While coffee terms can vary from one coffee shop and barista to another, a well written description might give baristas just enough of an idea as to how much milk you want or how dark you like your cup of coffee.
So if you are not sure what the difference is between a cortado and a cappuccino? It’s not a problem. We here at Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee have got you covered with this glossary of coffee and barista terms to help you order your next cup with confidence.
Affogato: Italian for “drowned,” affogato is a dessert made by pouring a shot of hot espresso over vanilla ice cream or gelato.
Americano: An Italian term for espresso with hot water added to make a full cup of coffee.
Blends: Unlike single origins, the beans for blends come from different places and tend to be less expensive. Many espresso-based drinks, especially with milk, use blends.
Breve: Italian for “short”, breve is espresso with half-and-half or cream instead of milk.
Cafe au Lait: French for “coffee with milk,” Cafe au lait is simply coffee with hot milk added.
Cappuccino: Combination of espresso, hot milk, and steamed milk foam. Some cafes may serve their cappuccino topped with cinnamon or nutmeg.
Cold Brew: Coffee brewed with cold water over a long period of time.
Doppio: The Italian name for a double shot of espresso.
Drip Method: Coffee brewed in larger batches that can be poured and served quickly. Most coffee shops brew new batches every couple of hours to keep things fresh.
Espresso: Finely ground coffee brewed with steam pressure to produce an almost syrupy beverage. The process is sometimes described as “pulling” a shot of espresso.
Espresso con Panna: Italian for “espresso with cream,” Espresso Con Panna is espresso topped off by whipped cream.
Flat White: Originally from Australia, a flat white is espresso combined with micro foam of steamed milk giving it a more velvety smooth texture than a latte.
Iced Coffee: Hot drip coffee combined with ice to make it cold.
Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee: Well this one is our obvious favourite! Click here to read more.
Latte: Espresso combined with steamed milk.
Lungo: An espresso shot pulled a bit longer. The same amount of coffee as espresso, but more water for a “longer” shot.
Mocha: A likely reference to the port city the first coffee beans were imported from in Yemen, Mocha is usually a combination of coffee, steamed milk, and either chocolate syrup or cocoa powder.
Pour Over Methods: Any way of brewing coffee in small batches, usually by the cup, using a cone such as the Kalita Wave, Melitta or Clever dripper. While not every coffee shop offers this option, some may recommend certain pour-over methods for single origin coffees in order to highlight unique flavours.
Red Eye: Made by adding a shot of espresso to a cup of regular drip coffee for an added caffeine kick.
Ristretto: An espresso shot pulled short. It’s the same amount of coffee as espresso, but less water for a more concentrated coffee.
Single Origins: These are coffees from a particular geographic area. A single origin could refer to coffee beans from a region, state, or in some cases, a coffee cooperative or mill that represents several small villages. Single origins often have specific flavours like fruit or nuts.
Vietnamese Iced Coffee: Coarsely ground dark roast coffee with sweetened condensed milk poured over ice. Traditionally, it is brewed by the cup with using a drip filter called a cà phê phin.