Walking into a coffee shop and facing the dazzling array of names on the menu, have you ever felt confused? Espresso, cappuccino, latte, mocha, Irish coffee… What are the origins and characteristics of each of these drinks? This article systematically sorts out the several types of coffee people encounter most in daily life, from the extraction principles of Italian espresso, to the naming legend of cappuccino, to the brewing method of French milk coffee, the primitive brewing method of Turkish coffee, and specialty styles such as royal coffee and green tea coffee, introducing their flavor characteristics and the stories behind them one by one. At the same time, English names are provided for reference to help you order with more ease. Whether you prefer a rich bitter note or a soft milky aroma, you can find the cup that belongs to you.

Espresso — The word Espresso originally means "rapid." So-called Espresso Cafe refers to concentrated coffee extracted in an extremely short time. This brewing method originated with the Italian Achille Gaggia, who invented the steam pressure coffee machine in 1946, so this type of coffee is also often directly called Italian coffee.

For making espresso at home, an Italian moka pot is usually used. The moka pot is similar to the siphon pot in that both rely on steam pressure to extract the essence of the coffee. The difference is that the moka pot lets pressurized steam pass directly through the layer of coffee grounds, instantly passing through the cell walls and squeezing out the flavor substances inside the coffee. Used with dark-roasted coffee beans, the finished product has a particularly rich aroma and a quite pronounced bitterness, with a thin layer of coffee crema floating on the surface — this is precisely the key to the charming aroma of Italian coffee. Because it is highly concentrated, it is generally served in a small coffee cup when tasting.

Cappuccino — At the beginning of the twentieth century, while Achille Gaggia invented the steam pressure coffee machine, he also gave rise to this drink. The method is to pour milk frothed and expanded by steam onto a relatively strong coffee base. The color of the finished product reminds people of the hood covering the dark brown robe of a Capuchin monk, and the name of the coffee comes from this.

Latte — Latte is essentially also an evolution of Italian coffee. The brewing process is the same as that of cappuccino; the only difference is that the proportions of coffee, milk, and milk foam are slightly adjusted.

French milk coffee — In the French method, coffee and milk each account for half, in a 1:1 ratio. Therefore, when brewing authentic French milk coffee, you need to hold the milk pot and the coffee pot separately in both hands and pour them into the coffee cup from both sides at the same time.

Turkish coffee — This is a kind of coffee that follows the primitive brewing method. Today, in Turkey, Greece, and the countries of the Balkan Peninsula — regions historically once governed by the Ottoman Turkish Empire — Turkish coffee is still very popular.

Irish coffee — The Irish know well that whiskey has a unique and strong smoky aroma and a subtle sweetness. Irish coffee made with whiskey can exactly bring out the sweet-and-sour layers of the coffee itself. Whiskey has a relatively high alcohol content, so the heating time can be adjusted according to one's tolerance. As the alcohol evaporates, a wisp of mature melancholy emerges from the coffee, making it especially suitable for drinking on cold and rainy days.

Mocha — Named after the earliest export port for coffee, mocha coffee is made by adding chocolate to a latte.

Royal coffee — It is said that when Napoleon was on his expedition to Russia, he encountered severe winter and ordered brandy to be mixed into coffee to ward off the cold, and thus this coffee was born. In freshly made royal coffee, amid the dancing blue-and-white flames, the mellow fragrance of brandy suddenly rises, and the pure white sugar cube slowly melts into an alluring caramel sweetness. Sipping it slowly makes one cannot help but feel the elegant pleasure of sitting in a royal palace.

Green tea coffee — This is a coffee of purely Eastern style. Fresh cream is placed on top of brewed coffee, and then green tea powder is sprinkled on. The uniquely elegant aroma and slightly astringent taste of green tea interweave and collide in the mouth with the rich, heavy flavor of coffee, its slightly rounded acidity, and its sweet aroma, as if two cultures of East and West meet and seek a stable balance point between conflict and fusion.

Blue Mountain, meanwhile, is named after the Blue Mountain range.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.