As coffee becomes more and more popular, in addition to the large chain coffee shops that everyone is familiar with, more and more independent niche coffee shops are opening.

Faced with the various menus in coffee shops, how should friends who are not familiar with coffee order? We are not professionals, and we don’t need to be so familiar with the coffee system. We just want to drink a cup of the right drink. After reading this article, you will understand.

The menu of a cafe is generally divided into several major categories, and we will only talk about coffee drinks.

Fancy Coffee

The most familiar drinks like espresso, latte, cappuccino, mocha, etc. all belong to this category.

Their common features are that they are all based on Italian espresso, extracted by semi-automatic Italian machines, and have rich oil on the surface. Add appropriate proportions of syrup, milk, or cream to make it. Take a look at the coffee menu of our store: (We mainly focus on roasting, and the variety of coffee is relatively small ~ basic categories are still included)

So, what is the difference between these different types?

Here’s a simple picture that’s easy to understand:

The most commonly ordered drinks are latte, cappuccino, mocha, caramel macchiato, and Americano . Latte has a strong milky flavor, while cappuccino has a denser texture and a stronger coffee flavor. If you don't like the strong coffee flavor, you can choose latte. If you like the strong coffee flavor, cappuccino will be your favorite.

The taste of latte is adjusted by adding syrups of different flavors. For example, vanilla latte is made by adding vanilla syrup to latte.

Heart-shaped latte art

Cappuccino

Both mocha and caramel macchiato are made with syrup, and the production of each coffee shop is slightly different. Some have milk foam on the surface, and some have cream. In general, the taste is richer and the bitterness of the coffee is weaker. If you don't know how to choose, you can start with these two~

Let's talk about Americano. Americano is the simplest type of coffee, which is espresso + water. Hot Americano adds hot water, and iced Americano adds ice water. Among these fancy coffees, Americano has the lowest calories. So many office workers like Americano because it has enough caffeine and low calories.

Of course, there are also many coffee shops that launch some innovative forms of coffee, some of which are innovations in utensils, and some are innovations in ingredients, but they are all based on the same principles, the only difference being the changes in proportions or the additions.

The Gaiwan coffee that was popular in Chengdu in the past two years

ILHA FORMOSA CAFÉ’s creative drinks: Night sky, the unique sweet aroma of Vitaly water adds an interesting twist to the coffee

Single origin coffee

What is single origin coffee? Simply put, single origin can be a single coffee producing country, a single producing area, or even a single estate.

Coffee shops generally use siphon, hand brewing and other methods for extraction. The best way to taste the coffee is not to add sugar or milk, but to feel the taste, flavor, aroma and other characteristics of the coffee producing area.

Friends who are new to coffee may not be able to adapt to it, and may not be able to taste the different flavors of coffee. But this does not mean that it is difficult to taste a cup of single-origin coffee. Let's take a look at the flavors and characteristics of some common single-origin beans.

• Mandheling

Produced in Sumatra, Indonesia, it is one of the representative beans with a more prominent bitter taste. It has a high body and a very strong aroma, and often has the aroma of honey and caramel.

• Yirgacheffe

Produced in Ethiopia, it has a smooth, fruity, and refreshing citrus lemon flavor, as well as a fermented fruit sweetness.

• Colombia

Sour and sweet, well-balanced, rich in aroma, soft and smooth in taste

• Kenya

The most obvious feature of Kenya is its rich and varied fruity aroma, yet it also has a strong taste and the sweetness of wine.

However, all these flavor descriptions are not absolute. The flavor is not only related to the region of production, but also has a lot to do with the processing method, the baking technique, and the depth of flavor.

Comparison of the appearance of dark roast and light roast, the left one is dark roast

When you go to a coffee shop and order a single item, you don't actually need to memorize so much complicated professional coffee knowledge. A good barista will naturally guide you to find the one you like. You just need to fully use your taste, smell, and oral touch to try to perceive a cup of coffee. Try a few varieties, and slowly you will be able to taste the difference in each flavor and find the taste that suits you. You don't have to be a professional, just treat it as a hobby and you will enjoy it.

Everyone has their own taste, just like the choice between sweet and salty, people can also find coffee that suits their taste according to their own taste. The coffee that suits their own taste is the most enjoyable.