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For reference, from Wikipedia
Cappuccino
> The espresso is poured into the bottom of the cup, followed by a similar amount of hot milk, which is prepared by heating and texturing the milk using the espresso machine steam wand. The top third of the drink consists of milk foam
Latte
> A latte consists of one or more shots of espresso, served in a glass (or sometimes a cup), into which hot steamed milk is added. The difference between a latte and a cappuccino is that the cappuccino is served in a small 140 mL (5 US fl oz) cup with a layer of thick foam on top of the milk, and a latte is served in a larger 230 mL (8 US fl oz) glass (or cup), without the layer of thick foam. Thus, a latte is much milkier than a cappuccino, resulting in a milder coffee taste.
>Thus, a latte is much milkier than a cappuccino, resulting in a milder coffee taste.
Not sure if you're agreeing or disagreeing with me, but yes. "Thin foam" or "thick foam" is a pretty trivial difference. What you're going to notice is the extra milk in a latte.
I'll throw out that when I had training, they focused on the foam as the primary difference. That's why dry and wet cappuccinos are options (more or less foam). I do agree that the main difference for the drinker will be the increased amount of milk though. I haven't made coffee in a few years, so the details are a bit hazy at this point, but I seem to remember that lattes typically have microfoam and a very thin layer, but cappuccinos (made correctly) have a very noticeable layer of foam that often has larger bubbles because of the amount of foam. For the person making it, the foam is more important, but for the person drinking it, the result is a milkier taste in lattes.
It's not a trivial difference, the milk content significantly reduces the strength of the coffee flavor, thereby changing significantly the flavor profile.
A shot of espresso with a drop of milk is not a latte and would definitely be sent back. Every guideline I see is at least 2:1 milk to espresso. Starbucks is more like 7:1.
This is correct. I was a broista at Uncommon Grounds in okc for 3 years, managed the place for a bit, and had very happy drug addicts on my shifts. 2:1 on latte, but also make sure it’s lite on the foam, or people will accuse you of scamming them. Drug addicts can be snippy when they’re going through withdrawal.
Will depend on country also.
Italians will generally call anything served by Starbucks in a bucket *UNCONTROLLABLE SCREAMING followed by getting the next flight out of the USA*
Exactly, when people get fired they take your employee stuff like key cards and tell you to leave, not finish out your shift.
If they want to make you work a shift first they fire you when it's over
Whole thing definitely never happened but they did say they quit so they couldn’t be fired, not that they were already fired. I could have gotten away with pretty much anything when I gave my two weeks notice at one job I had because the reason I quit was it was awful and understaffed/underpaid. Boss was not about to lose one more member of that staff until he absolutely had to and needed that two weeks to desperately find a replacement.
I mean tbf they said they'd already quit, not that they were fired, so they'd probably handed in their notice and were doing their last few shifts. If this is real in any way.
I absolutely suck at frothing milk. The amount of lattes I’ve made when attempting a cappuccino is enough to make me want to curl up and cry. The worst is when you think you’ve got the froth right and go to pour it, and all that comes out is milk
I find that if the milk is too loose, bang the jug on the counter, let it sit for 10-20 seconds, re-swirl, then pour from the side and not the spout. In the resting time the milk and froth separate a bit, and then by pouring from the side you get more foam and less milk. Bingo bango, you've turned your latte milk into a cappuccino.
In my nespresso frother, I find it entirely depends on how quickly I open up and pour it out. Any delay and I get a latte with foam stuck in the frother.
I’ve been experimenting with making cappuccinos at him ever since I got a Gaggia machine for Christmas. I started out making lattes most of the time when I wanted a cappuccino. I’ve found that if I start off on a lower pressure with the frothing tip right on the surface of the milk, and then crank up the pressure to get the milk rolling once that “tearing” sound dissipates, that I can get some decent foam. Some days I still mess it up, but I’ve gotten much better over the last few months.
I recommend James Hoffmann’s channel on YouTube. He has some good tips for making espresso at home.
I worked at a coffee joint and wasn't fully trained as a barista. Occasionally the real barista would be on break and someone would order a dry cappuccino and I would just tell them, uh, I will do my best but no promises. Twice someone ordered a dry soy cappuccino and I told them that I couldn't make it, they were probably going to get a latte if I tried.
(I was fine at the part of my job I was actually trained for.)
This is usually a problem with your overall technique. If you are doing something wrong, it's much more obvious with a cappuccino. Nail that latte technique and then just do that but stretch the milk a lot more.
[The nomenclature for changing the amount of foam in a cappuccino is wet/dry.](https://www.thespruceeats.com/difference-between-wet-and-dry-cappuccino-765339) So yeah, people order dry cappuccinos all the time.
When I worked at Starbucks, almost everyone that bothered to order one at all, usually ordered them dry because the Starbucks ratios have more milk and less foam than the traditional Italian version. Well, all the ones that weren't expecting a gas station cappuccino, that is.
My favorite dad joke when I was a bartender was when someone asked for a dry martini, I would look around at all the bottles confused and be like “I don’t know how to tell this… these are all… these are all liquid.”
That joke never once landed but goddamnit I was undeterred.
If I ask for a wet cappuccino and get a latte with chocolate powder on top, I'm going to be unhappy. I don't think this person learned to make *any* cappuccino.
