Are you always confused when ordering your morning cup of coffee? With so many different types of coffee, it's easy to see why one could become confused. Should you order an americano or a cappuccino? Does it matter when you order your favorite coffee?
This guide will explain the differences between types of coffees made with espresso. Next time you go to your favorite coffee shop, you'll know exactly what to order.
What are the different types of coffee beans?
![Different types of coffee beans are explained. (Image via Unsplash / Mike Kenneally)](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/6002c-16742809383931-1920.jpg?w=190 190w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/6002c-16742809383931-1920.jpg?w=720 720w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/6002c-16742809383931-1920.jpg?w=640 640w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/6002c-16742809383931-1920.jpg?w=1045 1045w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/6002c-16742809383931-1920.jpg?w=1200 1200w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/6002c-16742809383931-1920.jpg?w=1460 1460w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/6002c-16742809383931-1920.jpg?w=1600 1600w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/6002c-16742809383931-1920.jpg 1920w)
- Arabica beans: The most common type of bean, these are used in most coffees. They're smooth, balanced, and sweet.
- Robusta beans: These are bitter-tasting beans that are often used to make espresso.
- Liberica: This is a high-quality hybrid of Arabica and Excelsa beans used to make high-end specialty coffee like Kona.
- Excelsa: A less popular strain than Arabica or Liberica that tends to produce bitter-tasting coffee
Different Types of Roasts
Different types of coffee are roasted for different lengths of time. Each will bring out certain characteristics of the bean, making it suitable for certain brewing methods.
1) Light Roast
Light-roasted coffee is mildly flavored, with notes of fruit and flowers. The beans are pale brown, with no trace of oil on the surface. Light roast coffees make better choices for pour-over brewing.
2) Medium Roast
Medium-roasted beans have a richer taste and more sweetness than light-roasted beans. Medium-roasted coffees have less acidity than light-roasted coffees, but they also have a stronger smell. Use medium roast beans in automatic drip machines or to make cold brew.
![Medium-roasted coffees have less acidity than light-roasted coffees. (Image via Unsplash / Karl Fredrickson)](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/f67b6-16742809980159-1920.jpg?w=190 190w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/f67b6-16742809980159-1920.jpg?w=720 720w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/f67b6-16742809980159-1920.jpg?w=640 640w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/f67b6-16742809980159-1920.jpg?w=1045 1045w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/f67b6-16742809980159-1920.jpg?w=1200 1200w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/f67b6-16742809980159-1920.jpg?w=1460 1460w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/f67b6-16742809980159-1920.jpg?w=1600 1600w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/f67b6-16742809980159-1920.jpg 1920w)
3) Medium-Dark Roast
Medium-dark roast beans have a deep, bittersweet chocolate taste, with hints of nuts. These beans are dark brown with some oil on the surface. Medium-dark roasts are best for French press or espresso brewing.
4) Dark Roast
Dark roast coffee beans have a very strong and bitter taste, with no hint of acidity. They are oily and very dark brown or black in color.
Different Types of Coffee Drinks
Coffee can be served hot or cold. It's typically served with a certain ratio of coffee to water and milk, with other ingredients added.
1) Cappuccino
Cappuccino is a popular type of coffee drink, consumed at breakfast in Italy and continental Europe but at any time of day in other parts of the world.
2) Espresso
Espresso is a concentrated coffee drink created by forcing hot water through finely-grounded coffee beans. It was invented in the late 19th century but didn't gain popularity in North America until the 1950s.
3) Americano
Americano is a hot coffee drink made with espresso and hot water. It was created during World War II, when American soldiers added hot water to espresso to help extend their coffee rations. They were not used to the strong taste of local espresso.
![red eye is a caffeinated coffee drink. (Image via Unsplash / Jakub Dziubak)](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/44def-16742810586429-1920.jpg?w=190 190w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/44def-16742810586429-1920.jpg?w=720 720w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/44def-16742810586429-1920.jpg?w=640 640w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/44def-16742810586429-1920.jpg?w=1045 1045w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/44def-16742810586429-1920.jpg?w=1200 1200w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/44def-16742810586429-1920.jpg?w=1460 1460w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/44def-16742810586429-1920.jpg?w=1600 1600w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/44def-16742810586429-1920.jpg 1920w)
4) Cortado
A cortado is a hot drink made from equal parts espresso and steamed milk. It originated in the Basque region of Spain and has spread to other parts of Spain and Latin America.
5) Red Eye
The red eye is a caffeinated coffee drink. The exact origin of the red eye is unknown, but it was popularized in the United States after the invention of late-night red-eye flights.
6) Latte
Latte is one of the most popular types of coffee beverages. Invented in the 17th century, the concoction gained popularity in the 1950s when a café in Berkeley, California, standardized it as a menu item.
7) Macchiato
A macchiato is an espresso shot with a small dollop of foam. The name comes from the Italian word macchia, meaning "spot," referring to the small amount of milk it contains. It was first created in Italy in 1980s.
![Flat white was invented in 1983 in Sydney, Australia. (Image via Unsplash / Nathan Dumlao)](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/71d9f-16742811047927-1920.jpg?w=190 190w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/71d9f-16742811047927-1920.jpg?w=720 720w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/71d9f-16742811047927-1920.jpg?w=640 640w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/71d9f-16742811047927-1920.jpg?w=1045 1045w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/71d9f-16742811047927-1920.jpg?w=1200 1200w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/71d9f-16742811047927-1920.jpg?w=1460 1460w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/71d9f-16742811047927-1920.jpg?w=1600 1600w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/71d9f-16742811047927-1920.jpg 1920w)
8) Flat White
Flat White is a coffee drink made with equal parts espresso and steamed milk, but no milk foam. It was invented in 1983 in Sydney, Australia. The name comes from the flat, whitish foam on top of the drink.
9) Cafe Au Lait
Cafe au lait is a drink made with coffee and warm milk. There are two main ways to make the drink, but both involve mixing coffee and milk together. It's especially popular in Europe and America.
10) Irish Coffee
Irish coffee is a coffee drink that, according to legend, was invented by Joe Sheridan in 1943 at a military base in Fort Payne, Alabama. The concoction has become so popular that it's now made all over the world.
![Italian coffee is one the famous types of coffee around the world. (Image via Unsplash / Emre NZMe)](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/4bf6d-16742811580225-1920.jpg?w=190 190w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/4bf6d-16742811580225-1920.jpg?w=720 720w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/4bf6d-16742811580225-1920.jpg?w=640 640w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/4bf6d-16742811580225-1920.jpg?w=1045 1045w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/4bf6d-16742811580225-1920.jpg?w=1200 1200w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/4bf6d-16742811580225-1920.jpg?w=1460 1460w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/4bf6d-16742811580225-1920.jpg?w=1600 1600w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/01/4bf6d-16742811580225-1920.jpg 1920w)
11) Turkish Coffee
Turkish coffee is a type of coffee drink that first originated in Turkey. It was first introduced to Turkey around 1540 by the Turkish governor of Yemen.
12) Italian Coffee
Italian coffee is a well-known type of coffee around the world and has a rich history. Italian coffee can be made using different beans and roasting styles, resulting in a variety of flavors.