Starbucks has become a very popular place to get coffee among people of all ages. With a variety of different drinks on its menu, Starbucks has distinguished itself among competitors like Dunkin' Donuts and Wawa. The question is: what makes all these drinks different? I can say for myself that I have no idea what I'm actually ordering when I go to Starbucks. I tend to order the same thing over and over again because I'm afraid I won't like another drink, having no idea what's in it. With that said, I decided to do some research, and hopefully this article will help you the next time you go to Starbucks!
Espresso
Espresso is made by forcing steam through ground coffee beans. It has a very strong, dark coffee flavor with a hint of caramel, and it is bursting with caffeine. This is why espresso comes in shots: single, double, triple and quad (but most people stop at the double). It can be served by itself, with foam/steamed milk (macchiato), or with whipped cream (con panna). At Starbucks, espresso is usually main component of the other drinks.
Americano
An Americano is basically an espresso with added water. This gives it much more volume and dilutes the strength a bit.
Latte
A latte is one of the more popular drinks at Starbucks. It consists primarily of steamed milk, one or two shots of espresso and is topped with foam. This drink is not sweet on its own, so most people add sugar or flavored syrup.
Cappuccino
Another very popular beverage, cappuccinos are composed of equal parts espresso and foamed milk. Like the latte, this drink is not sweet on its own, and requires sugar for a sweet taste. The taste is creamier than a latte.
Mocha
The mocha is like a cappuccino and a latte because it is made of espresso and steamed milk. However, this drink is much sweeter since it has chocolate or chocolate sauce.
Frappuccino
This favorite summer drink is a trademark of Starbucks. It's basically a blended cappuccino or other base (fruit, cream, etc.) made with ice and flavored syrup.
Caramel Macchiato
This drink is another Starbucks original. It consists of a few different layers: vanilla-flavored syrup, steamed milk, espresso, foam and caramel drizzle.
All of these drinks can be customized to your liking. For example, you can add extra milk, extra espresso, extra flavor, different milk, etc. Also, most of these drinks can be served over ice, making them great drinks for this summer. I hope this was helpful!