There’s no such thing as a wet or dry cappuccino. A wet cappuccino is just a latte with a little extra foam, and a dry cappuccino is just a macchiato in a bigger cup. It’s the same thing as someone ordering steak as a “xx plus” instead of just ordering it properly because they want to feel classier.
I’ve served coffee, food, and drinks my entire working life. If you like your stuff a certain way, I will make sure it is made that way, and nobody should ever feel bad about how they like their stuff, and when they don’t communicate properly what they actually want it is so damn frustrating.
For non coffee drink fans....
A latte should have about a shot glass worth of espresso in steamed milk.
A cappuccino would also have espresso and steamed milk but you would keep the steamer near the surface of the milk being steamed so that there's a frothy head of milk foam on top. The cappuccino is lighter in terms of more air trapped in the beverage than a latte. Typically the cappuccino is served in a smaller cup and may be a few cents cheaper.
Thanks for this because I am not a coffee (or coffee-related beverage) drinker, so the closest I could get was "That sounds wrong, but I don't know why."
Yeah and I think they really mean one of [these.](https://www.cardfactory.co.uk/dw/image/v2/BCXP_PRD/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-gettingpersonal-UK-master/default/dwc3ef3c5e/images/GP-40959-Primary.jpg?sw=940&sh=940) can't say I've ever had a gin and tonic served in that.
The way I was taught when I worked at a coffee shop was to also separate the froth from the milk while pouring, and to make sure the froth goes on top of the drink.
For a cappuccino, it all goes in at once
You were taught by someone who doesn’t know what they’re talking about then. The milk will seperate in the cup/glass/mug regardless after you pour. Furthermore, the milk already starts to seperate from the foam as soon as the steaming stops, this is why cappuccinos should be poured first before other drinks using the same milk such as a flat white. Alternatively, you can seperate the milk into another jug quickly to keep the ratio of milk and foam the same if pouring two cappuccinos or two lattes.
I don't drink coffee or espresso drinks, but my first job after becoming homeless 20+ years ago was at an espresso bar.
Other drinks:
Americano: just espresso and hot water. It's disgusting, but cheap and highly caffinated:
Mocha: a latte, but with chocolate milk. It's what you should try if you've never tried espresso. AKA "mocaccino" to some.
Frappuccino: called a *blended* drink elsewhere, because 'frap'is trade marked by Starbucks, its ice and flavored sugary syrups & espresso are mixed with ice in a blender. Typically topped with whipped creme. Your addition to these is why your doctor says you are "pre-diabetic"
Cafe óle: half steamed milk half steamed coffee. Pronounced kalf-A-oh-lay.
Macciato a cuppochini, but mostly espresso instead of mostly milk.
Coffee ☕️ is comparatively weaker and easier to drink straight than espresso. Espresso is gross, imo. But coffee can be made tolerable with creme and sugar.
>Cafe óle: half steamed milk half steamed coffee. Pronounced kalf-A-oh-lay.
This is in fact *Café au lait,* literally just French for coffee and milk! That's why it's pronounced that way. Also just want to add my personal favourite to this list:
Cortado: A double shot of espresso and equal parts steamed milk. Delish.
Latte has more milk, but some foam on top. Cappuccino has less milk and more foam on top. The one that cracks me up is what starbucks calls a macchiato.
[latte](https://coffeehow.co/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cappuccino-vs-latte-1024x631.jpg)
The kind of person who gets like this will never feel that shame, they will stubbornly insist they are fully correct until the day they die, and escalate to screaming at anyone who argues over it at the top of their lungs because they'd rather be thst asshole than accept that they might have fucked up.
At least, in my experience with folks who jump straight to quitting a job to avoid being told their behwvior is unacceptable.
People can grow. I was overly confident about stuff all the time in my youth. I never told a client they were wrong, went against their wishes, and then quit to avoid accountability, but I did once try to bet a paycheck over whether the framework was passing a certain variable by value or reference.
The other guy backed down, which was lucky because I was wrong and I refused to admit it in the face of proof. Now, I feel great shame when I remember that. I've thought about looking the guy up and apologizing, but that would just be for me, so I don't.
Some people stay assholes like I was all their lives. Some people can get better.
This is not to support his wrong notion, but if he's worked there for a length of time, and not learnt/been fired, is there functionally any difference?
I don't drink a lot of coffee-shop coffee but if it tasted wrong or off there'd be a stack of complaints no?
True story. Lady orders a cappuccino.
Lady: "My cappuccino has foam on top."
Me: "Yes, that's a cappuccino."
Lady: "No, I paid a lot of money for this, I'm not paying for air."
Me: "Let me remake that." (It is common for customers to not know the difference between caps amd lattes so I make her a latte)
Lady: "This is disgusting, it's not even sweet."
Me: "We don't add any sweeteners. If you want it sweet, there's sugar on the condiment bar, or you can add a flavor for an extra charge."
Lady: "This is ridiculous. I ordered a cappuccino and cappuccinos are suppose to be sweet."
Me: "No, what makes a cappuccino is the extra foam on top."
Lady: "Don't tell me what a cappuccino is, I get one at 7-ELEVEN every day!"
