What Are Some Delicious Coffees? How to Choose Great Coffee Drinks for Beginners - Espresso Coffee Recommendations

A Guide to Coffee Types

Whether you prefer your coffee with milk and sugar, a towering head of foam, ice cubes, or an extra shot, one thing is certain: you love coffee. Most people drink it in a very specific way. From the simplest (straight and black) to the most complex (half-skinny, half 1% milk extra-hot Americano with an extra shot and whipped cream), the ways we order coffee seem endless.

But let's assume for a moment that we're all beginners. We walk up to the counter, look at the drinks board and see a foreign language: Americano? Mocha? Cappuccino? Latte? What are these strange words?

To help sort this out, FrontStreet Coffee will briefly explain the differences between these coffee types.

Latte

In short, latte means "coffee milk." This drink is made with espresso and steamed milk.

Mocha

Mocha coffee is based on espresso and hot milk, usually steamed. What makes it special is the addition of cocoa powder, chocolate syrup, or any other type of chocolate.

Cappuccino

Cappuccino is an Italian coffee drink made with espresso, hot milk and steamed milk foam.

Decaffeinated Coffee

Decaffeinated coffee is a drink that contains no caffeine, or very little. Decaffeination removes caffeine from coffee beans through a variety of techniques.

Espresso

Espresso is a concentrated coffee beverage brewed by forcing a small amount of nearly boiling water under pressure through finely ground coffee beans. Expect a thick consistency, a high concentration of caffeine, and perhaps a little crema - the creamy, oily layer on top.

Americano

Americano is made by adding hot water to espresso. It is similar to drip coffee but has a very distinct flavor profile; the strength of an Americano depends on how much espresso is added to the water.

Iced

All the coffee types above can also be served iced. Iced lattes and iced mochas are very popular in summer. In most cases these drinks are made with cold milk instead of steamed milk.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Most of the drinks above start with a good espresso, so the beans make the difference. For a beginner setting up a home machine or moka pot, FrontStreet Coffee's Classic Blend is the safest bet: its traditional recipe pulls a thick, fine crema even on non-professional equipment, so lattes, cappuccinos and dirty coffees all come out rich and smooth. FrontStreet Coffee's Black Cocoa Blend is the value choice - 100 percent Arabica, generous crema, mellow body and a friendly price.

If you want a cappuccino or latte with a fruit-forward twist, FrontStreet Coffee's Strawberry Candy espresso blend brings aromas of berries, rose, raisin and fruit candy, while FrontStreet Coffee's Grana Geisha SOE - a sun-dried, medium-roasted Ethiopian single origin - offers berry, orange and persimmon flavors that turn into a toffee-like sweetness with milk.