Can You List 13 Types Of Espresso Drinks Including Those Made With Milk?
Do you know how many types of espresso drinks there are?
It’s hard to name more than two or three straight espresso drinks, and when you add milk-based espresso drinks, maybe you can add to that a Latte and maybe a Cappuccino.
This list of espresso drinks, both straight and milk-based, including photos, thanks to Breville and based on drinks that can be made in their espresso machines (see our review of the Breville Barista Express here), naming them all will also give you a lesson in Italian vocabulary.
The first set of drinks are Espressos, simple straight shots of Espresso.
Ristretto – Italian for “restricted” is a single shot of espresso but with only about half the water of a single espresso shot. The Barista Express does this by interrupting the extraction process after 15 seconds.
Single Espresso – A single shot of espresso is also known as a “short black” and with the Barista Express you can have one 1 ounce shot in
about 20 seconds.
Double Espresso – Also known as “double-shot”, the Barista Express will give you 2 ounces of espresso as quickly as 30 seconds.
Macchiato – Macchiato is Italian for “marked”, as in a mark made with textured milk, about 2 teaspoons, on the surface of the single shot of espresso that you use to make this drink
Americano – Italian for “American”, this drink adds hot water to a double shot of espresso to fill up your glass and make the equivalent of a cup of coffee.
Weak, Strong & Regular Coffee – Combine espresso with water to make a version of coffee with your Breville Barista Express to make coffee. To make a “weak” coffee, use 1/2 shot of espresso, for “strong” coffee, use 2 shots of espresso, 1 shot too for “regular” coffee and add hot water from your
The next group of drinks is all made with heated milk, from your steam wand. With practice, you’ll be able to swirl your milk perfectly into a creamy aerated texture to pour into each of these drinks and top off with artistic micro-foam.
Piccolo – Italian for “small”, the Piccolo is steamed milk added to a single espresso shot and topped with foam, which is similar to a latte but with noticeably less milk, so it’s stronger.
Latte– Italian for “milk” when used in a phrase like “caffè e latte” or coffee and milk, which is what it is, or more precisely, it is a shot of espresso combined with steamed milk. You could say that a latte is a Piccolo with about twice as much milk, but most people don’t know what a Piccolo is, while most do know what a Latte is.
Caffe Mocha – Or “Macaccino” is a chocolate-flavored latte. It is flavored with cocoa powder or even liquified chocolate added to the espresso shot, then combined with steamed milk. Usually, a caffe mocha is topped with additional cholate, cocoa powder usually.
Flat White – A espresso drink blended with steamed or foamed milk served with cup and saucer. A flat white has one shot of espresso like a latte does, but with less foamed milk to fit inside the smaller cup, so that the coffee to milk ratio is higher than in a latte.
Cappuccino – A espresso with foamed milk, often more foam than in a Latte, and not as much foamed milk, Cappuccinos originated in Italy and is said to have been named for the brown hoods of Friars Minor Capuchins according to the Online Etymology Dictionary. Cappuccinos are typically served in cups and saucers.
The next two drinks are desserts made with espresso from your Breville Barista Express.
Dessert Iced Coffee – To make one version of an iced coffee, start with a single or double espresso into a blender, then add cold milk (about 6 ounces), vanilla flavoring, and 1 scoop of ice cream and blend. Tweak it from there, combinations are just about infinite.
Coffee Affogato – Italian for “drowned”, affogato can be any liquid poured over food, to “drown” it. As a coffee dessert, pour 1 or 2 shots of espresso over ice cream, then garnish with nuts, or anything else.
Note – all coffee drink photos above, Credit: Breville USA
We hope you found this list helpful, if nothing else it’s a good test of skills to run by your local barista to see if they can make any of the more obscure drinks the next time you’re in your favorite coffee bar.
About the Author Sabrina
Sabrina is our head writer and expert researcher. She spends countless hours of research on each topic or product she writes about. She also tests products and recipes when she can and is known as a kitchen appliance junkie who is always trying new gadgets. Plus, she's a fairly decent cook above all else!