Simple Espresso Drinks

Below are the basic espresso/tea/coffee drink names and terms and explanations of what they mean! This should help you better understand what they are serving at the coffee shop you visit! Not all terms are used at each coffee shop so check with the barista first if they serve it!

Shots of Straight Espresso:

Single/Solo - 1 shot
Double/Doppio - 2 shots
Triple - 3 Shots
Quad - 4 Shots (and usually not for a Coffee Beginner!)

99% of Espresso is served in short shots (just under an ounce)! If you order an Americano you will be served long shots. Long shots are approximately just under one and a half ounces. They have more in them because more water is added when the shot is being poured it doesn't mean more caffeine!

Espresso Macchiato:
Espresso shots dropped into a tiny cup of milk foam, and only foam. It's Like a very small, extremely dry cappuccino. These are ordered not by cup size, but by the number of shots you want.

Espresso Con Panna:
Espresso shots in a tiny cup with a big squirt of whipped cream. Ordered by the number of shots, rather than cup size.

Americano:
Espresso diluted with hot water until it's roughly the strength of regular coffee. An Americano will usually have one more shot than a latte of the same size. Sometimes if the regular coffee you ordered hasn't finished brewing and you don't want to wait for it, the barista may offer you an Americano instead.

Coffee:
Plain black brewed drip coffee, If you want the barista to leave room for you to add milk or half and half, let him know.

Coffee can be brewed in the following types:

Mild or Medium Roast - Highest Caffeine Level but usually a lighter taste
Dark Roast - Usually a lower caffeine level then the medium but has a very bold taste
Decaf - This is low or ca fine free version of coffee. Many store may only brew this by request or at certain times during the day

Coffee Misto/Cafe au Lait:
A drink consisting of half a cup of coffee and half steamed milk with a bit of foam. It can be made decaf, nonfat, soy etc. "Misto" is the Starbucks name, cafe au lait is a more generic term used at specialty beaneries.

Americano Misto:
This is similar in idea to the Americano. In the Americano Misto you are making an Americano but making half the cup with the espresso shots and hot water and the other half with steamed milk and a small topping of foam.

Latte:
Espresso Shots, steamed milk, and a small amount of foam, not sweetened in any way unless you ask for flavoured syrup in it. Most common flavours are Vanilla, Caramel or Hazelnut.

Cappuccino:
Like a latte, only much more foam; normally half milk and half foam, unless "wet" or "dry" is specified (see below). This is also not sweetened, and an "iced cappuccino" doesn't really exist at Starbucks. Since iced drinks are made without foam, an iced cappuccino is the same as an iced latte. If you wish to order an Iced Cappuccino like the Ones at Tim Horton's you would ask for a Starbucks Frappucino!

(Wet vs. Dry Cappuccinos) - Wet simply means more milk! If you ask for a Cappuccino but they always put too much foam for your liking ask for it wet and you will get less foam on your cappuccino then regular. Dry simply means more foam! If they don't put enough foam on your cappuccino ask for it dry and they will put less milk and more foam on it!

Caramel Macchiato:
Basically, a vanilla latte with a bit less vanilla and extra foam, and with gooey, yummy caramel sauce drizzled on top. If it doesn't taste sweet enough when you first try it, mix it up a bit. If it's still not sweet enough, ask for more vanilla -- caramel sauce doesn't really dissolve well, so by the time it strongly flavors the drink there's way too much. Iced caramel macchiatos, like hot ones, have the shots and caramel poured on top, so when you get it it won't look mixed at all. Just make sure you stir it before you drink. Macchiato, by the way, is pronounced "mah-kee-YAH-toe."

Mocha:
Espresso and steamed milk mixed with chocolate syrup and served with whipped cream on top. Despite being chocolaty, these are not terribly sweet; if you don't want to taste the espresso, ask for extra chocolate syrup or sugar to be added, or try a white chocolate mocha instead. Also, these are not blended. If you're looking for one of those milkshake-looking things, you want a mocha Frappuccino.

White Chocolate Mocha:
Espresso and steamed milk mixed with white chocolate syrup and served with whipped cream. These are a lot sweeter than regular mocha's, but also a bit less healthy.

How to Order a Complicated Starbucks Drink

Well... If you're a regular at Starbucks, you might have developed a favorite drink. When you started, maybe it was just a grande latte. But now, it's something much more complicated.

