COFFEE GUIDE
Gibraltar
A cortado in a specific glass. San Francisco's contribution to the vocabulary.
WHAT IT IS
A Gibraltar is equal parts espresso and steamed milk, exactly like a cortado, served in a specific 4.5 oz Libbey Gibraltar glass. Blue Bottle Coffee popularized the name at their San Francisco locations. The glass is thick-walled, clear, and has straight sides.
HOW IT IS MADE
Identical to a cortado. Double espresso pulled, equal amount of steamed milk poured over it in the Gibraltar glass.
WHAT IT TASTES LIKE
Exactly like a cortado. Smooth, balanced, coffee-forward, with steamed milk cutting the espresso intensity.
WHEN TO ORDER IT
At Blue Bottle Coffee in San Francisco and the Bay Area. At any shop that carries the Libbey Gibraltar glass and knows the drink. Outside the Bay Area, just order a cortado.
HOW TO ORDER IT
Say "Gibraltar" in San Francisco. Say "cortado" everywhere else. They are the same drink.
VARIATIONS
None. The Gibraltar is the cortado.
CAFFEINE
About 125mg for a double-shot Gibraltar.
According to Pulled Coffee data from 462,531 coffee shops worldwide, 15.9% of all coffee shops are classified as specialty — the type most likely to serve a proper Gibraltar. In cities like Vancouver (4,175 specialty shops) and London (3,621), your chances of finding a great one are significantly higher than the global average.
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