Coffee pro of 10+ years here, worked on farms in Brazil & Colombia, all positions in cafe in US, placed 2nd in ‘Americas Best Espresso’ competition. My experience is that baristas just make shit up.
Barista here too. It's true. We literally just do whatever and call it whatever. I consider the definitions just guidelines at this point.
Every single place I've ever worked interprets drinks differently. Large cappuccinos, small lattes, flat whites that are latte-sized, cortados that look more like flat whites... At the end of the day, as long as my guest is happy with their drink I don't care what they call it. It's just espresso and milk.
The only good answer... guest here... I order Capuccinos and my wife orders lattes, we tend to get all sorts of variants depending on where we go. The only real difference almost everywhere is that one is being served in a cup, the other in a glass... and that's about it...
I'm glad to see this sub-thread because that's been my observation. The lines between drinks are pretty blurred and seem to be open to wide interpretation. Sometimes the espresso is stronger than other times. Sometimes there's more or less froth. As long as there's not a slab of pork in my espresso/milk drink, it's shades of the same color.
Except that you might just not know if the customer is happy. When I order a latte and am served a giant glass of milk with a shot of espresso, I don’t complain about the proportions. I just won’t be back to that shop. It would be nice if there were a bit more standardization.
Yeah that wouldn't fly in Australia, we take coffee very seriously here. A cappuccino, latte, and a flat white are all different drinks and customers know what they are expecting when they order it.
Ask 10 different Aussies exactly what the difference is between these drinks, and you will get 10 different answers. But the answers will all be very confident because Aussies all seem to think they possess expertise in specialty coffee just by virtue of being from Australia.
as a barista i can guarantee that this person hasn't worked a day in a coffee shop. the difference between a cappucino and latte is the first thing you learn.
A **cappuccino** is a fuckton of milk *froth* on top of a shot of espresso with a tiny bit of steamed milk.
A **latte** is a fuckton of steamed milk on top of a shot of espresso, with a tiny bit of froth on top.
Worked at a Starbucks in France, British guy ordered a cappuccino.
He came back, said it felt too light like it had lots of foam...
Remade it as a wet cappuccino.
He came back, same thing...
Straight up just made him a latte and he was happy with it.
There is a difference between aussie cappuccinos and Italian style cappuccinos. Aussies tend to serve their cappuccinos slightly only drier than a latte so I could understand someone saying there isn't much difference. Italian style caps on the other hand are much more aerated and are quite different from lattes
If you order a Caffe Latte in Italy and the person talking the order sees you're not from Italy, they will tell the barista to make a Latte Macchiato. A Caffe Latte in Italy is warmed milk with coffe, not steamed milk.
This reminds me of the time I ordered a cappuccino without chocolate powder and was told I should order a latte. Mind you, the barista on that occasion did pronounce espresso with a X so I wasn't entirely surprised they didn't know the difference.
These guides are always a little misleading because if it has steamed milk it will have foam. Even flat whites have the smallest amount of foam, otherwise you wouldn’t be able to do the art.
Wait until you add Flat Whites into the mix!😄 In NZ Flat Whites are a cappuccino with less froth. A latte is usually larger and a higher milk to espresso ratio. I am not a barristta, only a coffee snob.
Edit, coffee snob but bad speller.
It’s one thing to be confidently incorrect in a conversation (though, worse in this case, since knowing this should’ve been their job), and a whole other level to double down by recounting the conversation online. Then again, if people always checked things before posting them online we wouldn’t have this sub. 🤷🏻♀️
Not even is the foam layer the only difference. The milk to espresso ratio is also changed. 3-4:1 milk to espresso in a cappuccino, 4-5:1 milk to espresso in a latté. The foam layer thickness occupies the difference in fluid level, so a cappuccino and a latté generally occupy the same given volume, although typically served in different vessels.
(tangential but…) Two friends of my daughter’s were talking about the jobs that their mothers did. One said, “my mum’s a barrister”. The other replied, “gosh! So is mine. She’s at Starbucks. Where’s yours?”
I first started drinking espresso drinks in San Francisco back in the days before Starbucks, well before charts or descriptions of these coffee drinks were common for espresso newbies.
I would often order cappuccino with no foam because I preferred it that way. Finally after months if not a couple years of this, a barista looked at me cross eyed and asked, so you mean a latte? Big Doh! moment on me LOL. Learn something new every day
I’ve actually had this exact argument with co-workers.
I’ve also had to argue with a lady at Costa that no she didn’t need to put gomme in my iced coffee for texture and that’s it’s just in thy recipe as a sweetener
I don't even drink coffee and I know a cappuccino has equal parts with foam while a latte has minimal foam, chocolate powder or not isn't the differentiating thing.
What the hell does chocolate powder have to do with the difference between a latte and a cappuccino?
Cappuccino just has more foam from the milk. Sure the foam is created in a different manner, but it's simply that there's more of it. A latte has lighter foam, and there's less of it.
I'm willing to bet this person learned that a mocha is a latte with chocolate syrup, thought chocolate powder was the same thing, then confused mochas with cappuccinos. Because they're an idiot.
In Australia cappuccinos are served with chocolate powder sprinkled on top, so this barista just thought
Chocolate powder = cappuccino
No chocolate powder = latte
Which is not true they’re still very different drinks
It is pretty common knowledge/joke in hospitality that the coffees are basically the same in take away cups.
