Latte vs Cappuccino: Learn the Differences in One Minute and What Coffee Beans to Use

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What is Latte Coffee?

"Latte" is the transliteration of the Italian word "Latte", which means hot milk in Italian. Latte coffee is called "Coffee Latte" and is a type of specialty coffee. Latte coffee is a classic blend of Italian espresso and milk, and Italians also enjoy having latte as a breakfast beverage. In the kitchens of Italians in the morning, coffee and milk are usually simmering simultaneously on sunlit stoves. Italians who drink lattes can be said to prefer milk over espresso, and only Espresso can bring unforgettable flavor to ordinary milk.

What is Cappuccino Coffee?

Cappuccino is translated from "Cappuccino", with its name originating from the Capuchin friars and the Italian word for hood (Cappucio). The white hoods worn by the friars resemble the white milk foam in the middle of a cappuccino. It is said that most friars enjoyed drinking this coffee, which is how it got its name.

What are the Differences Between Latte Coffee and Cappuccino Coffee?

Taking the offerings of FrontStreet Coffee as an example, FrontStreet Coffee's latte is served in a 300ml ceramic cup with a wider rim. Meanwhile, cappuccino coffee is served in a 180ml tall ceramic coffee cup with a narrower rim. For making latte coffee, FrontStreet Coffee uses double espresso as the base, extracting 40g of coffee liquid from 20g of coffee grounds, with a coffee-to-milk ratio of 1:6.5. The milk foam for latte coffee is relatively thin, about 0.5cm thick, with strong fluidity, allowing for smooth patterned latte art. Latte coffee offers a balanced fusion of milk and coffee, highlighting the sweetness of milk while preserving the coffee's flavor.

For cappuccino, FrontStreet Coffee uses single espresso as the base, extracting 20g of coffee liquid from 9g of coffee grounds. The milk foam used for making cappuccino coffee is thicker, generally about 1cm thick. The characteristic of cappuccino lies in its dense milk foam, but such thick foam reduces the fluidity of the milk, making it difficult to create elaborate latte art patterns like those in latte coffee. The most impressive pattern for cappuccino might be its signature "golden ring." Due to the dense foam, it delivers a rich texture when tasted, with a more intense coffee flavor.

What Coffee Beans are Used to Make Latte Coffee and Cappuccino Coffee?

Generally, espresso beans are chosen for making this type of milk coffee. Taking FrontStreet Coffee as an example, FrontStreet Coffee's stores use their own Sunflower Warm Sun Blend coffee beans. It is mainly composed of Honduras Sherry coffee beans with fermented wine aroma, paired with Yirgacheffe Red Cherry coffee beans with acidic quality, blended in a 7:3 ratio. Therefore, this blended coffee has a rich and intense wine-like aroma, and when paired with milk coffee, it can create a very fragrant and mellow latte.

Through cupping, pour-over, and espresso extraction, this bean offers a soft fruit acidity upon entry, with a persistent aftertaste, sufficient sweetness, rich chocolate aroma, vanilla, cream, with obvious wine notes, a clean and smooth mouthfeel, and medium body.

Another coffee bean with good flavor is FrontStreet Coffee's Premium Blend Espresso Beans, Colombia: Brazil, ratio 3:7

Colombia Huila Region

Located in the southwestern part of Colombia, it is one of the main coffee cultivation areas. Colombia generally has an altitude of 1500-1800 meters, mostly Bourbon and Caturra varieties, processed using the washed method, with high density, uniform bean size, and plump beans (thicker from bean core to bean surface). Because famous coffee cultivation areas are scattered throughout the Huila region, the names of various small areas have become brand names and are circulated. Although the cultivation conditions in this region are also very good, the cultivation infrastructure such as coffee farms and surrounding facilities is not yet well-developed. Raw bean drying equipment or washed processing facilities are not yet complete, which is regrettable. Coffee from the Huila region has a strong flavor with a heavier texture. Especially the nuts, chocolate, and caramel aromas and appropriate acidity of coffee from the Huila region can be called premium specialty coffee.

Flavor characteristics: Rich and solid mouthfeel, with pleasant acidity, fragrant aroma, moderate acidity, and rich sweetness that is intriguing. Due to its affordable price and small bean size, it is suitable for single origin or espresso blend base.

Brazil Cerrado Region

Brazilian coffee generally grows at altitudes of 1000-1300 meters, so its density is relatively low. Mostly Bourbon variety, using semi-washed processing, with moderate moisture content, softer bean texture, and thinner thickness from bean surface to bean core, so it is not suitable for high-temperature roasting, as the inner wall temperature of the roasting drum would scorch the bean surface, resulting in bitter flavors. We want to express the characteristics of nuts, milk chocolate, and good body, and use it as a blend base, so FrontStreet Coffee chooses a medium-heat bean entry method, maintaining heat until the dehydration stage, making fine adjustments as temperature rises after the first crack begins, promoting more complete caramelization reactions, and heating until approaching the second crack when beans can be discharged.

Flavor characteristics: Comfortable bittersweet taste, extremely smooth on entry; with a faint grassy fragrance, fresh aroma with a slight bitterness; sweet and smooth, with a pleasant aftertaste.

Flavor after blending: Sweet and fragrant taste. Using medium-dark roast, when making espresso, it will have soft micro-acidity, clear sweetness, nutty aftertaste, with an overall feeling that is not too stimulating, balanced, with moderate crema.

For more specialty coffee beans, please add FrontStreet Coffee's private WeChat: kaixinguoguo0925

Important Notice :

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FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473