Coffee for Beginners: Different Coffee Types Explained
The first time you face a coffee menu, it can feel like a foreign language. Flat white, macchiato, mocha… what’s the difference, and where do you start?
Our coffee guide for beginners brings the world of coffee back down to earth, with the different types of coffee explained in plain English that any non-barista can understand.
At EDGE, we’ve spent decades behind espresso machines and roasters, helping people fall in love with their perfect cup.
With a few pointers from Stevie, our own Head of Coffee, you’ll soon understand how each drink fits together, and how to order something that actually suits your taste.
The EDGE Cheat Sheet for Beginner Coffee Drinkers
We appreciate that not everyone has time to deep-dive into coffee ratios and roast levels before their next cup.
If you just want the essentials, here’s a quick summary of how the main coffee types stack up, perfect for a skim before your next café run.
- Coffee drinks fall into two main families: espresso-based (like Latte, Cappuccino, Flat White) and brewed (like French Press, Pour-over, Cold Brew).
- Each drink changes depending on the espresso ratio, milk texture, and brewing method.
- Espresso is the base for most café drinks. Everything else builds from that.
- Flavour and caffeine don’t always match. Roast, bean, and extraction time shape the taste.
- New to coffee? Start with smooth, milk-based drinks, then explore stronger or black styles.
Step 1 – Coffee Basics: What Makes Each Type Different
Every great cup starts with the same few ingredients: beans, water, time, and care.
Yet somehow the results stretch from smooth flat whites to punchy espressos and slow-brewed cold coffees.
What makes the difference? It’s how you treat those basics.
What Are the Different Types of Coffee?
Look past the fancy names and you’ll see two big families.
Espresso-based drinks are the lively crowd, short, rich, and built for milk or foam to join the mix.
Brewed coffees are the slower, quieter types, steeped or filtered to draw out clarity and calm.
Think of espresso as the trunk of a tree. From it grow lattes, cappuccinos, and flat whites on one side; pour-overs, French presses, and cold brews on the other. Different branches, same roots.
How Many Types of Coffee Are There?
Plenty. Around fifteen or twenty make up the everyday café universe, but every country has its own twist. Italy keeps it tight and fast. Australia likes things creamy and balanced. Here in the UK, we tend to linger somewhere in the middle. However you brew it, the goal’s the same, a cup that feels right for the moment you’re in.
Coffee Beans, Roast and Grind: The Starting Point
All flavour begins with the bean. Arabica brings sweetness and aroma; Robusta adds body and kick. Then the roast sets the tone. Light for fruit and sparkle, medium for balance, dark for depth and smoke.
Finally, the grind. Fine grinds build pressure for espresso’s intensity; coarse grinds slow things down for a French Press.
At EDGE, we really care about getting the grind spot on for your favourite method of making coffee. You can let us know whether you use a cafetière, AeroPress, Moka Pot, filter or espresso machine, and we’ll choose the perfect grind for the best flavour.
If you prefer to grind your own beans, we can send the beans whole! After all, fresh is best.
Step 2 – Espresso-Based Coffees Explained
Most café classics come from one small but mighty base: espresso. Once you understand how that base behaves and what happens when it meets milk, foam, or water, the different coffee names start making sense!
Espresso: The Foundation of Your Coffee
Every drink on the menu begins here. Espresso is a small, concentrated shot created by forcing hot water through finely ground beans at high pressure. That pressure extracts a full-bodied flavour topped with a thin, golden layer of crema, a natural foam that signals freshness and quality.
As Stevie says, “The crema’s your first clue, it shows the espresso’s alive.”
Espresso isn’t strong because it’s bitter; it’s strong because it’s dense. It concentrates a lot of flavour, aroma, and caffeine in a small space.
The Classics: Latte, Cappuccino, Flat White, Macchiato
These are the drinks most people know by name and where most of the coffee differences really appear. Each uses the same espresso base but changes the amount and texture of milk:
| Drink | Ratio (Espresso: Milk: Foam) | Texture | Flavour Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Latte | 1 : 3 : 0.5 | Silky, light foam | Smooth, mellow |
| Cappuccino | 1 : 2 : 1 | Creamy, airy | Balanced, slightly stronger |
| Flat White | 1 : 2 : 0 | Velvety microfoam | Rich, espresso-forward |
| Macchiato | 1 : 0.5 : 0.5 | Foamy top only | Bold, sharp contrast |
Here’s an easy way to remember the differences: more milk, gentler taste; less milk, more espresso bite.
Mocha, Americano, and Long Black
These names of coffee often confuse beginners, because they look similar but taste very different.
- Mocha blends espresso with chocolate and steamed milk, a dessert-like choice for those easing into stronger flavours.
- Americano is espresso diluted with hot water, giving a longer, lighter cup that keeps espresso’s aroma without the intensity.