Maybe you feel compelled to warn your barista to grab a cup to write as you order. Your persistent fear is that the moron behind the counter will make your drink wrong, and then you have to be a jerk and get it re-made, or suffer through an inferior $4 latte. No Worries. Here are some instructions to help make your starbucks ordering experience a great one!

Step 1:
Let's start with a few Starbucks basics. If you understand what goes into a basic drink, it will help you simplify your order.
There are 4 Sizes of cups available in each Starbucks store, in both Iced and Hot Versions. They are, from Smallest to Largest,
"Short" (8 OZ)
"Tall" (12 OZ)
"Grande" (16 OZ)
"Vente" (20 OZ for a hot cup and 24 OZ for a Cold Cup)

Step 2:
Typically, When a Customer orders a "Small" we give them a Tall Cup because usually this is what the Customer means by a small. If you want a Short, to avoid confusion, order a Short.

Usually when someone orders a "regular size" we give them a Grande.

A Large is of course a Vente (though occasionally I do have a customer that thinks a Grande is the large, and the Vente, an Extra Large)

Step 3:
Here's a few more things to know:
All of Starbucks' drinks have a standard number of shots

Americanos have 1 shot in a short, 2 in a Tall, 3 in a Grande, and 4 in a Vente. This is for either Hot or Iced Americanos.

All other Hot Drinks have 1 Shot in a Short and a Tall, 2 in a Grande and Vente. Iced Drinks are the same except for the Iced Ventes; they have 3.

One Last thing about drinks:
Any flavored syrup pumps go 2(short) 3(Tall) 4(Grande) 5(Vente) and 6(Iced Vente)

So a Vente Vanilla latte will have 5 pumps of Vanilla Syrup in it.

Okay, now onto the fun part.

Step 4:
Look at your cup. If you haven't noticed already, every Starbucks cup has six boxes on it. They are titled, from top to bottom, Decaf, Shots, Syrup, Milk, Custom, and Drink.

Step 5:
All Starbucks Baristas are trained to call drinks in a specific order. When you order your drink in the right order, it makes it easier for you barista to put it in order. Also, it makes it easier for him to get all of the details for your drink, because there's nothing unexpected.
When a Starbucks Barista calls a drink, they are basically calling it in the order that is printed on the cups.. The only difference is that the size of the drink goes in between the Shots and Syrup Boxes. Also, if its an Iced drink, that is called before Decaf.

Step 6:
So, Lets do a few examples.

Say i want a grande latte with half the vanilla, extra hot, and non-fat. Look at your cup, and figure out what order it should go in....

Ready?

It would be a Grande, 2 pump Vanilla, Non-Fat, Extra Hot, Latte.

Step 7:
How about another:

i want a vente Mocha with one shot, iced, caramel sauce on the top and bottom, no whip, light on the ice, and 7 pumps of peppermint syrup.

Got it?

Iced Single Vente, 7 pump Peppermint, Caramel Sauce Top and Bottom, Light Ice, No whip, Mocha.

Step 8:
I know it's a lot to remember, but with a little practice anybody can call a freakishly complicated drink like a pro.

Here's a few things to note:

Only variations on Mochas, White mochas, Hot Chocolates, and White hot chocolates come standard with whipped cream. also, if there's a seasonal flavored latte (I.E. the Pumpkin Spice Latte) that will usually come with whip standard. if its not one of those drinks, you don't need to mention whip at all, unless you want it.

Extra hot Drinks, Vente Drinks, Americanos, and Brewed Coffee come with sleeves. If you're Getting one of those, no need to grab a sleeve from the bar.

Iced Drinks come with straws. Your Barista will hand you a straw, no need to grab one from the bar. if you ordered a hot drink and you want a straw, feel free.

Step 9:
Here's a few things that (for some reason) piss off almost every barista (even if they don't show it)

-ordering a "Cap," a "Frap," or a "grande Vanilla" feel free to say "Cappucino," "Frappucino" and please specify whether its a grande vanilla latte, coffee, Cappucino etc.

-customers that reach into the bar area to grab straws, sleeves or carry trays. ASK AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN UNTO YOU. or, all of that stuff should be available at the condiment bar.

-customers that grab straws from the condiment bar while we are making their iced drink (which comes with a straw anyways) Basically, we end up picking straws up off of the hand counter all day.

-And Here's the big one, the creme de la creme of great ways to piss off your barista: leaving your table messy in the seating area. You are an adult. Clean up after yourself. Otherwise, Leave a tip for the Barista who is bussing your table.

Have Fun!