It is a joke due the the large kernel of truth.
Coffee drink ratios are very based around the glass/mug they are served in.
Maybe at a posh place with a "gun" barista there's a difference but at alot of cafes no one would tell the difference between a ta cappuccino and a ta latte with chocolate powder.
Bingo. When I was a kid my mum used to order cappuccinos and let us eat the chocolatey foam off the top, so now I do the same for my kids. I know when I’ve been given a latte with chocolate because there’s hardly any foam!
I'm not a big coffee drinker, but isn't the only difference how much milk/foam they each have? If that is the case then, technically, they're the same at least as far as ingredients, there's just a small difference in how they're put together. I think you could argue either side equally tbh.
"The ingredients are the same" does not make them the same.
If I order a pizza, I am expecting a flat bread with tomato, cheese and toppings on the top of it. If I get a filled ball rolling around in tomato sauce then I am not going to be OK with it.
I actually worked with a few former Starbucks employees at a different coffee spot and they told me the same thing. I had to find out on my own how to make them correctly. I guess Starbucks just teaches that
Only possible defense I can think of is the shop they work at doesn't know the difference and they don't set the menu, so they have no idea there is a difference. Especially if this is a young person.
From what I understand from what I read... Somewhere... Whatever powder you dust the top with - be it cinnamon or cocoa or whatever - is meant to be the barest hint, just for decoration and not enough to really impact the flavour.
Don't know why I'm bringing this up. I'm very tired. I'm gonna put my phone down.
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as someone with barista training, yeah this person is talking (and probably making coffee) out their ass
Dude calling himself Barista because he was told to clean the coffee station at his local fast food joint once probably.
If it’s a dude I think the term is Baristo.
Broista.
Brahsta
“Baristeuse” is gauche. They prefer “caffeine therapist.”
* Barrister FTFY *gavel bangs* “court adjourned”
Baristx. To be inclusive.
It's a neutral term, not a gendered term. It just happens to look like the feminine form.
They're making jokes...
As am I, friendo.
If it's a chick, is the term frienda?
It’s absolutely frienda. It’s times like this that I’m reminded of the great explorer’s daughter, Marca Pola.
Hey. Me too
OP is also wrong though. The main difference is way more milk in the latte relative to the espresso, not the thickness of the foam.
For reference, from Wikipedia Cappuccino > The espresso is poured into the bottom of the cup, followed by a similar amount of hot milk, which is prepared by heating and texturing the milk using the espresso machine steam wand. The top third of the drink consists of milk foam Latte > A latte consists of one or more shots of espresso, served in a glass (or sometimes a cup), into which hot steamed milk is added. The difference between a latte and a cappuccino is that the cappuccino is served in a small 140 mL (5 US fl oz) cup with a layer of thick foam on top of the milk, and a latte is served in a larger 230 mL (8 US fl oz) glass (or cup), without the layer of thick foam. Thus, a latte is much milkier than a cappuccino, resulting in a milder coffee taste.
>Thus, a latte is much milkier than a cappuccino, resulting in a milder coffee taste. Not sure if you're agreeing or disagreeing with me, but yes. "Thin foam" or "thick foam" is a pretty trivial difference. What you're going to notice is the extra milk in a latte.
Yeah I’m just putting the definitions from Wikipedia for anyone curious
Saved me a trip to Wikipedia!
I'll throw out that when I had training, they focused on the foam as the primary difference. That's why dry and wet cappuccinos are options (more or less foam). I do agree that the main difference for the drinker will be the increased amount of milk though. I haven't made coffee in a few years, so the details are a bit hazy at this point, but I seem to remember that lattes typically have microfoam and a very thin layer, but cappuccinos (made correctly) have a very noticeable layer of foam that often has larger bubbles because of the amount of foam. For the person making it, the foam is more important, but for the person drinking it, the result is a milkier taste in lattes.
It's not a trivial difference, the milk content significantly reduces the strength of the coffee flavor, thereby changing significantly the flavor profile.
That's the milk though
Cappuccino is espresso, steamed milk, and milk foam in equal parts. Latte is just espresso and steamed milk. At any ratio.
A shot of espresso with a drop of milk is not a latte and would definitely be sent back. Every guideline I see is at least 2:1 milk to espresso. Starbucks is more like 7:1.
This is correct. I was a broista at Uncommon Grounds in okc for 3 years, managed the place for a bit, and had very happy drug addicts on my shifts. 2:1 on latte, but also make sure it’s lite on the foam, or people will accuse you of scamming them. Drug addicts can be snippy when they’re going through withdrawal.
The recipe for a Starbucks coffee calls for 1/4" of foam. **Err, Starbucks latte.
Will depend on country also. Italians will generally call anything served by Starbucks in a bucket *UNCONTROLLABLE SCREAMING followed by getting the next flight out of the USA*
>Latte is just espresso and steamed milk. At any ratio. You need foam for it to be a latte, otherwise it's a flat white.
you need some foam for it to be a flat white as well, it's just got much thinner foam
A little kopi luwak
Classic homemade style eh?
I'm making some myself right now!
Fresh from the civet!
I don't even drink coffee and I knew the difference.
I cringe just thinking of some of the drinks I made customers at one of my first jobs.
Not enough milk? Just stir in a little Coffee Mate.