- Long Black, popular in Australia and New Zealand, flips that order: hot water first, espresso on top, keeping more of the crema intact and the flavour richer.
As Stevie puts it, “Americano is gentle. Long Black keeps its edge.”
Espresso Drinks at a Glance
| Drink | Espresso Ratio | Milk Content | Foam | Flavour Strength |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Espresso | 1 : 0 : 0 | None | Crema only | Very strong |
| Latte | 1 : 3 : 0.5 | High | Light | Mild |
| Cappuccino | 1 : 2 : 1 | Medium | Thick | Medium |
| Flat White | 1 : 2 : 0 | Medium | Thin microfoam | Medium-strong |
| Macchiato | 1 : 0.5 : 0.5 | Low | Moderate | Strong |
| Mocha | 1 : 2 : 0.5 (+ chocolate) | Medium | Light | Medium |
| Americano | 1 : 4 : 0 (water) | None | None | Light |
| Long Black | 1 : 4 : 0 (water) | None | Crema preserved | Medium-strong |
Step 4 – Understanding Coffee Strength and Flavour
Ask three people what makes a coffee strong and you’ll get three very different answers. Some mean caffeine. Some mean taste. Some just mean the kind that wakes them up on a cold morning.
Truth is, strength isn’t about power. It’s about balance. And once you understand what builds that balance, you start tasting coffee the way roasters do.
Strong Coffee Doesn’t Always Mean More Caffeine
A lot of people think darker means stronger, but that’s not quite right. Espresso feels strong because it’s intense, short extraction, tight flavour, no room to hide. Cold brew, brewed for hours in cold water, can have more caffeine yet taste round and smooth.
As Stevie likes to put it, “Flavour lives in the mouth; caffeine lives in the body. The trick is knowing which one you’re chasing.”
If you’re after punchy flavour, look to drinks like Ristretto, Espresso, or a Moka Pot brew, compact, rich, and full-bodied. If you’re after energy, lighter roasts usually carry more caffeine than you’d expect. The irony of coffee: the paler the bean, the bigger the kick.
Exploring Coffee Flavour
Every cup has its own voice; some sing, some hum low and slow. What you’re tasting comes from a few simple forces:
- Sweetness, the caramel and chocolate tones that feel round and comforting.
- Acidity, the sparkle that keeps coffee lively.
- Bitterness, the grounding note that adds depth.
- Aroma, what you smell before the sip, sometimes floral, sometimes toasted.
- Body, the feel of the coffee as it rolls across your tongue.
- Aftertaste, the echo that lingers once you’ve swallowed.
You don’t need to memorise a flavour wheel to get it. Just notice what makes you take another sip. That’s your flavour compass, and once it switches on, every bag of beans tells its own story.
Finding Your Perfect Starting Point
If you’re still finding your feet with drinking coffee, begin soft and steady. Lattes and Flat Whites let the milk round off any sharpness. Mochas add a touch of chocolate comfort. Cold Brew is gentle, low-acid, and refreshing, a warm-weather favourite for new drinkers.
Then, when you’re ready, step closer to the espresso, the flavour sharpens, the body thickens, and suddenly you’re tasting notes you didn’t know existed. That’s where the fun begins!
Step 5 – The Science Behind Coffee Drinks
By now, you know your latte from your flat white. But what actually makes them taste and feel different? It’s more than the milk and foam. It’s also the pressure, texture, and temperature working together in tiny, deliberate ways.
As Stevie says: “Coffee’s simple ingredients behave like instruments, one small change and the whole tune shifts!”
Every drink starts with the same base, but subtle changes in how it’s brewed create new personalities in the cup.
- Pressure vs. time – Espresso uses pressure to pull flavour fast; filter methods use time to draw it out slowly. That’s why espresso feels intense while drip coffee tastes clean.
- Milk ratio – More milk means smoother texture and softer flavour; less milk means bolder espresso and a shorter finish.
- Texture – The air in milk changes how coffee feels. Microfoam makes it silky, while airy foam gives a lighter, sweeter top.
- Temperature – Hotter milk sweetens; cooler milk highlights acidity.
- Serving size – Smaller cups taste stronger because the flavour is more concentrated
Strength, Texture and Taste
Strength is all about flavour concentration, or how close together the notes sit. Cappuccinos spread things out; flat whites pull them tight. You can taste that compression, the way the espresso wraps around the milk instead of sitting underneath it.
Texture does as much talking as flavour. Foam softens acidity, milk smooths bitterness, and even the smallest bubble can change how the coffee lands on your tongue.
That’s why two coffee drinks with the same ingredients can feel like opposites, one airy and sweet, the other dense and bold.
Step 6 – Coffee Names and Terms Explained
Every trade has its own little language, and coffee’s no different. Once you start to recognise words like crema, shot and microfoam, the whole thing feels less mysterious.
