I’d like to call myself a coffee aficionado, but when I went to visit the Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room in Seattle, my whole world was turned upside down. There were so many coffee terms that I had never heard of, let alone known about. I decided to unpack some of the common coffee terms I learned to maintain my official status as caffeine addict. Here are all the coffee terms that will help you impress your barista during your next coffee run.
1. Drip
Starting off with the most basic, drip coffee is simply hot water that is poured over ground coffee beans, which slowly drips into your cup to create brewed coffee. This is what you typically get when you order a black coffee at any shop or restaurant, plus what you can make in your Keurig (well, kind of).
2. Pour-Over
A method that was developed in Japan, pour-over coffee is made by pouring hot water over ground beans through a thin filter. Most of the time, pour-over coffee is made using a special cone that holds the filter.
3. Cold Brew
Probably the most trendy coffee drink out there right now, cold brew is coffee that is brewed over time using cold water instead of hot. This gives the coffee a sweeter, smoother flavor. It’s also, like, everywhere now. Seriously, you can get everything from cold brew ice cream to chocolate to even alcohol.
4. Chemex Brewed
A Chemex is a fancy hour-glass shaped brewing device that requires pouring hot water over coffee grinds through a filter, which ends up in the bottom of the hourglass. The filter is a bit denser, which results in a smoother and sweeter cup of coffee compared to other brewing methods. It also looks like a science experiment using coffee.
5. Press
Press coffee uses a French press and ground beans, steeps the beans in hot water for a period of time, and then presses the beans out of the water. This leaves a rich, less-bitter taste than a regular drip coffee. It also looks really cool.
6. Macchiato
No, this is not a caramel macchiato from Starbucks. A macchiato is really just a shot of espresso topped with a touch of milk foam (which makes it a bit less strong than a classic espresso) and ends with a velvety layer of foam. If you’re at a coffee shop that’s not Starbucks, make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into.
7. Cortado
Similar to a macchiato, but without foam, a cortado is a shot of espresso topped with flat, steamed milk. It ends up being about 4 ounces large, which is half the size of a small coffee, so it’s perfect if you’re kind of in the mood for some caffeine.
8. Nitro
Want to be the trendiest coffee drinker? Start drinking nitro coffee. Made similarly to cold brew, nitro coffee is pushed through a keg using nitrogen gas, which produces a slightly bubbly and naturally creamy beverage. Plus, nitro has more caffeine than regular coffee, which is perfect if you need the extra boost.
8. Affogato
Dessert, meet coffee. In an affogato, a shot of espresso is poured over a scoop of (typically vanilla) ice cream, which provides a great hot-cold contrast flavor. Not to mention, the ice cream is the perfect way to add cream and sugar to your coffee.
9. Shaken
No, this is not a term for your favorite cocktail, but actually part a common coffee term. Shaken indicates an espresso shot (or shots) that are shaken vigorously over ice to make them cool and slightly frothy. It truly makes a difference in your iced beverages.
10. Latte
A latte is espresso topped with steamed milk and a thin layer of foam on the top, which makes it perfect for foam latte art. Contrary to popular belief, not all lattes are pumpkin spice flavored – typically a latte does not include any added sugars.
11. Cappuccino
A cappuccino is very similar to a latte, but it’s equal parts espresso, frothed milk, and milk foam. Cappuccinos have more of a velvet finish than lattes.
12. Flat White
Simplified, a flat white is essentially a latte or cappuccino, but it’s made with microfoam, which is steamed milk with small bubbles in its foam. The drink originated in Australia, where coffee culture is at its peak.
13. Clover-Brewed
A very high-tech machine called the Clover Brewer makes a single cup of coffee with ground beans. The Clover company was bought by Starbucks in 2007, so these babies are pretty prominent in many Starbucks locations, especially Reserve Bars. I’ve gotten to taste some Clover-brewed coffee before, and I’ve got to say, it’s pretty good.
14. Americano/Long Black
This is my go-to coffee drink, hands-down. An Americano is not a fancy term for an American coffee, but instead is shots of espresso (typically 2-3) with hot water. The hot water cuts the strength of the espresso and makes the drink last longer.
#SpoonTip: In some countries (cough, cough, Australia), an Americano is called a “long black.” Can’t say I haven’t made that mistake before.
15. Espresso
Ending this list off on a high note: the OG coffee out there (not actually sure if this was the first coffee, but let’s just go with it). An espresso is a strong, dense shot of coffee that’s made when hot water is forced through the coffee grounds with pressure.
Hopefully after reading all of this you’ve become well-versed in all these coffee terms, or at least know what a real macchiato is. Caffeine addicts, unite.