Milk drinks: what actually distinguishes them

The espresso and milk drinks are distinguished by three variables: the amount of espresso, the amount of milk, and the amount of foam.

Regional practice varies enormously, and the definitions below are broadly accepted rather than universal.

The drinks

Espresso. A single or double shot, served alone in a small cup.

Ristretto. A restricted shot, roughly 1:1.5 rather than 1:2. Sweeter, denser, less extracted.

Lungo. A longer shot, roughly 1:3. Lighter, more extracted, more bitter if pushed too far.

Americano. Espresso with hot water added. Ratios vary widely; one to three parts water is common.

Adding espresso to water rather than water to espresso preserves the crema.

Long black. The Australasian version, with espresso poured over water. Practically identical, with slightly better crema retention.

Macchiato. Espresso marked with a small amount of milk, traditionally a spoonful of foam.

The large sweetened drink sold under this name in chains is unrelated.

Cortado. Espresso with roughly equal warm milk, minimal foam. Spanish in origin, typically served in a small glass.

Piccolo. A single ristretto in a small latte glass with steamed milk. Australian.

Flat white. Espresso with steamed milk and a thin layer of microfoam, typically in a smaller cup than a latte — around one hundred fifty to one hundred eighty millilitres.

Australian and New Zealand in origin, with an unresolved argument about which.

The defining characteristic is the milk texture: velvety and integrated rather than foamy.

Latte. Espresso with a larger quantity of steamed milk and a thin layer of foam. Typically two hundred forty millilitres or more.

Milkier and gentler than a flat white.

Cappuccino. Traditionally equal parts espresso, steamed milk and foam, in a cup of around one hundred fifty to one hundred eighty millilitres.

The Italian version is small and quite foamy. The version served in many countries is a large latte with extra foam.

Mocha. Espresso with chocolate and steamed milk.

Cortado, gibraltar, piccolo and various regional small milk drinks are broadly similar with local names.

The variables that actually matter

The espresso to milk ratio. This determines how much coffee you taste.

A double shot in one hundred fifty millilitres is coffee-forward. The same shot in three hundred fifty is milk with coffee in it.

Neither is wrong. They are different drinks and should be ordered accordingly.

The foam. Determines texture and how the drink is drunk.

Minimal foam produces a unified liquid. Substantial foam produces a layered drink.

Milk temperature. Around sixty degrees is the target for sweetness and texture. Above sixty-five to seventy, proteins denature, texture collapses and the milk develops a cooked flavour.

Ordering a drink extra hot means asking for scalded milk, which is why baristas resist it.

Choosing coffee for milk drinks

Milk mutes acidity and covers delicate aromatics.

A bright washed Ethiopian in a large latte largely disappears, which is a waste of a good coffee.

Coffees with chocolate, caramel, nut and heavy body characteristics stand up to milk. Medium to medium-dark roasts generally work better than light.

Which is why espresso blends built for milk exist and are a legitimate product rather than a compromise.

For a small drink — cortado, flat white — a lighter and more distinctive coffee works, because there is less milk to hide behind.

The order of assembly

Small details that improve the result.

Pull the shot into the cup you will serve in, warmed.

Steam the milk while the shot is pulling, so both are ready together.

Swirl the milk continuously until you pour. Milk separates within seconds of standing.

Pour promptly. Espresso deteriorates quickly — crema collapses and the shot turns bitter within a couple of minutes.

Sizes

The commercial expansion of drink sizes has broken the definitions.

A large latte frequently contains the same single or double shot as a small one, which means the coffee is progressively more dilute.

If you want a large drink that still tastes of coffee, ask for an additional shot. Most cafés will do it.

Iced versions

Iced milk drinks are not simply the hot ones chilled.

Espresso poured over ice and cold milk produces a much weaker perceived flavour, because cold suppresses aroma perception.

Which is why iced coffee drinks are usually made with more coffee, or with a concentrate, and frequently sweetened.

An iced latte made with a single shot tastes of milk. Two shots is generally the minimum for anything that tastes of coffee cold.

At home without an espresso machine

A strong concentrated brew — moka pot, Aeropress at a tight ratio, or a strong immersion — plus frothed milk produces a genuinely good milk drink.

It will not have crema and will taste of coffee and milk in the right proportions, which is most of what a milk drink is.

A handheld frother and a moka pot cost very little and produce a better cappuccino than most high street chains.