Coffee for Beginners

A mini guide to coffee.

We all have those mornings when we just don’t have the energy to get out of bed and start the day. You feel the need for an energy boost and you’re tired of energy drinks and water is not going to cut it anymore. So you decide to give coffee a try… even though you don’t like coffee- and that’s okay!

Sometimes walking into coffee shops and seeing all those words on the menu can be intimidating. You’re here because you’re a beginner and want to learn- so we’re here to help you learn the basics!

Espresso

What is espresso? It’s made by using pressure to force hot water through finely-ground compacted coffee. Think of espresso as a very strong shot- in both flavor and caffeine.

Now that you know that, let's move to some drinks. There are way too many drinks for us to go through all of them. So let’s just go through the top three:

Latte

This is a beginner coffee drink that is very popular and well liked. It is usually made with 1-2 shots of espresso, steamed milk and foam milk on top. The steamed milk reduces the bitterness of the espresso. Also, the drink can also be sweetened with a flavor shot that can be anything from chocolate to vanilla.

Cappuccino:

The cappuccino is another popular drink that is pretty similar to the latte. The main difference is that it is more foamy. It should be lighter to hold than a latte and should be about half foam. You can also taste the espresso a little more than a latte. Also, you can usually add chocolate shavings or some other topping to it.

Americano:

An americano is pretty much just a shot of espresso that is diluted with hot water. It is almost like regular coffee, but is lighter on the stomach because it's less acidic than regular coffee.

These are only three drinks of many, but probably the three you should start with if you're newer to coffee. But if you have trouble ordering, just ask your barista for recommendations and they'll be happy to help. If you have any questions for us, feel free contact us on our website. Thanks for reading and we hope to see you at Blend & Brew!