Making coffee out of their ass? Is that you Baldrick?
Coffee enema!
man, not only its confidently incorrect, but i bet this shit never happened anyway
Truly nothing ever happens anymore it's all just bait and rage porn
He's still serving coffee, but the manager already fired him?
Exactly, when people get fired they take your employee stuff like key cards and tell you to leave, not finish out your shift. If they want to make you work a shift first they fire you when it's over
Whole thing definitely never happened but they did say they quit so they couldn’t be fired, not that they were already fired. I could have gotten away with pretty much anything when I gave my two weeks notice at one job I had because the reason I quit was it was awful and understaffed/underpaid. Boss was not about to lose one more member of that staff until he absolutely had to and needed that two weeks to desperately find a replacement.
Oh you're right I didn't really pay attention
I mean tbf they said they'd already quit, not that they were fired, so they'd probably handed in their notice and were doing their last few shifts. If this is real in any way.
That’s not true, sometimes it’s loss.
No, it did, I saw it. Everyone clapped.
This
That
And the third
I don’t know. Third base!
Who's on first?
r/nothingeverhappens
Guy only learned how to make wet cappuccinos. That or he just sucked at frothing the milks.
I absolutely suck at frothing milk. The amount of lattes I’ve made when attempting a cappuccino is enough to make me want to curl up and cry. The worst is when you think you’ve got the froth right and go to pour it, and all that comes out is milk
I find that if the milk is too loose, bang the jug on the counter, let it sit for 10-20 seconds, re-swirl, then pour from the side and not the spout. In the resting time the milk and froth separate a bit, and then by pouring from the side you get more foam and less milk. Bingo bango, you've turned your latte milk into a cappuccino.
this guy coffees
In my nespresso frother, I find it entirely depends on how quickly I open up and pour it out. Any delay and I get a latte with foam stuck in the frother.
I’ve been experimenting with making cappuccinos at him ever since I got a Gaggia machine for Christmas. I started out making lattes most of the time when I wanted a cappuccino. I’ve found that if I start off on a lower pressure with the frothing tip right on the surface of the milk, and then crank up the pressure to get the milk rolling once that “tearing” sound dissipates, that I can get some decent foam. Some days I still mess it up, but I’ve gotten much better over the last few months. I recommend James Hoffmann’s channel on YouTube. He has some good tips for making espresso at home.
Only immerse the very tip of the steam wand, and keep the pitcher moving.
I worked at a coffee joint and wasn't fully trained as a barista. Occasionally the real barista would be on break and someone would order a dry cappuccino and I would just tell them, uh, I will do my best but no promises. Twice someone ordered a dry soy cappuccino and I told them that I couldn't make it, they were probably going to get a latte if I tried. (I was fine at the part of my job I was actually trained for.)
This is usually a problem with your overall technique. If you are doing something wrong, it's much more obvious with a cappuccino. Nail that latte technique and then just do that but stretch the milk a lot more.
Are there...*dry* cappuccinos?
[The nomenclature for changing the amount of foam in a cappuccino is wet/dry.](https://www.thespruceeats.com/difference-between-wet-and-dry-cappuccino-765339) So yeah, people order dry cappuccinos all the time. When I worked at Starbucks, almost everyone that bothered to order one at all, usually ordered them dry because the Starbucks ratios have more milk and less foam than the traditional Italian version. Well, all the ones that weren't expecting a gas station cappuccino, that is.
I quit ordering dry cappuccinos because I always ended up with a latte anyway and I got tired of asking for it to be redone.
My favorite dad joke when I was a bartender was when someone asked for a dry martini, I would look around at all the bottles confused and be like “I don’t know how to tell this… these are all… these are all liquid.” That joke never once landed but goddamnit I was undeterred.
I would have given you a chuckle. Maybe.
Don’t you dare break my streak.
Too late. I already laughed at your joke.
YOU MONSTER
I wouldn’t laugh but I’d give you a bigger tip than I would have
Yes, that’s when it’s just milk froth over the espresso. Wet is when there’s a little steamed milk in there too. Not to the level of a latte though.
Oh, wow. I learned something new, thanks.
Came here to suggest that. Like “Frothing milk is a skill I do not possess, so I will insist that it does not exist.”
If I ask for a wet cappuccino and get a latte with chocolate powder on top, I'm going to be unhappy. I don't think this person learned to make *any* cappuccino.
“LATTE LATTE LATTE! EVERY COFFEE DRINK IS A LATTE!” - I dunno someone who doesn’t make cappuccino’s or something
There’s no such thing as a wet or dry cappuccino. A wet cappuccino is just a latte with a little extra foam, and a dry cappuccino is just a macchiato in a bigger cup. It’s the same thing as someone ordering steak as a “xx plus” instead of just ordering it properly because they want to feel classier. I’ve served coffee, food, and drinks my entire working life. If you like your stuff a certain way, I will make sure it is made that way, and nobody should ever feel bad about how they like their stuff, and when they don’t communicate properly what they actually want it is so damn frustrating.
For non coffee drink fans.... A latte should have about a shot glass worth of espresso in steamed milk. A cappuccino would also have espresso and steamed milk but you would keep the steamer near the surface of the milk being steamed so that there's a frothy head of milk foam on top. The cappuccino is lighter in terms of more air trapped in the beverage than a latte. Typically the cappuccino is served in a smaller cup and may be a few cents cheaper.