Like Stevie says, “You don’t have to speak fluent barista, just enough to order what you actually want!”
Common Coffee Names (and How to Say Them)
A few of the names that trip people up, and what they really mean:
- Espresso (ess-PRESS-oh), small, concentrated, the base for nearly everything.
- Macchiato (mah-kee-AH-toh), espresso marked with a spot of milk foam.
- Cappuccino (cap-oo-CHEE-no), equal parts espresso, milk, and foam; light and creamy.
- Latte (LAH-teh), espresso with plenty of milk, barely any foam; mellow and smooth.
- Mocha (MOH-kah), espresso with chocolate and milk; dessert in a cup.
- Americano (ah-meh-rah-KAH-no), espresso topped with hot water; black, long, and gentle.
- Flat White, espresso with microfoam; silky, strong, and balanced.
If it sounds Italian, it probably describes what’s inside the cup: milk, foam, or coffee itself.
Coffee Terms Worth Knowing
You’ll hear these words floating around cafés. Once you understand them, ordering (and tasting) gets a lot more interesting.
- Crema – That thin golden layer on top of espresso; proof it’s been brewed fresh and under the right pressure.
- Shot – A single measure of espresso, about an ounce. A double shot is standard in most cafés, twice the coffee, twice the depth.
- Extraction – The moment water pulls flavour from coffee grounds. Too quick and it’s sour, too long and it’s bitter.
- Microfoam – Finely textured milk that gives a flat white its velvet finish.
- Body – The weight of the coffee as you taste it, light, medium, or heavy.
- Pull – Old barista slang for making an espresso, back when levers were actually pulled.
- Steam Wand – The metal arm on an espresso machine that heats and textures milk.
Step 7 – How to Order Coffee with Confidence
Ordering coffee shouldn’t feel like an exam. The truth is, even regulars trip over the names sometimes.
Once you know the order of things, size, flavour, milk, and extras, you can walk up to any counter and sound like you belong there.
The Coffee Ordering Formula
Here’s the rhythm most cafés and baristas use:
1. Size – Start with how much you want: small, medium, large.
2. Flavour – Add any syrups or extra notes: vanilla, caramel, hazelnut, seasonal spice.
3. Drink type – Latte, cappuccino, flat white, Americano, mocha, or anything else on the board.
4. Milk – Pick your style: whole, skimmed, oat, almond, soy.
5. Extras – Optional tweaks: extra hot, extra shot, decaf, no foam, whipped cream.
That’s it. Five small choices, one happy cup.
Example Coffee Orders
Simple, natural, and polite always works. Try something like:
- “I’d like a medium caramel latte with oat milk.”
- “A small cappuccino, extra foam please.”
- “One iced mocha, no whipped cream.”
- “Can I get a flat white with an extra shot?”
Every café has its quirks, but this pattern works almost everywhere, from your local indie spot to the airport kiosk.
Extra Coffee Ordering Tips
- Don’t overthink it. Most baristas will happily help if you pause or forget something.
- Ask for recommendations. If you say, “I like something smooth but not too sweet,” they’ll know exactly where to point you.
- Be honest about strength. There’s no prize for pretending you like bitter coffee.
- Stay curious. Try one new thing now and again. It’s how you find your new favourite!
Step 8 – FAQs from Coffee Beginners
Everyone starts somewhere. These are the questions we sometimes get at the EDGE Café counter.
What are the most popular coffees?
Lattes and cappuccinos are the everyday favourites because they’re smooth, balanced, and easy to customise. Flat whites are close behind, especially in the UK, while cold brew coffee has become the go-to summer pick.
Which coffee do you recommend for beginners?
Start with something soft and milky. A latte or flat white lets you taste the espresso without too much bitterness. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, a mocha or iced coffee is a good way in.
Is espresso the strongest coffee?
Yes and no. Espresso tastes stronger because it’s concentrated, but cup for cup, it doesn’t always have more caffeine than filter or cold-brew coffee. It’s about intensity, not just caffeine!
How do I start making good coffee at home?
Start simple. Buy freshly roasted coffee beans and pick one method, like French press, AeroPress, or pour-over, to learn properly. Ideally, use filtered water, measure your coffee and grind your beans fresh.
If using a grinder seems too complicated or buying one is too big an investment in the early days, we can grind your coffee to order. Just let us know how you want it.
The Daily Grind (Made Better)
You’ve learnt the names, the flavours, and the small details that turn coffee from a quick fix into something worth savouring.
You can read a café menu now without second-guessing yourself and maybe even try a chat with your barista about beans or brewing!
Coffee doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s just fresh grounds, hot water and a little curiosity.
Once you understand the basics, every cup becomes a chance to notice something new, whether that’s a texture, an aroma or a new appreciation for this wonderful beverage.
Now go on, put the kettle on. You’ve earned it.
