Every Coffee Drink Explained

Every coffee drink is either espresso-based, filter-brewed, or cold. Once you know which category, you understand half of what it will taste like before it arrives.

Espresso drinks: small, concentrated, intense

Espresso: 1 to 1.5 oz, brewed under 9 bars of pressure. About 63mg caffeine per shot.
Ristretto: 0.75 oz, same coffee, half the water. Sweeter. Full guide.
Lungo: 2 to 3 oz, more water. More bitter. Full guide.
Macchiato: Espresso with a foam dollop, 2 oz. Real macchiato explained.
Cortado: Equal parts espresso and milk, 4 oz. Full guide.
flat white: Double ristretto with microfoam, 5 to 6 oz. Full guide.
Cappuccino: Espresso plus equal parts milk and foam, 5 to 6 oz. Cappuccino vs latte.
Latte: Espresso plus steamed milk, 8 to 12 oz. Full guide.
Americano: Espresso plus hot water, 8 oz. Americano vs drip.
Mocha: Espresso plus chocolate plus milk. Full guide.
Breve: A latte made with half-and-half. What is a breve?

"Out of 462,531 active coffee shops worldwide, only 15.9% are specialty shops. Most of these drinks live on specialty menus."

Filter-brewed drinks: longer, gentler, different flavor

Drip coffee: 8 oz, about 95mg caffeine. Standard and familiar.
Pour over: Manual drip in a V60 or Chemex. More control, better flavor clarity. Full guide.
French press: Coffee steeped 4 minutes, then pressed. Heavy body, no paper filter.
Red eye: Drip coffee with an espresso shot. High caffeine. What is a red eye?

Cold drinks: cold brew vs iced coffee vs nitro

Iced coffee: Hot brewed coffee poured over ice.
Cold brew: Steeped in cold water 12 to 24 hours. Smoother, lower acidity. Full guide.
Nitro cold brew: Cold brew plus nitrogen, served on tap. What is nitro cold brew?

Explore specialty shops that carry the full range in Denver and Seattle. Shops like Coava Coffee Roasters carry most of them at any time.

Related: How to order coffee, 12 best espresso drinks.