Types of Coffee
A world-famous author once said, "There's always peace in a strong cup of coffee." Literary genius indeed! Hands-down, coffee is the most popular American beverage ever ... yes, even ahead of beer. Seriously, there isn't another drink out there whose name is used as both a noun and a verb, and whose delicious, aromatic goodness brings an entire nation to life each and every morning. And, with the explosion of products available in the coffee industry in the past decade or two, coffee is even more beloved than ever. Don't believe it? Just head to a coffee shop in Morristown first thing tomorrow to witness for yourself the bustling activity of morning java enthusiasts. If you find yourself topping this list of coffee lovers, you probably have a fave that you likely drink every day. If so, you may want to consider changing it up every now and then for something fun and different. Here's more information on the country's favorite types of coffees.
Roasts
Coffees typically are typed according to their roast. Roasting is the heating process that gives coffee its delicious flavor and aromatic essence. The four levels of roasting are light, medium, medium-dark, and dark.
Light roast
Naturally, light-roast coffee is light in color. It's a mild coffee that some find delicious, while others find weak. The beans used in light roast coffee have no oil on their surface because the coffee is not roasted for a long enough period of time for the bean's oils to break the surface.
Medium roast
Medium roast coffees are extremely popular because they are neither too weak nor too strong. Medium in color, the beans also have a surface that isn't oily, like the light roast. The term 'medium roast' is also interchangeable with 'American roast,' because this type is huge in the United States. Medium roast coffee is a big hit for breakfast in the U.S.
Medium-dark roast
Richer than medium and lighter than dark, medium-dark adheres to its name. It's richer in color and some of the bean's oils come to the surface, giving it a slightly bittersweet taste.
Dark roast
Dark roast coffees have black beans that are shiny and have an oily surface. Dark roast is dark in flavor and rich to the point that some would say it's bitter. Coffees that are dark roast run the gamut from slightly dark to borderline burnt.
Popular coffee drinks
You won't find a whole lot of people who still drink their coffee black. They're still out there, of course, but with all the different types and flavors of coffee drinks offered these days, most people opt for one of the variations on the most popular coffee beverages.
Cappuccino
Cappuccino is enormously popular, not just in the United States, but around the world. It's a rather luxurious coffee drink that combines equal parts of espresso, steamed milk, and milk froth. Some people find it so rich and delicious that they drink it as a dessert, especially if sprinkled with bits of dark chocolate or other delicious toppings.
Espresso
No doubt about it, espresso is strong. It's a black coffee made by forcing steam through dark roast beans at a very high pressure in an espresso maker. If done right, espresso has a foam that has sugar that rises to the surface before sinking back down to the bottom. Many of today's flavored coffee drinks begin with espresso.
Caffe latte
Caffe latte is a single shot of espresso in steamed milk (the milk in this case is not frothy), with a ratio of about 3 to 1 espresso to milk.
Cafe au lait
Cafe au lait is similar to caffe latte, but it's made with brewed coffee while caffe latte is made with espresso. The ratio of milk to coffee is about equal parts, making caffe latte much stronger.
Often called the 'nectar of the gods,' coffee is the first thing most Americans reach for each morning to get them started towards an energetic and lively day. Most coffee drinkers have a favorite they find and stick with for years, but the coffee industry is so dedicated to adding new and more delicious options all the time that it's almost absurd not to try a new one from time to time. Head to a bakery or coffee shop in Morristown tomorrow for a great cup of Joe that will rev up your morning and energize your day.
Roasts
Coffees typically are typed according to their roast. Roasting is the heating process that gives coffee its delicious flavor and aromatic essence. The four levels of roasting are light, medium, medium-dark, and dark.
Light roast
Naturally, light-roast coffee is light in color. It's a mild coffee that some find delicious, while others find weak. The beans used in light roast coffee have no oil on their surface because the coffee is not roasted for a long enough period of time for the bean's oils to break the surface.
Medium roast
Medium roast coffees are extremely popular because they are neither too weak nor too strong. Medium in color, the beans also have a surface that isn't oily, like the light roast. The term 'medium roast' is also interchangeable with 'American roast,' because this type is huge in the United States. Medium roast coffee is a big hit for breakfast in the U.S.
Medium-dark roast
Richer than medium and lighter than dark, medium-dark adheres to its name. It's richer in color and some of the bean's oils come to the surface, giving it a slightly bittersweet taste.
Dark roast
Dark roast coffees have black beans that are shiny and have an oily surface. Dark roast is dark in flavor and rich to the point that some would say it's bitter. Coffees that are dark roast run the gamut from slightly dark to borderline burnt.
Popular coffee drinks
You won't find a whole lot of people who still drink their coffee black. They're still out there, of course, but with all the different types and flavors of coffee drinks offered these days, most people opt for one of the variations on the most popular coffee beverages.
Cappuccino
Cappuccino is enormously popular, not just in the United States, but around the world. It's a rather luxurious coffee drink that combines equal parts of espresso, steamed milk, and milk froth. Some people find it so rich and delicious that they drink it as a dessert, especially if sprinkled with bits of dark chocolate or other delicious toppings.
Espresso
No doubt about it, espresso is strong. It's a black coffee made by forcing steam through dark roast beans at a very high pressure in an espresso maker. If done right, espresso has a foam that has sugar that rises to the surface before sinking back down to the bottom. Many of today's flavored coffee drinks begin with espresso.
Caffe latte
Caffe latte is a single shot of espresso in steamed milk (the milk in this case is not frothy), with a ratio of about 3 to 1 espresso to milk.
Cafe au lait
Cafe au lait is similar to caffe latte, but it's made with brewed coffee while caffe latte is made with espresso. The ratio of milk to coffee is about equal parts, making caffe latte much stronger.
Often called the 'nectar of the gods,' coffee is the first thing most Americans reach for each morning to get them started towards an energetic and lively day. Most coffee drinkers have a favorite they find and stick with for years, but the coffee industry is so dedicated to adding new and more delicious options all the time that it's almost absurd not to try a new one from time to time. Head to a bakery or coffee shop in Morristown tomorrow for a great cup of Joe that will rev up your morning and energize your day.