The Ultimate Guide to Different Types of Coffee

You know how overwhelming the drink menu can be when you're in a cafe or coffee shop. If you're a coffee shop owner, you've got so many coffee drinks to choose from it's hard to know what they're for. So you can stay on top of coffee trends, we looked up the most popular coffee types.

There's nothing worse than standing in line at a favorite coffee shop, sweating because you don't know the difference between a cold brew and iced coffee. I've been there, and I know how it feels. 

YAY: we're talking all about coffee, from the differences between Arabica and Robusta beans to how to brew it. Hang on. Here's our deep dive into your morning drink.

Types of coffee beans

You can usually buy Arabica or Robusta coffee beans in U.S. supermarkets. You might be wondering, what's the difference between Arabica and Robusta? There's definitely a difference. Let's talk about it.

Arabica

There's no doubt that arabica is the most popular type of coffee. Many coffee enthusiasts prefer arabica beans due to their taste. For black coffee, Arabica beans are sweeter more complex, and you can drink them straight up. Even though it's the most popular, it's not as caffeine-heavy as Robusta.

Robusta

Despite Arabica being the most popular, Robusta is cheaper and stronger. Robusta is typically used for espresso drinks and in instant coffee mixes because of its bitter taste. Monday morning lagging? Get a cup of Robusta coffee. The caffeine kick will wake you up!

Types of Coffee Drinks

What can you do with a few small coffee beans? Latte, americano, affogato...what a variety! There are tons of coffee drinks out there, whether you're a coffee newbie or connoisseur. We've rounded up the most popular coffee drinks right now.

Black

Black coffee is steamed water infused with ground coffee beans. You can also call black coffee by its fancy name: cafe noir. Due to the fact that it doesn't have milk or sugar, coffee's quality is super important. 

Latte

The latte is the most popular coffee drink out there, and it's made up of espresso and steamed milk with just a little foam. You can order it plain or with a flavor shot, like vanilla or pumpkin spice. 

Cappuccino

Cappuccinos have more foam than steamed milk and are usually sprinkled with cocoa powder or cinnamon. If you're looking for a variation, you can find cream instead of milk or even add flavor shots.

Americano

Similar to black coffee, an Americano is an espresso shot diluted with hot water. If you're making your own, pour the espresso first, add the hot water later.

Espresso

You can drink espresso by itself or as part of a coffee drink, like lattes and macchiatos.

Doppio

The doppio is a double shot of espresso that'll get you moving.

Cortado

Cortados are the perfect balance of espresso and warm steamed milk. In addition, the milk helps cut the acidity of the espresso.

Red Eye

Taking its name from pesky midnight flights, a red eye is a great cure for morning blues. If you like hot coffee with an espresso shot, then you're in for a real treat.

Galão

This hot coffee drink comes from Portugal and is closely related to the latte and cappuccino. However, compared to the other two, it's lighter because it contains twice as much foamed milk.

Lungo

Espresso with a long pull is a lungo. There's more caffeine as the pull goes longer, so you can drink more.

Macchiato

There's a little foam on top of the macchiato, which is another espresso-based drink—the middle ground between a cappuccino and a doppio.

Mocha

If you're a chocolate lover, you'll fall in love with a mocha (or you already have). It's a steamed milk and foam drink with espresso and chocolate.

Ristretto

The espresso shot is a ristretto. A latte uses less hot water, so it tastes sweeter than a shot of espresso or a doppio.

Flat White

An Aussie-born drink without foam or chocolate sprinkles. Basically, it's an espresso drink with steamed milk.

Affogato

In my opinion, the affogato is the perfect excuse to have a scoop of ice cream whenever you want. Comes with an ice cream scoop and a shot of espresso, if you like. Affogatos are extra tasty over brownies.

Café au Lait

Cafe au lait is a great choice for minimalist coffee drinkers who want a little more flavor. It's as simple as adding a splash of milk to your coffee!

Irish

Basically, it's just black coffee, whiskey, and sugar topped with whipping cream. 

Types of Iced Coffee

Is there anything better than iced coffee in the summer? Perhaps you like these cold drinks all year long. Here are some of the best iced coffee drinks.

Iced Coffee

Iced coffee is just coffee with ice, usually served with milk, cream, or sweetener.

Iced Espresso

Like iced coffee, you can drink iced espresso straight or with milk, cream or sweetener. Ice specialty espresso drinks like Americanos, mochas, macchiatos, lattes, and flat whites.

Cold Brew

Cold brew coffee is the trendiest iced coffee. It's made by steeping coffee beans for anywhere from 6 to 36 hours, depending on how strong you want it. Then, pour cold milk on top after the beans steep. 

Frappuccino

Served with whipped cream and syrup, the Frappuccino is a blended iced coffee drink made famous by Starbucks. There are different kinds of Frapps: look for ones without coffee unless you like that.

Nitro

Nitrogen bubbles + cold brew = coffee with a frothy, Guinness-like consistency. Also, it's poured from a nitro tap.

Mazagran

Maza-who?! You can make Mazagran coffee by mixing iced coffee, tea, and rum. You usually mix espresso with lemon, sugar, and (sometimes) rum.