Summer Coffee Guide
Minh Nguyen
Coffee is a staple in our daily lives. To some of us, it’s a necessity that needs to be fulfilled to even start the day, and to others, it’s simply a nice beverage that can be enjoyed while gossiping with friends at the coffee shop. If you have no clue what any of the coffee like cappuccino or americano mean, here’s a brief explanation on how all these coffee types are differentiated.
Starting with the simplest brew of coffee, the espresso, is simply just hot water forced through finely ground coffee. Its coffee scent is really strong since it’s mostly just coffee and water. It’s the most basic and barebones form of coffee, and also the starting point for all the other types. Usually served and drunk in tiny shots because of how heavy it is.
The next is your very favourite americano, this one is just diluted espresso, the coffee addicts love this drink so much that they want it constantly, but they can’t drink the strong and heavy espresso repeatedly. Longing for a coffee that they could sip and enjoy all day without being too strong, they mixed it with a lot more water and created americano. The drink is well curated for coffee addicts to sip and enjoy a constant flow of caffeine through their tiring workday.
Cold brew would be a perfect choice for a hot summer day. Unlike iced coffee, which is just coffee with ice, cold brew is made by steeping coarsely ground coffee in cold water for 12 to 24 hours. The result is a smooth, slightly sweet, with a less acidic taste that’s served over ice. Cold brew also retains more of the antioxidants in coffee beans and may offer a longer energy boost due to a steadier release of caffeine, making it healthier and more effective.
The next 3 very similar and famous types are macchiato, cappuccino and latte. A latte is made up of coffee and mostly steamed milk, while a cappuccino is a tiny bit more fatty with an extra layer of foam. Macchiato goes back to being the strong and bold espresso with a dash of foamed milk. These 3 are a flexible range of choice for those who want their coffee with a cute foamed milk drawing on their cup, or just a lightly caffeinated cup of milk.
Then comes down to the latte variants. First up is the flat white, which has less milk and foam than a latte and a less milky flavour with more of a rough taste when swallowed. It’s perfect for someone who likes a drier latte. Finally, we have the mocha made with steamed milk, strong espresso and either cocoa or chocolate syrup, and whipped cream on top, which is essentially a latte with a chocolate twist.
That’s it for now! Next time you go to a coffee shop, you’ll know exactly what to order and maybe even find a new favourite drink for yourself!