy..!
    Arpan

     

  395. Interesting diagrams for sure.

    Well to comment I am writing a book of the subject of italian coffee and its traditions, which I am proud to present. It is an honor to represent tradition from my beloved Italia.

     

  396. just wondering if anyone can tell me the recipe for Caramel Correttos. I order this at Second Cup, and am looking to buy an espresso machine to make my own at home to save money!

     

  399. I made this one (but I haven’t “published” it anywhere, and it’s based on yours):

    http://folk.ntnu.no/anderfo/pics/temp/nyheter/espressodrinks.png

    - I skipped the phonetics since they were anyway wrong (if you want to pronounce it in the italian way, like you probably should).
    - I changed the coffee cup sizes to fit with the amount of liquids.
    - I haven’t added these yet but might do it:
    * Caffè corretto (italian)
    * Café au lait (french)
    * Cortado (spanish)
    * Caffè ristretto (italian)
    * Latte macchiato (italian)

    You can keep developing it if you want.

     

  400. Why is it that when I make coffee (on holiday) in
    Greece or Spain it always tastes great, but when I make it in the UK it tastes ghastly?

    Do all the coffee-producing companies save up the
    crap stuff for the UK market – because they know
    99% of Brits can’t tell good coffee from mud?

    And why can’t you buy those silvery little percolators (with six corners) in the UK – like they sell in Spain? They make PUUURRRFECT coffee every time!

     

  401. Handy diagrams. In the Málaga area of southern Spain they use their own terms. I have been told this started in the “Café Central” in La Plaza de la Constitución in the heart of Málaga. There you can see a chart like yours that has been on the wall as long as I remember (late 60′s). A similar chart is also reproduced on serviette holders produced by the coffee dealer “Santa Cristina”. (A kind barowner gave me one years ago!)

    A “café sólo” is what the rest of the world might call an “espresso”. After that steamed milk (never foam) is added to varying amounts of coffee normally in a small plain glass of about 150ml. The percentages are my own estimates of the amount of coffee in each: Sólo (100%), Largo (90%), Semi-largo (70%), Mitad (50%), Semi-corto (40%), Corto (30%), Sombra (20%), Nube (10%).

    This system is understood well throughout the province of Málaga and means you can always get a coffee that suits your palate at the moment. Often people will order a “doble” of one of the above especially in the morning as in “un mitad doble”. Note that “mitad” is feminine but people ask for “un mitad”, not “una mitad” since what they are really requesting is “un café mitad”.

    They also serve “Americano” but I think that’s 50% coffee and 50% water; could be wrong. You can also get a “capuccino”, bit of a foreign import! “Café con hielo” is a favourite with some people in the summer. If you ask for “café con leche” I think they give you a “mitad”.

     

  402. TELL ME ABOUT IT.

    sometimes i think im drinking coffee-flavored milk.
    =A=

    GIMME MORE ESPRESSO WHEN I ASK FOR IT, DAMNIT.

     

  403. Lokesh,

    This is cleverly done. I’ve seen a number of coffee definition/glossary/lingo websites, and it is typically just confusing words, but you have simplified for everyone. Brilliant job!

    Thanks,
    Heman

     

  404. I like the images but the pronunciations are bugging me.

    For the word Macchiato, the accent is on the a not the i making it almost like {mock-yah-toe}, and Panna is not pronounced {pawn-nah} I think {pahn-nah} would better represent the way it sounds.

     

  405. americano coffee build up is not correct. it should be hot water top it up with expresso that gives you nice creamy head on your coffee

     

    • Americano is hot water on espresso
      Long Black is espresso on hot water
      I believe this term came from Australia. AND we don’t have Starbucks to destroy our fondness of good coffee

       

  408. Great artcile with wicked diagrams, not seen anything like that before. Love coffee and always will, though trying to cut down as you should only have 4 cups a day and I easily trile that.

    KR
    Mike

     

  409. Fantastic diagram! I am taking this to my usual coffee shop tomorrow so they can be enlighthened!

     

  410. i will start working in this field soon, and it’s so easy to get the drinks mixed up! i’m going to print these out and make flashcards with them, they are SO helpful! thank you!

