Types of Coffee Drinks and Varieties

Coffee is a great beverage one thats been used over the years and also has a fair share of romanticism attached to it. But the next time you decide to gulp down some caffeine be it to stay awake before an exam, to get back to piled up work, to improve athletic performance on the track field, or just to get a high do it in as healthy a way as possible.

Most people when looking at the menu in a coffee house have no clue on what to order and have no idea of the difference between a cappuccino from an Espresso or an Americano. The list below will help you appreciate the menu better and also help you decide what is best for your palate Coffee can be had on its own as in Espresso or with added milk, lemon or brandy. Espresso Espresso has no milk, just pure coffee. Most traditional coffee recipes revolve around a single or double espresso shots. If you are a coffee connoisseur then you should try and learn how to make one. It is generally made from a single 1 oz shot of coffee made with 7 Gms of finely ground coffee extracted at between 18 and 25 seconds. There are many recopies and this is small selection to choose from Americano (American) This is espresso shot that is diluted to taste with hot water. The name was given to insult Americans who the Europeans believed were not up to drinking full espressos. Black coffee: Coffee served with no milk. Cappuccino Cappuccino usually consists of equal parts espresso, steamed milk, and frothed milk. All this makes the coffee taste more diluted and weaker. Some coffee shops will sprinkle cinnamon

or flaked chocolate on top and other will add more milk than others. All shops make some variance to suit the taste of regular customers. Dry Cappuccino This is a regular cappuccino but without steamed milk and small amount of foam. Flavored coffee These are made to taste and more a local tradition. A great variety exists in different parts of the world. The flavor can be either a mix of syrups, spices (eg. cinnamon), flavorings or nutmegs that are added to the coffee and give coffee a different taste. White coffee A black coffee with milk added. Cafe Latte Cafe Latte has more milk than a cappuccino. It is one part espresso with at least three to five parts ofsteamed hot milk with a small amount of froth on top. Latte in Italian means milk, so be careful ordering one when in Rome. Cafe au Lait Similar to Caffe Latte with an equal milk to coffee in the ratio of 1:1, It is made from brewed coffee and not from espresso. The taste is milder and less intense due to it consisting 50% milk Cafe Breva A cappuccino made with half and half milk, instead of whole milk. The theory is that the mix gives a richer, creamier flavor. You should be aware, before trying this for yourself, that half and half is much harder to foam. Cafe Macchiato A shot of espresso with steamed milk added. The ratio of coffee to milk is approximately 4:1. Cafe Latte Fredo It is a type of cold coffee. Cafe Latte Fredo is an espresso mixed with cold milk in similar proportions as a Cafe Latte that is usually shaken well with ice in a cocktail shaker. Cafe Mocha Quite popular with the ladies or after dinner coffee. It is one part espresso with one part chocolate syrup and two or three parts of frothed milk. You could also ask for some whipped cream. Mocha was the popular coffee port route in the 17th century.

Espresso con Panna Another espresso that is topped with a small amount of whipped cream. Espresso Granita A kind of cocktail coffee! It is one shot of espresso that is mixed with a teaspoon of soft brown sugar and on this is added a splash of brandy. It is then frozen, crushed and served in a parfait glass with whipped cream. Frappe This is a cold espresso and popularly ordered in some cafes in Europe and Latin America during summer months. Generally prepared using 1-2 teaspoons of instant coffee with sugar, water and ice. The brew is next placed in a long glass with ice, and milk turning it into a big coffee milkshake. Turkish Coffee or Known also as Greek Coffee A different preparation from the usual coffee. It is thicker and made usually made in an cezve which is a long-handled, open, brass or copper pot. Finely ground coffee and water are boiled together to making a mix of muddy and thick coffee. Once it is made it is served in smaller cups called Demitasse cups. Sugar and sometimes cardamom pods or spices (more Arabic) are added before it is brewed and all this is left for sometime to allow it to settle before it is sipped. In Greek coffee Chicory is used and cracked cardamom pods to Turkish coffee. Indian (Madras) filter coffee The popular South Indian filter coffee is made from fresh ground, dark-roasted coffee Arabica or Peaberry beans. It is left for a few hours to drip-brew in a traditional metal coffee filter. It is served with coffee to milk ratio of usually 3:1. Instant coffee (or soluble coffee) These have become very popular over the years due more to convenience and some people are not even aware that there are so many other tastes to try out and when served the real coffee fail to appreciate the aroma and its taste. The coffee is available in packets as granules or soluble powder. Hammerhead or Shot in the Dark This is a mix of espresso and drip coffee in a regular-sized coffee cup. Many cafes rename this drink further to their own names or as per to their needs. Iced coffee This is a regular coffee served with ice, and sometimes milk and sugar.

