Coffee has managed to become an essential part of modern culture globally. And the coffee industry has undergone radical changes over the past years. For example, the number of coffee admirers has increased dramatically, while the age of coffee consumers has gone down. Maybe it is somehow connected with the popularization of coffee in social media and TV shows. It has ceased to be just a drink. Nowadays, it is an attribute of successful young people who are constantly busy with numerous tasks and need a caffeine dose to stay on track. So, it is not surprising younger generations want to keep up this trend and become a part of this “movement.” Besides, you can come across various publications that reveal the benefits of coffee consumption. According to statistics, about 46% of coffee consumers are millennials. All these changes influence the coffee industry and inspire baristas to make up new coffee drinks that match the tastes and needs of different clients.
Cappuccino
Many people know firsthand this popular coffee drink. The classic recipe involves double-espresso, hot milk, and thick milk froth, but you can replace the last two components with cream. And if you want to create a brand-new version, choose some additional ingredients like spices and chocolate chips.
This drink can boast of a mild taste with a slight coffee bitterness. If you do everything right, you will get a pretty sweet drink even without sugar. Even though the recipe seems simple at first glance, it is pretty hard to make a really tasty cappuccino. Therefore, baristas make exactly this coffee drink at international competitions for a reason.
Latte
If you find yourself in Italy and decide to order this drink, it is worth asking for a café latte since just “latte” means milk in Italian. It is a mix of coffee and frothy milk. Besides, you should pour milk into the coffee and not vice versa. Otherwise, you will get a latte macchiato. Latte differs from cappuccino in the proportions of ingredients (significantly more milk). You don’t have to be a gourmet to tell the difference between these two drinks since latte is less rich in caffeine. You should mix one part of espresso with 2–3 parts of the milk.
Espresso
Espresso must be made under the pressure of 9 bar, so there is no sense to talk about Turkish coffee vs espresso since these drinks are too different. The ready-made drink should have a dense foam of a uniform golden color. The taste of the correctly made drink harmoniously combines sweetness, bitterness, and slight sourness. The flavor will depend on coffee beans, roast, and barista skills. Classic espresso stands out from the rest of coffee drinks thanks to its “purity” since you don’t add any other ingredients to it. If you decide to add milk or cream or any other components, you will obtain other coffee drinks. Everything will depend on the ingredients added and their proportions.
Frappe
You can come across many recipes for this coffee drink, and they may include sugar, milk, ice cream, syrups, various spices, etc. However, one moment will remain unchanged, Frappé is necessarily whipped, and this feature makes it different from all other varieties of ice coffee. When Starbucks acquired Coffee Connection in 1994, it inherited the original recipe. Now, they serve Frappuccino in the coffee shops of this chain worldwide. In fact, it is the same drink but with chipped ice. Starbucks also sells bottled Frappuccino without ice at all. They add freeze-dried Via coffee, which is as close to natural in taste and aroma as possible.
Flat White
They created this drink at the end of the past century. Its distinguishing feature is higher coffee content and lower milk content compared to cappuccino, for example. The milk here does not hide the taste of the coffee foundation but highlights its merits. Therefore, it is recommended to use mixtures of different Arabica varieties without adding Robusta, especially if you want to get a delicate taste. Indian and Kenyan Arabica with a chocolate flavor is especially good. Light or medium roast coffee is preferable since the dark roast’s flavor does not go well with milk.
Bulletproof
This modern coffee drink represents a mixture of coffee, butter, and coconut oil. It tastes like a very delicate Frappuccino. Bulletproof gently invigorates without increasing blood pressure. They say that the drink normalizes blood cholesterol levels and helps lose weight, so you can afford it even on a diet. It has gained immense popularity among scientists and engineers in Silicon Valley and artists.
Bulletproof has enough oil to soften the Robusta’s bitterness, but sugar is not added to the drink, so if the Robusta in the blend is more than 10–20%, the drink will still taste bitter. However, the most delicious coffee is obtained from Arabica only. And it is better to use the freshest (ideally organic) butter.
Macchiato
This drink represents espresso with a little milk froth. Bear in mind that milk content should not exceed half of the coffee content (use only about 20 ml of milk for 35 ml of espresso). It is important to get a fluffy froth. So, you should opt for a mixture of Arabica with 10-15% Robusta. Those who do not like excessive strength and bitterness in a drink should choose a mixture of different varieties of Arabica. The preferred roast is medium. You can achieve an original taste of Macchiato with baked milk.