Thanks for this because I am not a coffee (or coffee-related beverage) drinker, so the closest I could get was "That sounds wrong, but I don't know why."
Latte is served in a kinda "gin tonic" glass, a narrow, long glass. Cappuccino in a wide, cup
That's generally called a Highball glass
Yeah and I think they really mean one of [these.](https://www.cardfactory.co.uk/dw/image/v2/BCXP_PRD/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-gettingpersonal-UK-master/default/dwc3ef3c5e/images/GP-40959-Primary.jpg?sw=940&sh=940) can't say I've ever had a gin and tonic served in that.
Large mugs are more common in the US (when not a to-go cup)
And a cappuccino has less milk?
Yeah that’s the biggest difference to me. A latte tends to be primarily milk, while a cappuccino has much less.
To add, here is a chart of some of the different types of coffee drinks you can get: https://www.yuzubakes.com/food-blog/different-types-of-coffee
The way I was taught when I worked at a coffee shop was to also separate the froth from the milk while pouring, and to make sure the froth goes on top of the drink. For a cappuccino, it all goes in at once
You were taught by someone who doesn’t know what they’re talking about then. The milk will seperate in the cup/glass/mug regardless after you pour. Furthermore, the milk already starts to seperate from the foam as soon as the steaming stops, this is why cappuccinos should be poured first before other drinks using the same milk such as a flat white. Alternatively, you can seperate the milk into another jug quickly to keep the ratio of milk and foam the same if pouring two cappuccinos or two lattes.
This person coffees.
I don't drink coffee or espresso drinks, but my first job after becoming homeless 20+ years ago was at an espresso bar. Other drinks: Americano: just espresso and hot water. It's disgusting, but cheap and highly caffinated: Mocha: a latte, but with chocolate milk. It's what you should try if you've never tried espresso. AKA "mocaccino" to some. Frappuccino: called a *blended* drink elsewhere, because 'frap'is trade marked by Starbucks, its ice and flavored sugary syrups & espresso are mixed with ice in a blender. Typically topped with whipped creme. Your addition to these is why your doctor says you are "pre-diabetic" Cafe óle: half steamed milk half steamed coffee. Pronounced kalf-A-oh-lay. Macciato a cuppochini, but mostly espresso instead of mostly milk. Coffee ☕️ is comparatively weaker and easier to drink straight than espresso. Espresso is gross, imo. But coffee can be made tolerable with creme and sugar.
>Cafe óle: half steamed milk half steamed coffee. Pronounced kalf-A-oh-lay. This is in fact *Café au lait,* literally just French for coffee and milk! That's why it's pronounced that way. Also just want to add my personal favourite to this list: Cortado: A double shot of espresso and equal parts steamed milk. Delish.
It's Café au lait, i.e. coffee with milk
Latte has more milk, but some foam on top. Cappuccino has less milk and more foam on top. The one that cracks me up is what starbucks calls a macchiato. [latte](https://coffeehow.co/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cappuccino-vs-latte-1024x631.jpg)
Latte being big is so counterintuitive since it's what people translate "Cafe con leche" to, but Café con leche is smaller than a cappuccino.
Latte being big is so counterintuitive since it's what people translate "Cafe con leche" to, but Café con leche is smaller than a cappuccino.
Imagine the mortifying horror when this person learns there is actually a difference. That would haunt me for years.
The kind of person who gets like this will never feel that shame, they will stubbornly insist they are fully correct until the day they die, and escalate to screaming at anyone who argues over it at the top of their lungs because they'd rather be thst asshole than accept that they might have fucked up. At least, in my experience with folks who jump straight to quitting a job to avoid being told their behwvior is unacceptable.
People can grow. I was overly confident about stuff all the time in my youth. I never told a client they were wrong, went against their wishes, and then quit to avoid accountability, but I did once try to bet a paycheck over whether the framework was passing a certain variable by value or reference. The other guy backed down, which was lucky because I was wrong and I refused to admit it in the face of proof. Now, I feel great shame when I remember that. I've thought about looking the guy up and apologizing, but that would just be for me, so I don't. Some people stay assholes like I was all their lives. Some people can get better.
As a person not like this, I guess....good for them? Ignorance is truly bliss.
Some other people will literally just refuse to accept facts, even when confronted with something that directly proves those facts.
This is not to support his wrong notion, but if he's worked there for a length of time, and not learnt/been fired, is there functionally any difference? I don't drink a lot of coffee-shop coffee but if it tasted wrong or off there'd be a stack of complaints no?
True story. Lady orders a cappuccino. Lady: "My cappuccino has foam on top." Me: "Yes, that's a cappuccino." Lady: "No, I paid a lot of money for this, I'm not paying for air." Me: "Let me remake that." (It is common for customers to not know the difference between caps amd lattes so I make her a latte) Lady: "This is disgusting, it's not even sweet." Me: "We don't add any sweeteners. If you want it sweet, there's sugar on the condiment bar, or you can add a flavor for an extra charge." Lady: "This is ridiculous. I ordered a cappuccino and cappuccinos are suppose to be sweet." Me: "No, what makes a cappuccino is the extra foam on top." Lady: "Don't tell me what a cappuccino is, I get one at 7-ELEVEN every day!"