Irish coffee If you want to have whiskey with coffee try this coffee. It consists of coffee that is spiked with Irish whiskey, with added cream on top. Best suited for a cold winter night to keep you warm. Kopi Tubruk If you visit islands of Java and Bali in Indonesia you can try this coffee. It is similar to Turkish or Greek coffee as it very thick. Lungo This is 2-3 shot of espresso and has more water to pass through coffee grounds. Ristretto The name means restricted. It is like Lungo, but exactly the opposite as it has less water with 0.75 oz espresso. Melya Coffee with honey. Made by using coffee that is mixed with 1 teaspoon of unsweetened powdered cocoa and drizzled honey. It can be served with cream. Vietnamese Coffee Uses more and like south Indian coffee uses a metal mesh. Hot water is dripped through the metal mesh and after this the intense brew is poured over ice and sweetened with condensed milk. If you are a heavy coffee drinker and wish to reduce the number of cuppa, there are also several coffee substitutes available in the market. These include green tea, licorice tea, black tea, ginseng tea, or even decaf. Some have negligible caffeine content while others (like decaf) have much lesser caffeine constituency than regular coffee.

Coffee - Aroma, Flavor and Taste

Coffee depending on the regions where it is cultivated and the type of roasting process can have its own special aroma, flavor and taste making each type a unique drink. You need to explore the various varieties to know which is most enjoyable to your taste. Here we have tried to list some of these but if there are more you know off do write to us and add to this fascinating beverage. AROMAS Animal like - Used to describe a strong aroma that may smell like wet fur, sweat, leather, hides or even urine. This odour reminds one of the smell of animals and hence the name.

Ashy This odour describes the odour similar to smokers finger or ashtray and depends on the degree of roast. Burnt/Smokey If you have smelt burnt food than you will immediately understand this odour. It is similar to the odour produced when burning wood and usually it is associated with dark-roasted or oven-roasted coffees. Chemical/Medicinal This odour is reminiscent of chemicals, medicines and the smell of hospitals. Chocolate-like This aroma is reminiscent of cocoa powder and chocolate (including dark chocolate and milk chocolate). Caramel This aroma descriptor is reminiscent of the odour and flavour produced when caramelizing sugar without burning it. Cereal/Malty/Toast-like Used for describing - a grain-type aroma. The aroma is reminiscent cereal, malt and roasted grain (including roasted corn, barley or wheat) or even freshly baked bread and freshly made toast. Earthy The descriptor is reminiscent of the aroma of fresh earth, wet soil, humus, moulds or raw potato flavor. It is considered as an undesirable flavour when perceived in coffee. Floral If coffee aroma is reminiscent of fragrance of flowers then it belongs to this category. The flowers include honeysuckle, jasmine, dandelion and nettles. Fruity/Citrus This aroma has the odour and taste of fruit. Grassy/Green/Herbal This aroma descriptor includes a freshly mowed lawn, fresh green grass or herbs, green foliage, green beans or unripe fruit.

