Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world. It’s estimated that around 146 billion cups are consumed in the United States each year. The days when you had to visit your barista to get a good coffee are gone. Now you’ll be able to enjoy making these drinks yourself at home. Let’s look at some of the ways that you can do this.
Espresso
One of the most popular types of drinks is espresso. This drink is notable for its full flavour. Because of the powerful hit of coffee, it has grown to be one of the most popular varieties.
A good espresso will start with the grind. You’ll need to make sure that the beans are ground finely. It should resemble a fine powder. As always, it will pay to use high-quality beans. Once you’ve ground the beans, you’ll need to use the right amount. It will usually be around seven grams for a single shot and 14 grams for a double shot. You’ll need to tamper down the coffee after adding it to the puck. If you have a bean to cup machine, all you need to do is hit the right setting. It will then grind the beans for you.
If you love drinking espresso, it’s best to use a semi-automatic espresso-machine. This creates enough steam power to extract the maximum flavour from the beans. Once you have prepared the grounds, all you need to do is put the puck into the machine and push the button. The machine will do the rest. If you don’t have an espresso machine, you might need to add some espresso powder to the coffee. This will help replicate the iconic taste.
To finish the espresso, you’ll need to add the frothed milk. If you don’t have a frothing wand on your machine, you can put the milk into a bottle. Stick it in the microwave for 30 seconds to heat it. Then vigorously shake the bottle to create the foam. Add this to the top of the coffee to finish it off.
Latte
The latte has remained a popular coffee drink. It gives you the same caffeine hit as espresso, though latte has a milder flavour. To produce this drink, you’ll need to use an espresso shot. Often, you will need to use an espresso machine to do this. Then, you’ll need to use the steam wand to heat and froth the milk.
The biggest difference between the espresso and the latte is the amount of milk you are using. In a latte, you’ll need to use a ratio of one part coffee to four parts milk. When you have finished, you’ll need to add sugar to taste. If you want, you can add some toppings. Sprinkle some chocolate powder over the top.
Cold Brew
Another increasingly popular type of drink is cold brew. This doesn’t need to be served hot, making it the ideal choice for drinking during the summer months. It’s very easy to make. You’ll need to coarsely grind the beans. It’s best to use a ratio of one cup of coffee to every four cups of water. Then, leave them to steep in a cool, dark place. The longer they steep, the stronger the flavour will become. Because of this, it’s best to leave them for around 12 hours. Finally, you’ll need to separate the grounds out using a cheesecloth.
Usually, this beverage will be served cold. All you need to do is put the mixture into a glass and add some ice cubes. Cold brew can be quite strong. Because of this, you might need to add some water to dilute it down. If you prefer hot coffee, you can put the cold brew into the microwave.
Alternatively, you can use cold brew to add some coffee flavour to your favourite alcoholic drinks. It pairs particularly well with things like Irish Whiskey and Baileys.
Iced Coffee
Another way of staying cool on a warm summer day is with an iced coffee. The good news is that this is very easy. First, you’ll need to make a cup of coffee as you normally would. Put it into the fridge to cool down.
Then, you’ll need to add the espresso. Fill the rest of the glass with milk. If you want, you can take things one step further. You can add some ice cream.
Finishing Touches
One of the hottest café trends is to add flavouring to the coffee. This is also one of the easiest tips to implement. Coffee syrups should be easy enough to locate. Just add a few squirts to your coffee. Alternatively, you can use extract. The extract is more powerful, so you will only need a few drops. Don’t be afraid to experiment to find the right flavour and the right concentration for your tastes.
Another way to give yourself café-quality coffee at home is through foam art. Don’t worry! This isn’t as tricky as it looks. When you are pouring in the warm milk, you’ll need to use a spoon to hold back the foam. Next, spoon a small amount of foam into the cup. You can use a toothpick to get it into shape. Like all skills, this will take a bit of practice.
Other Coffee Drinks You Can Try
While these are some of the most popular coffee drinks for you to make at home, they aren’t the only options that you have at your disposal. There are plenty of other choices that you can explore. As we mentioned, you can try adding some alcohol. Or you can make a smoothy, adding a caffeine hit to your favourite blended drinks. Don’t be afraid to experiment and try out new ideas!
Conclusion
In the past, if you wanted to get a delicious cup of coffee, you had to visit a barista. Today, anyone with a coffee machine can make café-quality beverages at home. Hopefully, you have plenty of ideas that you would like to try. So, fire up your espresso machine and make some of these delicious drinks today.