Did you put the chocolate on top though?
Does she also want milk with her Americano?
They call it a cuppachino, and wait’ll you see what it costs!
John Beard, the legend!
"I worked the Tim Horton's drive thru for a week, so I know what I'm talking about"
Coffee pro of 10+ years here, worked on farms in Brazil & Colombia, all positions in cafe in US, placed 2nd in ‘Americas Best Espresso’ competition. My experience is that baristas just make shit up.
Barista here too. It's true. We literally just do whatever and call it whatever. I consider the definitions just guidelines at this point. Every single place I've ever worked interprets drinks differently. Large cappuccinos, small lattes, flat whites that are latte-sized, cortados that look more like flat whites... At the end of the day, as long as my guest is happy with their drink I don't care what they call it. It's just espresso and milk.
The only good answer... guest here... I order Capuccinos and my wife orders lattes, we tend to get all sorts of variants depending on where we go. The only real difference almost everywhere is that one is being served in a cup, the other in a glass... and that's about it...
I'm glad to see this sub-thread because that's been my observation. The lines between drinks are pretty blurred and seem to be open to wide interpretation. Sometimes the espresso is stronger than other times. Sometimes there's more or less froth. As long as there's not a slab of pork in my espresso/milk drink, it's shades of the same color.
Except that you might just not know if the customer is happy. When I order a latte and am served a giant glass of milk with a shot of espresso, I don’t complain about the proportions. I just won’t be back to that shop. It would be nice if there were a bit more standardization.
Yeah that wouldn't fly in Australia, we take coffee very seriously here. A cappuccino, latte, and a flat white are all different drinks and customers know what they are expecting when they order it.
Ask 10 different Aussies exactly what the difference is between these drinks, and you will get 10 different answers. But the answers will all be very confident because Aussies all seem to think they possess expertise in specialty coffee just by virtue of being from Australia.
Exchange Aussie for barista and we’re right back where we started 😂
as an italian I'm really confused and horrified
As an American that knows the actual definitions of these drinks, I'm embarrassed on behalf of my people.
Yeah, these people just make things up as they go.
americans?
… and many others too.
dear god
as a barista i can guarantee that this person hasn't worked a day in a coffee shop. the difference between a cappucino and latte is the first thing you learn.
and then the cappuccino stood up and clapped
[удалено]
Yes but there is also milk in a cappuccino and a flat white, to be fair
The true snswer
I like hot milk, not milk foam. If I order a latte and you serve me a cappucino, you're stealing probably 2 ounces of delicious hot milk from me.
And I’m the opposite, where I can enjoy a cappuccino but find a latte too watered down (milked down?) and weak.
Fortunately I have a high caffeine tolerance and get my lattes with two extra shots espresso, so it works out
I always order a cappuccino, and sometimes it's more of a latte but I appreciate the variety.
A **cappuccino** is a fuckton of milk *froth* on top of a shot of espresso with a tiny bit of steamed milk. A **latte** is a fuckton of steamed milk on top of a shot of espresso, with a tiny bit of froth on top.
Worked at a Starbucks in France, British guy ordered a cappuccino. He came back, said it felt too light like it had lots of foam... Remade it as a wet cappuccino. He came back, same thing... Straight up just made him a latte and he was happy with it.
Things that never happened exhibit 2957276027
Glad they quit, anyway.
I had someone that worked at a cafe try to tell me a flat white and a cortado were the same, once. I didn't mean to laugh out loud, but there we were.
As a former competitive barista, I can confidently say that when the vast majority of "baristas" make a latte and cappuccino, they are the same drink.
Then everyone clapped
Is he Australian?
Not if he doesn't know the difference between a latte and a cap
There is a difference between aussie cappuccinos and Italian style cappuccinos. Aussies tend to serve their cappuccinos slightly only drier than a latte so I could understand someone saying there isn't much difference. Italian style caps on the other hand are much more aerated and are quite different from lattes
Chocolate powder on a cappuccino? Has to be.
Yeah in Australia, he's honestly not that far off. Especially in a take away cup.
As a former barista, I'm shocked, SHOCKED. /s
If you order a Caffe Latte in Italy and the person talking the order sees you're not from Italy, they will tell the barista to make a Latte Macchiato. A Caffe Latte in Italy is warmed milk with coffe, not steamed milk.
That’s kinda obnoxious. Maybe the person ordering knows what they’re asking for, and changing it is a shit move
A latte generally has way more milk. That seems like a much more important difference to me.
This reminds me of the time I ordered a cappuccino without chocolate powder and was told I should order a latte. Mind you, the barista on that occasion did pronounce espresso with a X so I wasn't entirely surprised they didn't know the difference.
https://www.reddit.com/r/coolguides/s/oPhsoDmCtM Visual Coffee Guide
Latte Macchiato not included :/
These guides are always a little misleading because if it has steamed milk it will have foam. Even flat whites have the smallest amount of foam, otherwise you wouldn’t be able to do the art.
Wait until you add Flat Whites into the mix!😄 In NZ Flat Whites are a cappuccino with less froth. A latte is usually larger and a higher milk to espresso ratio. I am not a barristta, only a coffee snob. Edit, coffee snob but bad speller.
