Let’s talk about coffee, coffee types and flavors. Flat White : The two most Kiwi coffees available are the long black and the flat white – as both originated in New Zealand and Australia. For a flat white, the steamed milk from the bottom of the jug (which is usually not so frothy, but rather creamy) is poured over a shot of espresso. It is now popular among mums and dads at school fetes who are desperately trying to stay awake. Long Black : Hot water is poured into a cup, and then two shots of espresso are poured into the water. If you do the inverse of this, it will result in an Americano. Long blacks can be quite strong, and have more crema (a creamy foam that tops espresso shots) than an Americano.

Robusta beans, on the other hand, are a much stronger and bitter bean that is produced and used in many types of espressos and even for those that prefer a really strong coffee. They tend to have around double the caffeine content of Arabica beans.

Excelsa is actually a sub variety of Liberica; however, the two types have very different profiles, so many people still consider them two completely different types. Liberica beans peaked in popularity in the 1890s when coffee rust destroyed 90% of the world’s Arabica crops. The Philippines were the first to start any kind of serious production and thus became a major supplier. These beans were (and are when you can find them) known for having a distinct, woody or smoky flavor with a full body and floral or fruity aroma. However, after the Philippines declared independence, trade between there and the United States was cut off. So by the time a crop of Liberica could be reestablished, Arabica had already reclaimed the top spot for coffee production. It has remained that way since then.

Now let’s know about the Specialty drinks that have base as Espresso and with some add-ons. They make up some amazing and delicious cups that are fancy and attractive. A super-automatic machine adds a lot of convenience to prepare these kinda drinks. Cappuccino – Introduced in 17th century by Italians, Cappuccino has gained immense popularity in the whole world. All the baristas and coffee bars have this drink at the top of their menus. It is generally a combination of an espresso, hot milk and steamed-milk foam. The bottom 1/3rd of a cup is filled with espresso shot followed by next 1/3rd with hot milk, and the last portion with steamed milk foam produced by steam producing espresso machine. Latte – The actual name of Latte is Caffelatte which got shortened with time and now known as Latte. Latte is generally a combination of espresso shot and steamed milk. The standard drink is of 1/3 cup of double espresso shot and 2/3 portion of steamed milk. See extra info at The Best Coffee.