What is it with coffee chains?
Discussion
I like a nice strong cup of coffee, I don't consider my self over-picky, but I do know the difference between different types.
So why is it that any of your average, general coffee shops can only do two things: straight espresso, or latte. And they use those two basic recipes to dress up anything else you want, viz:
- Latte - easy. Heat up the milk, drop an espresso in the top.
- Cappucino - easy. Make a latte, sprinkle chocolate on top. (An employee of a coffee shop once actually tried to argue that the chocolate was the only difference between the two drinks with me). NEVER use foam.
- Macchiato - easy. Make a small latte and pretend it's a small cappuccino. Never under any circumstances offer a half-filled cup with a touch of steamed foam on the espresso.
I don't like a lot of milk, but sometimes I just want to lighten the coffee slightly. So, I used to order a dry, skinny cappuccino. Can they get that right? Certainly, if you want a skinny latte with chocolate on top. Macchiato? Just use a small cup, and fill it up to the brim with steamed milk.
I ordered a macc today in one of the big chains. It arrived overflowing with pure milk. Took it back, they apologised, turned their back on me and made another. I called out to her to stop after she'd been pouring from the milk jug for more than a second, but simply got another small latte.
Whe you order a capp and don't actually see them make it, you can tell as soon as you lift it that it's way too heavy to be a capp. So invariably I just order espresso, which (fortunately) I like, and which they can't get very wrong with the commercial machines.
I know this is not a very high-scoring rant but when it's their core, their only, business, why TF can't they get something as simple as 4 or 5 different types of hot drink right?
So why is it that any of your average, general coffee shops can only do two things: straight espresso, or latte. And they use those two basic recipes to dress up anything else you want, viz:
- Latte - easy. Heat up the milk, drop an espresso in the top.
- Cappucino - easy. Make a latte, sprinkle chocolate on top. (An employee of a coffee shop once actually tried to argue that the chocolate was the only difference between the two drinks with me). NEVER use foam.
- Macchiato - easy. Make a small latte and pretend it's a small cappuccino. Never under any circumstances offer a half-filled cup with a touch of steamed foam on the espresso.
I don't like a lot of milk, but sometimes I just want to lighten the coffee slightly. So, I used to order a dry, skinny cappuccino. Can they get that right? Certainly, if you want a skinny latte with chocolate on top. Macchiato? Just use a small cup, and fill it up to the brim with steamed milk.
I ordered a macc today in one of the big chains. It arrived overflowing with pure milk. Took it back, they apologised, turned their back on me and made another. I called out to her to stop after she'd been pouring from the milk jug for more than a second, but simply got another small latte.
Whe you order a capp and don't actually see them make it, you can tell as soon as you lift it that it's way too heavy to be a capp. So invariably I just order espresso, which (fortunately) I like, and which they can't get very wrong with the commercial machines.
I know this is not a very high-scoring rant but when it's their core, their only, business, why TF can't they get something as simple as 4 or 5 different types of hot drink right?
Edited by CAPP0 on Tuesday 22 January 18:02
I blame women. And not just because it's a good guess most of the time. There are far too many thick, pretentious women in this country who like the sound of a 'cappucino' but don't actually like the taste of strong coffee. So the chains have evolved to just give them a latte with a sprinkle of chocolate on it.
I order a machiatto if I'm anywhere new to me, now.
Poor rant, btw.
I order a machiatto if I'm anywhere new to me, now.
Poor rant, btw.
All you want is
ristretto,
espresso,
long black (espresso topped up with hot water),
long white (long black with milk),
flat white (espresso with stretched milk - i.e. tight foam),
cafe latte (espresso with hot mill, topped off with stretched milk), or
cappuccino (a lnger flat white with no chocolate!).
No wet, dry, soya, skinny. No syrup and definitely no tall=small(ish), grande=enormous, venti=quart bucket.
ristretto,
espresso,
long black (espresso topped up with hot water),
long white (long black with milk),
flat white (espresso with stretched milk - i.e. tight foam),
cafe latte (espresso with hot mill, topped off with stretched milk), or
cappuccino (a lnger flat white with no chocolate!).
No wet, dry, soya, skinny. No syrup and definitely no tall=small(ish), grande=enormous, venti=quart bucket.
