Espresso Drinks Explained Clearly
Eight espresso drinks compared: quantities, milk and foam ratios, preparation and regional variations – explained by Stefan Anzinger, SCA AST.
Espresso, milk, foam or water: a few ingredients create very different drinks. This guide compares eight classics and explains how quantity, texture and pouring order shape the result.
Eight drinks at a glance
Ratios mean espresso : liquid milk : foam by volume. They describe the finished drink; they are not espresso extraction ratios. Water for Americano is additional.
| Drink | Drink volume | Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso | 25–35 ml | 1 : 0 : 0 |
| Ristretto | 15–20 ml | 1 : 0 : 0 |
| Americano | approx. 180 ml | Espresso + water |
| Cappuccino | 150–240 ml | 1 : 3 : 2 |
| Caffè Latte | 150–240 ml | 1 : 4 : 1 |
| Espresso Macchiato | 30–60 ml | 1 : 0 : 0.5 |
| Latte Macchiato | 150–360 ml | 1 : 4 : 1 |
| Flat White | 150–240 ml | 2 : 3 : 1 |
All volumes refer to the beverage, not the maximum cup capacity.
What makes each drink different?
Espresso
Small, concentrated and the base for every drink in this guide. A further reference point is an approximate beverage mass of 15–25 g. Millilitres and grams are not interchangeable because of crema.
Preparation
A possible starting point is water at 88–96 °C and usually 9 bar unless pressure profiling is used. Serve in an espresso cup with a capacity of no more than 90 ml. A 20–30 second window can be a starting point; balanced extraction and the intended flavour remain the deciding factors.
Context & variations
Recipes have shifted from the traditional 7 g dose for a 30 ml drink, often associated with darker Arabica-Robusta blends, towards larger doses of lighter Arabicas, sometimes up to 20 g for a double shot with less water. This blurs the boundary with a double ristretto.
Ristretto
A shorter shot with a smaller beverage yield; one reference point is an approximate beverage mass of 10–15 g. A shorter drink is not automatically better or more highly extracted.
Preparation
Possible starting points are 88–96 °C, usually 9 bar and an espresso cup up to 90 ml. Simply stopping an espresso recipe early can cause underextraction. Grind and extraction need to suit the smaller target yield; a longer shot time may be appropriate for a particular recipe.
Context & variations
Ristretto is primarily defined in relation to the espresso served alongside it. Where espresso recipes are already very short, the names overlap.
Americano
Espresso with added hot water: one reference point is about 180 ml in total, including a single espresso and approximately 150 ml of water.
Preparation
Put hot, non-boiling water into the cup first, then add the espresso. For larger drinks, increase espresso and water in a similar proportion. Add the extra water separately rather than passing the entire drink volume through the same coffee puck.
Context & variations
This is one possible preparation sequence. Cafés use the names Americano and long black differently across regions; the pouring order alone does not establish a universal naming boundary.
Cappuccino
A balanced combination of espresso, milk and foam. This comparison uses a larger foam share than for caffè latte.
Preparation
Free-pour textured milk onto the espresso. Smaller portions retain a clearer coffee character; match the milk quantity to the espresso base.
Context & variations
Traditional cappuccinos are often smaller than those served by large café brands. The foam proportion may change with size. Chocolate or cinnamon are optional regional or personal additions, not essential ingredients.
Caffè Latte
More milk-forward than cappuccino or flat white. At the same total volume, the key difference is the proportion of espresso, liquid milk and foam.
Preparation
Pour textured milk onto the espresso. More milk dilutes the coffee further. Portion sizes vary; the espresso share and a thin layer of fine foam remain key.
Context & variations
Pour textured milk onto the espresso. More milk dilutes the coffee further. Portion sizes vary; the espresso share and a thin layer of fine foam remain key.
Espresso Macchiato
Espresso with a small addition of foam. A further reference point is 1 : 0.5 : 0.5 as a variation with a little liquid milk.
Preparation
Add milk or foam to the espresso base and serve in an espresso cup with a capacity of no more than 90 ml. Espresso should remain the main feature.
Context & variations
Traditionally only a little foam, and optionally some milk, is added. There are also milkier regional versions for latte art at 1 : 1 : 0.5. This is a variation rather than the main ratio in the overview.
Latte Macchiato
A milk drink with a layered appearance. Its ratio matches caffè latte in this comparison; the clear difference is the order of assembly.
Preparation
Put the prepared milk into the glass first, then add espresso to create the layers. For visible layers, add milk first and espresso second.
Context & variations
Pour textured milk onto the espresso. More milk dilutes the coffee further. Portion sizes vary; the espresso share and a thin layer of fine foam remain key.
Flat White
A small milk drink with a distinct coffee character. In the ratio shown here, flat white contains a larger espresso share than cappuccino or latte.
Preparation
The typical base described is a double ristretto, topped with free-poured textured milk. Both coffee and milk should remain recognisable in flavour. The specified foam layer is 0.5–1.5 cm.
Context & variations
The size ranges of flat white, cappuccino and latte overlap. Compare the espresso share and milk texture.
Three distinctions that matter in practice
- Cappuccino, latte and flat white: compare the espresso share and milk texture, not just cup size. Their volume ranges overlap.
- Espresso macchiato and latte macchiato: one adds a little milk or foam to espresso; the other adds espresso to a much larger milk base.
- Americano and a longer extraction: separate hot water dilutes espresso without extending extraction through the coffee puck.
For baristas: interpreting EBF and brew ratios
EBF = coffee dose ÷ beverage yield × 100. For 18 g of coffee producing 36 g of espresso, EBF is 50%; the brew ratio is 1 : 2. EBF is neither TDS nor extraction yield.
Make a repeatable house recipe
Record the cup or glass, dry coffee dose, weighed espresso yield and shot time. Add the water or milk quantity, your milk temperature target, foam texture and pouring order. Taste, adjust and document the final recipe. The 88–96 °C range given here refers to espresso brewing water, not milk temperature.
Technical editorial: Stefan Anzinger, SCA AST
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