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An adventure for the perfect cup. Exploring and understanding everything from types of coffee, grinding, brewing, to products reviews

Types of Coffee & Brew Methods

Types of coffee and
brew method

The Most Popular Coffee Brewing Methods and Types of Coffee

STANDARD
COFFEE

types of brew methods image
Ristretto coffee

Ristretto

This classic is simply a short shot of espresso coffee. It’s almost the same as an espresso except it has half the amount of water.

Espresso coffee

Espresso

The espresso is made by forcing hot steam through finely-ground coffee. This produces a nice thick coffee with a rich head of coffee cream called crema.

Espresso coffee
Iced Coffee image

Iced Coffee

This can be either a shot of espresso poured over ice cubes in a tall glass. It is topped off with water. A second version is plain black coffee that’s chilled and poured over ice in a cup.

Americano coffee

Americano

The Americano was invented in Europe in 1944 by US soldiers in Italy. It’s made with a shot of espresso in a cup topped off with hot water.

Americano coffee
Black Coffee

Black Coffee

This is coffee that is made with the pour-over method and is poured into a coffee cup and served black with no sugar or milk.

Long Black coffee

Long Black

This is made with a ristretto or espresso shot in a cup with a small amount of water added. This keeps the coffee taste but allows for water to thin it out.

Long Black coffee
Macchiato coffee

Macchiato

This has a shot of espresso in a cup with a splash of milk added. You might also get steamed milk that has a bit of foam in it. Macchiato translates to stain or mark referring to how the milk looks.

Flat White coffee

Flat White

This is another name given to the macchiato when only steamed milk is used. The milk ends up looking stained at first when it mixes with the espresso shot.

Flat White coffee
cappuccino coffee

Cappuccino

This is made with a shot of espresso in a cup with steamed milk added. It’s finally topped-off with milk foam.

Frappe coffee

Frappe

This is a shot of espresso mixed with cold milk and has crushed ice added. It’s especially popular in the summertime at coffee shops.

Frappe coffee
Cafe Breve coffee

Café Breve

Great for those who like lower calorie coffee. It uses a shot of espresso but uses half-and-half instead of milk. You can use any milk substitute as well.

Latte coffee

Latte

Just like the cappuccino but uses a ristretto (which is half the espresso) and steamed milk and foam is then added.

Latte coffee
Piccolo Latte coffee

Piccolo Latte

A smaller version of the latte still using the ristretto shot in a cup with warm milk poured afterward. The cup size is usually 100ml (a small Dixie cup size)

Latte Macchiato coffee

Latte Macchiato

This version is similar to the macchiato that is served in a tall glass. The steamed milk is slowly poured in and foam is added to the top. The espresso shot is poured in last resulting in the color separation. Foam is on top, espresso in the middle, and milk on the bottom.

Latte Macchiato coffee
mocha coffee

Mocha

You can make this with a shot of espresso with chocolate syrup added. Steamed milk is poured in and finished off with whipped cream on top. Sprinkle cinnamon on the very top.

Irish Coffee

Irish Coffee

This can be standard coffee with sugar and a shot of Irish whiskey and topped off with whipped cream. You can add your favorite whiskey, so it doesn’t have to be Irish.

Irish Coffee
Cortado coffee

Cortado

How this is made is using equal parts of espresso and steamed milk with little foam on top. It needs to be served in a fancy cup that is between 150-200ml.

gibraltar coffee

Gibraltar

It’s an original invention from San Francisco that uses the famous Gibraltar’ glasses. It’s a shot of espresso with 85ml of warm milk added.

gibraltar coffee

EXOTIC &
SPECIALIZED COFFEE

Japanese Iced Coffee

The trick to make this work is to have your brewing vessel filled with ice beforehand. You can use a Chemex pour-over coffee maker for this. As coffee drips into the vessel it cools rapidly thus preserving the flavor of the coffee.

Japanese Iced Coffee
Espresso Tonic coffee

Espresso Tonic

To make this you need 2 shots of cooled espresso and a 0.2l cup with ice. Add some squeezed lime and slowly pour the espresso and tonic water into the cup at the same time.

Espresso Tonic coffee

Turkish Coffee

For this, you’ll need the Turkish brewing pot called a cezve. The coffee must be finely ground into a powder. It is then added to the boiling water in the cezve. You drink it unfiltered.

turkish coffee
Vietnamese Coffee

Vietnamese Coffee

For this, you’ll need the traditional Vietnamese dripper that has a built-in metal filter. When the coffee is done you pour it into a cup and serve with milk and sugar.

Vietnamese Coffee

Bulletproof Coffee

This is a really popular coffee variant for people who are on high fat, low-carb diet. It is brewed coffee with coconut oil and has unsalted butter added.

Bulletproof Coffee
Cascara Coffee

Cascara Coffee

This uses coffee cherry leaves instead of coffee. They are added to hot water just like tea. It can help with digestive problems or even constipation.

Cascara Coffee

Kopi Luwak

These are coffee cherries that are eaten by the Asian Palm Civet. They ferment inside the digestive tract and their droppings produce the finished product. Then the coffee bean is ground up and brewed for often absurd prices.

Kopi Luwak coffee
Geisha Coffee

Geisha Coffee

This is made from Ethiopian coffee with a very distinct flavor and aroma. It is no doubt the most expensive coffee you can enjoy at just 800 dollars per pound!

Geisha Coffee

Affogato

This is a tasty treat with 2 shots of espresso poured over a scoop of gelato in a fancy cup. You can add your favorite gelato flavor and any kind of toppings.

