Café au Lait? Caffè Latte? Cappuccino? What's the Difference Between These Similar Drinks?

When you go to a cafe, you'll probably see a variety of drinks like cafe lattes, cappuccinos, cafe mochas, and macchiatos. Among them, are there any that you honestly can't tell the difference between, like cafe latte and cafe au lait, or cappuccino? This time, we'll introduce how these drinks differ!

Is the key the amount of foam? What's the difference between milk beverages?

Milk and coffee go well together, so there are actually many drinks called "milk beverages" that combine the two. They are all very similar because their ingredients are almost the same. While there might be slight variations depending on the cafe, here we will briefly explain their characteristics and differences.

Cafe Latte

A drink that has been loved as an Italian breakfast drink for a long time and is now drunk all over the world, made by diluting espresso with milk. The preparation is very simple: extract an espresso, and then pour steamed milk into a single shot of espresso (approx. 25ml) to complete it. The difference from other milk beverages is that the milk foam layer is thin, about 5mm, while there is a large amount of liquid milk. By the way, in Australia and New Zealand, there's something called "Flat White," which is almost identical to a cafe latte, just with a different name. While there may be slight differences depending on the cafe's recipe, such as less milk or more espresso, the standard is ambiguous.

Cappuccino

This is also a long-loved milk beverage, made by diluting espresso with milk, just like a cafe latte, but many people prefer cappuccino to latte. The preparation is almost the same as a cafe latte: pour frothed milk into a single shot. Some also sprinkle cocoa powder or cinnamon on top. The big difference between cappuccino and cafe latte is the amount of milk foam! Compared to a cafe latte, a cappuccino has a larger amount of foam, often with a layer 1-2 cm thick. Some cafes even have nearly half the cup filled with foam. It's good to remember that cappuccinos have more milk foam.

Macchiato

Macchiato literally means "stained" in Italian, and it's called that because espresso is "stained" with milk. The traditional way to make a macchiato is to gently place one to two teaspoons of milk foam on a single shot of espresso. The minimal milk foam brings out a subtle sweetness. Currently, drinks where a larger amount of frothed milk is poured into the cup first, and then espresso is poured on top to create a "stain" on the milk, are also called macchiatos. Various arrangements have been added, and they are enjoyed by many people. Macchiato is where a stain is created. In Japan, what's commonly known as a macchiato typically has about half milk foam, with espresso poured on top. The differences between the various milk beverages are basically small ones, concerning whether there is a lot or a little milk foam. However, this difference creates a change in the drink's mouthfeel and how the coffee's flavor is perceived, producing different harmonies of milk and coffee, allowing you to enjoy each drink.

The Key is the Type of Coffee

There are some coffee-based drinks that sound very similar in name. Americano and American, Cafe Latte and Cafe Au Lait - their names are similar, and their preparation is almost identical... So what exactly is the difference?

Americano and American

Have you ever had a light, easy-to-drink coffee called American coffee or Cafe Americano? Even at our base coffee shop, we sometimes receive orders for "American." So what's the difference between these two, which combine coffee and hot water? The big difference is whether you use espresso or drip coffee. "Cafe Americano" is espresso diluted with hot water. By diluting it with hot water, the richness of the espresso is softened, making it easier to drink, but you can still enjoy the sweetness and smoothness characteristic of espresso, giving it a different taste from drip coffee. Incidentally, one theory regarding the origin of Americano is that it began when American soldiers during the war, unfamiliar with espresso, diluted it with hot water to make it more like drip coffee. Also, just as a latte in Oceania might be called a Flat White, an Americano might also be known by a different name, "Long Black." On the other hand, "American coffee" uses drip coffee, but this definition is actually very vague. The term "American coffee" is originally a Japanese-made English word and is not understood overseas. There are two patterns of coffee known by this name. First, it refers to lightly roasted beans brewed thinly. While it was common in Japan to enjoy the strong bitterness of dark roast coffee, in America, lightly roasted coffee brewed thinly and with a light taste was consumed. It is said that the perception of "thin coffee is American style" became widespread. There are various theories about the origin of thin coffee consumption in America, such as "there were no advanced coffee brewing tools in America during the pioneer era, so it was brewed thinly" or "people wanted to drink more at once, so the amount of hot water gradually increased, making it thinner," and so on. And another pattern is drip coffee diluted with hot water, sometimes seen in coffee shops. This way of drinking was born in Japan, and there are also various theories as to why coffee came to be diluted with hot water. For example, there are theories like "people who experienced American-style coffee mistakenly thought it was diluted with hot water" or "foreign customers visiting coffee shops wanted to drink large quantities of coffee for the same price, so it was diluted with hot water." Whether it's thin extraction or diluted with hot water, "American coffee" is broadly understood as a drip coffee that is less bitter and easy to drink.

Cafe Latte and Cafe Au Lait

Both cafe latte and cafe au lait are coffee with milk added, but what exactly is the difference? As explained above, a cafe latte is espresso diluted with milk, with little foam, and is often seen in Italian breakfast scenes. In contrast, cafe au lait is drip coffee with milk added. The milk is also not frothed; it is often warmed on a stove and is frequently seen at French breakfasts. The traditional French way of drinking it is to dip baguette or croissants into the cafe au lait and enjoy them together. For this reason, traditional French cafe au lait is often served in wide bowls so that bread can be dipped. What percentage of milk foam should be used? Should drip coffee or espresso be used? The profoundness of coffee lies in the various ways it can be enjoyed by adding different variations. Recently, many unique coffee-based drinks have emerged. It might be interesting to enjoy your drink by paying attention to what kind of coffee is used and what arrangements are added.