Zod said:
All you want is
ristretto,
espresso,
long black (espresso topped up with hot water),
long white (long black with milk),
flat white (espresso with stretched milk - i.e. tight foam),
cafe latte (espresso with hot mill, topped off with stretched milk), or
cappuccino (a lnger flat white with no chocolate!).
No wet, dry, soya, skinny. No syrup and definitely no tall=small(ish), grande=enormous, venti=quart bucket.
X2ristretto,
espresso,
long black (espresso topped up with hot water),
long white (long black with milk),
flat white (espresso with stretched milk - i.e. tight foam),
cafe latte (espresso with hot mill, topped off with stretched milk), or
cappuccino (a lnger flat white with no chocolate!).
No wet, dry, soya, skinny. No syrup and definitely no tall=small(ish), grande=enormous, venti=quart bucket.
CAPP0 said:
Did you actually understand my OP or do you work for a coffee chain? All I'm asking for is a coffee which is not overflowing with liquid (as opposed to foamed) milk. Can't see any massive pretension in that.
Completely. Just haven't got time for poncy coffee, if you want it a bit stronger, get an extra shot in it? If the chains served proper capps then I suspect you'd be happy, sadly they don't know what a capp is.lauda said:
Sounds to me like you just need a white Americano.
Unless I'm mistaken, that is just a cup of black coffee with a splash of (non-frothy) milk in it.
I don't believe there are white Americanos, just an opinion. I'd say it's just a white coffee. Americano is an espresso plus hot water to me. Unless I'm mistaken, that is just a cup of black coffee with a splash of (non-frothy) milk in it.
When I'm out, I generally order an Americano with an extra shot, then bung some cold milk in it, which about as close as I can get to my idea of a perfect coffee, which is:
Illy Coffee Beans, 30 seconds on an espresso grind in a Gaggia burr grinder, goes into a 10-cup stove-top espresso pot. Makes 2 mugs of coffee. Cold milk, no sugar.
(but don't have one in the evening ;-)
Illy Coffee Beans, 30 seconds on an espresso grind in a Gaggia burr grinder, goes into a 10-cup stove-top espresso pot. Makes 2 mugs of coffee. Cold milk, no sugar.
(but don't have one in the evening ;-)
Having seen off Costa I suppose I should show my face, standard grinder and 100% manual machine, "Champion" Barista blah blah
So, define a flat white for me.
UK, NZ, and AUS?
We get all sorts of comments. Some think it's an Americano with hot milk on the side, others a very wet capp., others (as I do) a double shot with micro foam in a 200ml cup.
/hi Charlie (M6 in the pipeline)
So, define a flat white for me.
UK, NZ, and AUS?
We get all sorts of comments. Some think it's an Americano with hot milk on the side, others a very wet capp., others (as I do) a double shot with micro foam in a 200ml cup.
/hi Charlie (M6 in the pipeline)
Himself said:
Completely. Just haven't got time for poncy coffee, if you want it a bit stronger, get an extra shot in it? If the chains served proper capps then I suspect you'd be happy, sadly they don't know what a capp is.
That's my point exactly. They DON'T serve a proper capp - or just about anything else. 99% of the time I order a capp, I get a milky latte with chocolate sprinkled on top, as opposed to a couple of shots of espresso with steamed foam on top. Same problem with a macc - you just get a small latte instead. I don't want it poncy!I think we're in violent agreement!!
21TonyK said:
So, define a flat white for me.
UK, NZ, and AUS?
We get all sorts of comments. Some think it's an Americano with hot milk on the side, others a very wet capp., others (as I do) a double shot with micro foam in a 200ml cup.
You are correct, and that's how it's done in Aus/NZ (NZ ones may be a little stronger than in Aus, but there's naff all difference between the two countries really.)UK, NZ, and AUS?
We get all sorts of comments. Some think it's an Americano with hot milk on the side, others a very wet capp., others (as I do) a double shot with micro foam in a 200ml cup.
warp9 said:
Phew. With all this complication I'm so glad all I drink is tea.
Would sir care for Darjeeling? Earl Grey? Lady Grey? Roobios? Chinese Green tea? Japanese Green Tea? Chamomile? Oolong? Chai? Lapsang Souchong? Russian Caravan? Peppermint? Sugar? One lump or two?
Milk? Full fat or skim?
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