Affogato coffee

WEIRD
COFFEE

types of brew methods image
Nitro Cold Brew Coffee

Nitro Cold Brew Coffee (Starbucks)

This is a cold brew coffee that’s passed through a tap that introduces nitrogen bubbles in the coffee. It’s similar to Guinness beer is produced and makes a fizzy drink with high caffeine.

Apple Pie coffee (Dunkin’ Donuts)

Apple Pie (Dunkin’ Donuts)

This is a richly flavored coffee with the taste of apple pie flavors. What more can you say?

Apple Pie coffee (Dunkin’ Donuts)
Chocolate Banana coffee (Unique Coffee Roasters)

Chocolate Banana (Unique Coffee Roasters)

How about a rich coffee with smooth banana flavor and deep chocolate undertones?

Egg Coffee

Egg Coffee (Vietnam)

This expands on the Vietnamese coffee with a twist. 1 egg is beaten until it becomes creamy and frothy and is added to the coffee with milk and sugar.

Egg Coffee
Yak Butter Tea

Yak Butter Tea (Tibet)

This is more of a tea than anything else and it made with tea leaves, Yak butter, water, and salt.

Toasted Marshmallow Latte

Toasted Marshmallow Latte (Big Shoulders Coffee)

It might be just hype but this one has a real kick. Its 4 espresso shots made up as a latte with a toasted marshmallow on top

Toasted Marshmallow Latte
Maple Bacon coffee (Boca Java)

Maple Bacon (Boca Java)

For something different, this medium-roast coffee offers the taste of sweet maple combined with smoky home-cooked bacon. Is this the new breakfast in a cup?

Spicy Taco coffee (CoffeeAM)

Spicy Taco (CoffeeAM)

Feel like going south of the border? This coffee has all the traditional spices added that make it taste like a real taco!

Spicy Taco coffee (CoffeeAM)
Moonshine coffee (Whiskey Barrel Coffee)

Moonshine (Whiskey Barrel Coffee)

This is a medium to dark roast coffee is stored in moonshine barrels until it has the distinct flavor of moonshine as an aftertaste.

TYPES OF BREW
METHODS

French Press

This method uses a special pot that has a plunger and filter built-in. Coffee grounds are put in hot water (205F) for 4 minutes. The plunger comes down slowly and the coffee separates at the top.

French Press brew method
Drip coffee brew method

Drip

This is a method that uses a filter over the top of a vessel. 205F water is slowly poured over the coffee and allowed to drip into the vessel.

Drip coffee brew method

Pour Over

You usually use a device that sits on your coffee mug. A filter is put into the device along with coffee grounds. Pout the hot water into the device and let it brew the coffee. It slowly drains into your mug.

Pour Over brew method
Cold Brew method

Cold Brew

This method takes anywhere from 12-24 hours to make. Coffee grounds are put into a container with cold water. Then it’s allowed to steep. The finished coffee is then filtered into a serving jar.

Cold Brew method

Cold Brew Bottle

This is a special bottle with a built-in filter. Coffee ground and water are added and placed in the fridge for 8-12 hours. After that, you can pour it right from the bottle.

Cold Brew Bottle method
Siphon brew method

Siphon

For Steampunk enthusiasts, the Siphon method is pretty cool. The lower siphon chamber is connected by a glass tube that runs into the upper chamber. The upper chamber is filled with coffee grounds that sit upon a filter. The lower chamber is heated and pushes water to the top half. The hot water drips back into the lower with the brewed coffee.

Siphon brew method

AeroPress

Almost like an injector, the AeroPress uses pressure to brew the coffee. Hot water and coffee ground are added to the chamber tube, they are mixed and the top filter cap is added. It flips over onto your coffee mug. Steady pressure forces the finished coffee out.

AeroPress brew method
Bialetti brew method

Bialetti

This old fashioned Moka pot never fails. It’s a tea kettle with a built-in filter. Water goes into the lower chamber and the filter sits into that. Add coffee grounds and level it off. The top half of the pot is screwed on. Put it on the stove and let it brew. The boiling water will filter through the coffee into the upper chamber through a small metal tube in the filter.

Bialetti brew method

Chemex

This is a pour-over method using the Chemex vessel. You add a paper filter on the top and wet it down using hot 205F water. Add coarse ground coffee into the filter and add about 50 grams of hot water to allow the coffee to bloom. Then add 200 grams more water. The result is brewed drip-style coffee in 3-4 minutes.

Chemex brew method
Espresso brew method

Espresso

This method uses steam to push through a filter filled with finely ground coffee. The result is a thicker and richer coffee with crema on top. Most are automatically operated.

Espresso brew method

Doppio

This is the double shot of espresso that comes out of the espresso machine. It has a twin head so that two individual cups of espresso can be made at the same time.

Doppio brew method
Milk & Art coffee brew method

Milk & Art

Once steamed milk is foamed to the point where it’s ready to pour, you then add it to espresso. Several pouring methods allow the Barista to move the steamed milk into the espresso. These create distinct patterns in the coffee that look pretty.

Milk & Art coffee brew method

Nel Drip

This fancy method uses a fabric filter over a standard Chemex chamber. The coffee grounds are placed inside the filter like a little mountain. At the top, you make a little open hole like a volcano. Hot water is then poured carefully onto the center and let the magic begin. After 3 minutes of pouring slowly, the result can be enjoyed.

Nel Drip BREW METHOD
New Orleans Style Iced coffee

New Orleans Style Iced

This is a cold brew coffee that takes 12 hours to make. It uses coarse coffee grounds and a dash of chicory that are allowed to seep in a large pot. After that, you filter the coffee and add a light sugar syrup mixture. Serve cold in a tall glass

New Orleans Style Iced coffee