How to drink dirty latte and pull a good espresso?

A dirty latte is drunk without stirring, so the hot espresso layer sits over cold milk and each sip moves from light milk into stronger coffee. The base recipe is simple: espresso plus milk, with ratios usually falling between 1:5 and 1:8. A common home measure is 40 grams of espresso liquid to 240 grams of milk, roughly 1:6.

Latte traces back to 17th-century Vienna, where coffee beans left behind after a failed siege became the raw material for the city's first coffeehouse. Milk was added to soften the bitter black coffee, and the drink spread from there. Bean choice matters most for the espresso itself; blends with roasted nut and fried peanut notes suit milk drinks, while floral, fruity single origins change the cup.

Latte is a classic fusion of espresso and milk, with a flexible ratio typically between 1:5 and 1:8. This article starts from the origins of latte, then gradually introduces how to choose coffee beans, extract espresso, and steam milk, with detailed illustrated steps for making iced latte and Dirty coffee. Whether you prefer the dense smoothness of a hot latte or the refreshing layers of an iced latte, you'll find a practical guide here. The article also incorporates Front Street brand bean recommendations and brewing tips to help you recreate café-quality deliciousness at home.

The word latte comes from the transliteration of the Italian word Latte, referring to a coffee beverage made by adding an appropriate amount of milk to Espresso, belonging to the category of fancy coffee.

Latte can be traced back to the music capital Vienna—the city's coffee culture began in the 17th century. At that time, the Turkish army failed in its siege of Vienna and left behind 500 bags of coffee beans in their hasty retreat; these beans then became the initial raw material for Vienna's first coffeehouse (Blue Bottle). To suit European drinking habits, the shop filtered out the coffee grounds and mixed in a large amount of milk, transforming the originally bitter black coffee into something smooth and sweet. This milk coffee quickly conquered the taste buds of the Viennese and gradually became popular around the world.

The recipe for latte is not complicated; the core is just espresso and milk, and there is no rigid rule for the ratio, with most falling between 1:5 and 1:8. Front Street uses a 1:6 ratio, that is, 40 grams of espresso liquid with 240 grams of milk.

Espresso, also called Espresso, is a small cup of rich, full-bodied black coffee liquid with golden crema on the surface, extracted by forcing hot water quickly through coffee grounds under steam pressure. Although it is not often seen directly on café menus, common drinks such as Americano, latte, and cappuccino all depend on it, making it the soul cornerstone of a coffee shop.

To make a delicious espresso, the choice of coffee beans is crucial. If you prefer latte with roasted nut and fried peanut flavors, Front Street Premium Blend, Front Street Queen's Estate, and Front Street Brazil Red Bourbon are all good choices; if you want the latte to have elegant floral notes and fruity acidity, you can try Front Street Strawberry Candy espresso blend; if you care more about value for money, the espresso moka pot coffee beans recommended by many baristas—Front Street Dark Cocoa Blend—is worth considering.

When making a hot latte, Front Street first pours the espresso liquid into a preheated coffee cup, then uses the steam function of the espresso machine to steam the milk. The milk temperature is best controlled at 55-65°C to form fine milk foam of moderate thickness, then it is fully mixed with the coffee liquid. The final latte art serves as the finishing touch.

Front Street's hot latte exudes a sweet aroma like chocolate liqueur, with a texture as smooth as cream. Front Street's iced latte first adds 75 grams of ice cubes and 25 milliliters of fresh milk, then extracts 40 grams of coffee liquid and pours it on top. Before drinking, guests are reminded to stir thoroughly.

Speaking of iced latte, one cannot fail to mention Dirty coffee, which became popular starting in 2019, also called "dirty coffee." Its method is to pour hot espresso directly over iced milk, forming clear layers, with the espresso slowly sinking along the wall of the cup, giving a visual impression of "becoming dirty." Usually, Dirty is served in a smaller cup than iced latte and needs to be drunk immediately to experience the unique mouthfeel of alternating hot and cold.

Below are the illustrated steps for making iced latte and Dirty compiled by Front Street, which you can follow at home.

How to make iced latte:

Step one: Prepare a cup with a capacity of about 300 milliliters.

Step two: Add 80 grams of ice cubes and pour in 170 milliliters of milk.

Step three: Weigh 20 grams of coffee grounds and extract 38 milliliters of espresso. (Specific data can be flexibly adjusted according to the equipment and the condition of the coffee beans that day.)

Step four: Pour the espresso into the cup containing ice and milk.

Step five: Stir evenly and enjoy!

How to make Dirty (dirty coffee):

Preparation before making: Put the cup to be used in the freezer to chill the cup thoroughly; because Dirty emphasizes hot and cold layering, the following steps need to be performed continuously to achieve the best effect!

Step one: Take out the pre-frozen cup.

Step two: Pour in 180 milliliters of iced milk.

Step three: Grind a portion of coffee grounds, fill the portafilter, and tamp it for later use.

Step four: When extracting the espresso, place the cup under the group head so that the coffee liquid floats completely on the surface of the iced milk!

Step five: Once the espresso extraction is complete, it is ready to drink! (It is recommended to take a big sip to better experience Dirty's layered sensation!)

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