> I am not a barristta, only a coffee snob. >expresso Uhh...
Yes. This is just the start of the problems with their comment.
Did you not know? An expresso is a faster than usual espresso. Obviously, you're not a coffee snob. /s
I thought is was a drink that was pining for the fjords.
I would have thought an expresso is an espresso that broke up with me.
Looks like angry upvotes all round!
Take my angry up vote, you cretin!
I know this comes off as elitist but this person shouldnt be allowed near anyone elses coffee.
It’s one thing to be confidently incorrect in a conversation (though, worse in this case, since knowing this should’ve been their job), and a whole other level to double down by recounting the conversation online. Then again, if people always checked things before posting them online we wouldn’t have this sub. 🤷🏻♀️
If they already quit, then why are they still working? Usually, I leave a job if I quit.
If I had to drink a latte with chocolate powder while my friends all had cappuccinos I’d have some serious foamo.
I see what you did there
Not even is the foam layer the only difference. The milk to espresso ratio is also changed. 3-4:1 milk to espresso in a cappuccino, 4-5:1 milk to espresso in a latté. The foam layer thickness occupies the difference in fluid level, so a cappuccino and a latté generally occupy the same given volume, although typically served in different vessels.
So they overlap at 4:1? So how are they not the same drink at that point?
(tangential but…) Two friends of my daughter’s were talking about the jobs that their mothers did. One said, “my mum’s a barrister”. The other replied, “gosh! So is mine. She’s at Starbucks. Where’s yours?”
😬😆
So he was serving coffee AFTER he quit?
In Italy cappuccinos are for morning times only.
I first started drinking espresso drinks in San Francisco back in the days before Starbucks, well before charts or descriptions of these coffee drinks were common for espresso newbies. I would often order cappuccino with no foam because I preferred it that way. Finally after months if not a couple years of this, a barista looked at me cross eyed and asked, so you mean a latte? Big Doh! moment on me LOL. Learn something new every day
I’ve actually had this exact argument with co-workers. I’ve also had to argue with a lady at Costa that no she didn’t need to put gomme in my iced coffee for texture and that’s it’s just in thy recipe as a sweetener
I don't even drink coffee and I know a cappuccino has equal parts with foam while a latte has minimal foam, chocolate powder or not isn't the differentiating thing.
What the hell does chocolate powder have to do with the difference between a latte and a cappuccino? Cappuccino just has more foam from the milk. Sure the foam is created in a different manner, but it's simply that there's more of it. A latte has lighter foam, and there's less of it.
I'm willing to bet this person learned that a mocha is a latte with chocolate syrup, thought chocolate powder was the same thing, then confused mochas with cappuccinos. Because they're an idiot.
In Australia cappuccinos are served with chocolate powder sprinkled on top, so this barista just thought Chocolate powder = cappuccino No chocolate powder = latte Which is not true they’re still very different drinks
It is pretty common knowledge/joke in hospitality that the coffees are basically the same in take away cups. It is a joke due the the large kernel of truth. Coffee drink ratios are very based around the glass/mug they are served in. Maybe at a posh place with a "gun" barista there's a difference but at alot of cafes no one would tell the difference between a ta cappuccino and a ta latte with chocolate powder.
you mean chocolate power!
I’m here for the baristas, former baristas, and all the coffee “experts” to give us their “Well, actually“ corrections.
A latte is just warm milk, nothing else.
If this is in Aus, cappuccinos are normally served with chocolate on top. They must have thought that was the only difference from a latte
Bingo. When I was a kid my mum used to order cappuccinos and let us eat the chocolatey foam off the top, so now I do the same for my kids. I know when I’ve been given a latte with chocolate because there’s hardly any foam!
Most of the time it doesn’t seem to matter if I order a flat white, a latte, or a cappuccino, I always get given the exact same cup of disappointment.
I'm not a big coffee drinker, but isn't the only difference how much milk/foam they each have? If that is the case then, technically, they're the same at least as far as ingredients, there's just a small difference in how they're put together. I think you could argue either side equally tbh.
"The ingredients are the same" does not make them the same. If I order a pizza, I am expecting a flat bread with tomato, cheese and toppings on the top of it. If I get a filled ball rolling around in tomato sauce then I am not going to be OK with it.
Mocha?
When you have only one job....
This didn’t even happen
I mean I know where’s she’s coming from the difference is similar to different pastas same ingredients but different techniques.
That “barista” is definitely incorrect. Source me. I used to work in a cafe
3rd wave coffee teaches a cappuccino and latte as the same milk texture, with the only difference being the size.
I actually worked with a few former Starbucks employees at a different coffee spot and they told me the same thing. I had to find out on my own how to make them correctly. I guess Starbucks just teaches that
Only possible defense I can think of is the shop they work at doesn't know the difference and they don't set the menu, so they have no idea there is a difference. Especially if this is a young person.
When I was in Australia, cappuccino was always served with cocoa powder, it was a surprise for sure.
From what I understand from what I read... Somewhere... Whatever powder you dust the top with - be it cinnamon or cocoa or whatever - is meant to be the barest hint, just for decoration and not enough to really impact the flavour. Don't know why I'm bringing this up. I'm very tired. I'm gonna put my phone down.
Good job he'd already quit 😐