Wanting to order a simple cup of coffee at your local coffee shop before hearing somebody else order a skinny, grande macchiato with a double shot is enough to throw most people off.

Popular coffee terminology is a second language to most baristas

To a certain extent, popular coffee terminology is a second language to most baristas, and ordering a simple black coffee sounds foreign to the ears of the artists.

Below is a collection of the most commonly used coffee terms and their meanings compliments from the expert commercial coffee machine supplier team at Koffeeone.

These terms will assist you for the next time you wish to order a large espresso drink with an extra shot and skim milk.

Coffee Terms – Sizes

• Tall: Smallest cup size, measures around 350mL and generally has one espresso shot.
• Grande: Medium cup size, measures approximately 470mL and generally has two espresso shots.
• Vente or Viente: Largest cup size available, measures approximately 600mL and generally has two espresso shots.

Coffee Terms – Shots

• Shot: A shot is an one ounce, or 30mL portion, of espresso.
• Doppio or Double shot: Adds two shots of espresso to your drink.
• Triple shot: Adds three shots of espresso to your drink.
• Quad shot: Adds four shots of espresso to your drink.

Drinks & Other Popular Terms

• Cappuccino: An espresso beverage that including steamed milk and a fair amount of foam on top. These drinks are stronger than lattes. The number of shots of espresso depends on the size of the cup ordered.
• American: Made of nothing more than espresso and hot water, is a very strong espresso drink.
• Espresso: A drink people tend not to drink straight up, but is rather the basis for most coffee beverages in coffee shops. It is a highly concentrated shot of coffee with a rich, lingering flavour and aroma that is topped with a natural crema.
• Flavour shot: Flavouring that is similar to syrup that can be used in coffee and other beverages.
• Latte: Not as strong as cappuccinos, lattes are an espresso drink with more steamed milk than foam.
• Skinny: Ordering a drink skinny means the barista will prepare any beverage sugar free and/or non-fat.
• Espresso Con Panna: An espresso shot served with a bit of whipped cream on top.
• Espresso Macchiato: An espresso shot served with a small amount of foamed milk.
• Double dry short: A double shot of espresso, served with nothing on top.