Let’s talk about coffee, coffee types and flavors. Caffe Americano: You can make this type of coffee quite simply by adding hot water to a shot of espresso coffee. It has been said that American soldiers during the Second World War would make this type of coffee to make their beverages last longer. It was then (apparently) adopted by American baristas after the war. Cafe Latte (or Cafe au lait) : A fairly popular option for coffee drinkers, a latte consists steamed (or scolded) milk and a single shot of coffee. It is usually quite frothy, and you’ll occasionally encounter cafes that don’t understand the difference between this and a flat white.
Arabica beans account for a majority of the coffee produced and sold in the world today. And, the account for about 60% of the world’s coffee consumption. They’re generally considered to be of a higher quality than the other bean types and are grown predominantly in Latin America.
Typica is your “typical” Arabica. It’s a variety that encompasses a number of the most popular and most sought after regional coffees including Kona, Java, Jamaican Blue Mountain, and more. This variety started in Yemen before being spread far and wide through trade. It first made it to Malabar India and Indonesia before eventually reaching the West Indies. Some subvarieties of Typica include Sumatra, Bergendal, Rume Sudan, Amarello de Botancatú, Blawan Paumah, and Java Mocha. Also, there are a number of Typica mutations, including Mokka*, Pluma Hidalgo, Creole, Ethiopian Harrar, Blue Mountain, Villa Sarchi, Ethiopian Sidamo, Ethiopian Yiragacheffe, San Ramón, and Sidikalang (just to name a few). Bourbon is probably one of the most common sub varieties of Typica. It got its start in the early 1700s when the French brought an Arabica Typica plat to the island of Bourbon (now Reunion). A slight mutation occurred and the variety eventually spread across Central and South America. These plants are popular because they produce more coffee cherries than other Typica varieties. Sub-varieties of Bourbon include French Mission, N39, Mayaguez, Arusha, Jackson, K20, Kenya Selected, and SL35 ; and Pointu, Semperlorens, Caturra, SL34, Tekic, and Pacas are mutations from this variety.
Lungo – Lungo is often confused with Americano, but it’s not at all the same. Lungo is a long shot prepared by extracting double the amount of water with same amount of coffee grounds. In figures, it means, 50 ml of water is extracted with 7 grams of coffee. This results in extraction of more caffeine, but with dissolved off-notes of coffee. It’s a less popular drink but it’s a preferred drink for people who demand more caffeine. Caffe Crema – An extra long espresso drink served in Northern Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. It has different flavor profile than related drinks like Lungo and Americano due to different extraction process. Rough brewing ratios of ristretto, normale, lungo, and caffè crema are 1:2:3:6 and the average water part per shot is 6 oz (180ml). Cafe Zorro – This is a double shot of espresso that is added to water in a 1:1 ratio. Read extra info at Coffee Subscription.