Nutty This aroma is reminiscent of the odour and flavour of fresh nuts Rancid/Rotten This aroma descriptor is associated with either Rancid or rotten. Rancid as with nuts and rotten as with vegetables or non-oily products. Rubber-like Describes the smell of hot tyres, rubber bands and rubber stoppers and is a negative attribute. Spicy This describes the aroma associated with usually cloves and cinnamon and not with spices such as pepper, oregano and Indian spices. Tobacco This aroma descriptor is reminiscent of taste of tobacco but should not be used for burnt tobacco. Winey This terms simply describe the sensation of smell, taste and mouth feel experiences when drinking wine. Woody This aroma is reminiscent of the smell of usually dry wood, an oak barrel, dead wood or cardboard paper. TASTES Standardizing taste is never easy but to give uniformity certain terms are accepted internationally and should be used if one can appreciate the difference between them. The tasters are paid to know the difference and use it normally. Acidity The taste is sharp and acidic- it is typical of coffee from certain regions. Bitterness In contrast the taste is due to quinine and alkaloids along with caffeine. This taste depends on the degree of roast brewing procedures. Sweetness

This is a basic taste descriptor for sweet aroma that is associated with solutions of sucrose or fructose. The aroma is of fruity, chocolate and caramel. Saltiness A primary taste characterized by a solution of sodium chloride or other salts. Sourness If you have tasted Vinegar then you know this taste. If the solution has a sharp, biting and unpleasant flavor it is sour. Fermented coffee can have this taste. Do not confuse with acidic taste. It is pleasant and desirable taste in coffee. MOUTHFEEL Mouthfeel describes how does the drink feel in the mouth and what kind of after taste does it leave behind. Body This attribute descriptor is generally used to describe the physical properties of the beverage that can be either strong but pleasant as opposed to being thin. Astringency Attribute to describe the after taste sensation. Sometimes there can be a feeling of dry feeling in the mouth and this is not desirable with coffee.

Coffee Bean Roasting Process

The Taste of coffee will depend on the region from where it is procured and also the roasting process that is followed by the brewer. In its raw state the coffee beans are green in color and has no aroma. The roasting process depends on the time that is spent on roasting the coffee beans can be Dark Roast, Medium Roast or Light Roast. This process gives the coffee the aroma. Dark Roasts (14 minutes) - The coffee seeds are almost jet black giving it a smoky well roasted taste that hides the natural flavor of coffee. Medium Dark Roasts - This varies from 9 to 13 minutes of roasting of the seeds. In this roast the natural oil of the coffee comes to the surface. Medium - (12 to 13 minutes) examples include French Roast this roast beans are often used to make espresso. Continental Roast - is slightly lighter than French Roast but has spicy body.

Viennese Roast - roasted a little longer and has a rich chocolaty body. Medium Roasts (9 to 11 minutes) some examples include Breakfast Roast - a bit sweeter than a light roast. American Roast has good aroma and not as dark as European roasts. Light Roasts (7 minutes) - If you want a light flavored coffee the light roast can provide you with this pleasure. Some examples of light roasts include Cinnamon Roast - No oil leaks out on the seed and the flavor is light -bodied. New England Roast. History of Coffee Coffee may have been first discovered by a herdsman in Ethiopia. He noticed that his goats got more energetic after consuming certain type of berries. He got some of these berries back to the village and it was boiled in water and soon realized its stimulating effects and the rest was history. For some time the Ethiopians kept their monopoly on this crop and kept it a secret. The Dutch eventually in 1616 managed to steal some live coffee trees or beans and managed to grow them in greenhouses in Holland. By 1699 the Dutch were growing coffee at Malabar in India and in Batavia in Java - Indonesia. It is the Dutch who are credited to have made coffee so popular by 17th Century and became the main suppliers of coffee to Europe. By 17th century coffee houses opened in Italy, Austria and England. Interestingly enough the famous Boston Tea Party in 1773 was planned in a coffee house, the Green Dragon and the New York Stock Exchange and the Bank of New York started in coffeehouses. The story of coffee cultivation in America in 17th century is perhaps the most fascinating and romantic story in the history of coffee. Seattle, the wettest city, gave the world caf or 'Latte' culture that quickly spread throughout the world making it truly the spiritual centre for coffee. Today after oil coffee is the most important foreign exchange revenue source for some developing countries and provides millions of jobs and supports many economies worldwide. Coffee is an important commodity that is regularly traded on London and New York stock exchange.