     

  414. I really enjoyed this. Great coffee illustrations. I just finished up some photo art of coffee and this was really great to see since I have not been a fan of how Starbucks changed how real coffee drinks are made.

     

  417. You have inspired coffee places even in Asia. I see the “exact” same art work being use in various coffee hangouts around Bangkok, Seoul and Taipei.

     

  424. hi,i think this few pic is as nice as a 50 page pocket book ,a complet course

     

    • hi ,i think this few pic is as nice as a 50 pages pocket book,a complet course

       

  427. great illustrations! I find these diagrams which I use something very similar in my training courses an important component when helping people understand the differences between thr various offering. Here in Australia the doppios (double) and the piccolo (small version of latte) would be among top ten coffee beverages on a coffee menu.
    Thanks for sharing!

     

  428. Caffe LAtte is wrong, in Italy we use just regular moka coffe + hot milk

     

  429. Very interesting article, even if Im not a coffee drinker. Thanks for the info! btw, there are tons of great comments as well on this posting. Thanks to online users! :)

     

  430. I always wanted to know what all the different drink names meant on the menu at Starbucks. Thanks!

     

  431. I’m struggling with something: to make an allonge you allow the shot to pour for longer than normal, right? If so, why doesn’t it taste burnt? I thought the reason we time shots was to keep them from having a burnt bitter taste, but the allonge seems to call for it. What am I not getting? Also, I always learned 18-23 seconds but I’ve seen those times differ from place to place. Now I’m trying to learn foam art from youtube videos and it’s not going well…

     

  432. thanks!! i was always confused with those, now this gonna help me big time when i order next time!

     

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  436. Indeed,it’s really a mess sometimes at the coffee shop, when all cups have the basic ingredients. Essential infoviz for all. Thanks :)

     

  437. The only problem I have with this paradigm of drinks is the manner you did the pronunciation in. If you are going to attempt to tell people how they should pronounce it, at least use the International Phonetic Alphabet. When you have an “e” that could be pronounced two different ways, what’s the point of trying at all?

     

  439. :)
    Small preparation advice:
    Americano – it tastes best if the shot of espresso is brewed directly into cup of hot water. Not that you have espresso shot and then add water.

     

  441. These diagrams look great! I just bought an espresso maker for Christmas and was a little confused about the different types of drinks. Now that’s no longer a problem!

    It’s a shame that there are so many comments downing espresso, and its impact on the world, especially in the United States. Starbucks has become a famous trend, and the employees that work there are ALWAYS cheerful and helpful.

    I myself have a taste for espresso. However, if you are happier with traditional coffee from your home country, then so be it. No one is pressuring you to spend $5 on an espresso drink. This article is simply well organized education.

     

  443. Hello
    Search for loyal friends to drink a cup of hot coffee Yes
    With corrosive
    I hope to enjoy the time

     

  444. Love your illustrations. Do you have a list of flavored Espresso drinks as well? example: Gunbarrel, White Chocolate Mocha, Carmellia…

    Thanks

     

  445. Actually, a macchiato is made by milk foam on the bottom and then pouring the espresso shots on top, the desired result being able to see the shots clearly marking the foam, ‘cuz that’s what macchiato translates to from Italian. Macchiato means “stained”, or “marked” or “spotted”.

     

  448. The infographic here is great. Simple and easy to read. This is just the kind of image that makes for excellent website building! I am wondering if it is able to be used under Creative Commons license.

     

  449. I really agree with your diagrams.
    Great Illustrations thanks for sharing.

    Thanks!

     

  450. As a former barista an espresso macchiato is just a dry cappuccino.

    I really liked your illustrations I liked them a lot and I think that they should be published and hung in coffee shops and espresso bars around the world

     

  451. These images have travelled everywhere since you first published them here – well done to you. If there’s any plan to release merchandise featuring this espresso artwork then I’m sure it’d make you a few bucks.

    Rob

     

  454. Healthy Starbucks slathers on Carmel;ladden by means of hard skin syrup, except in times gone by that drawing is down the outline of coffees create in traditional café.