I am not any coffee specialist but ever since I moved to Melbourne there was one thing that I learnt about Melbournians and it was "Coffee means business" so if you want to be a true Melbournian , the first rule is that you should know your coffee!!
All I ever heard throughout my life was that Starbucks is it when it comes to coffee but darn I was so wrong. Melbourne is a city to explore with small cafes on each corner. Although each of these cafes may be distinctive from each other in general but one thing that they all have one thing in common and that is good "COFFEE".
My coffee knowledge was very basic and I knew coffee was just coffee. How on earth did I knew that there could be so many types to it? So if you are new to Melbourne or planning to move here let me just quickly summarize different coffee types we have:
Long Black
This is basically your everyday black coffee, but with a carefully extracted espresso shot. Too much water, too hot espresso can both taper with the flavor.
Flat White
The most iconic coffee. Australians and New Zealanders both claim to have invented the flat white. Seeing as I’m now an Australian, I’m going to support our stake in the creation. Head into any specialty-coffee bar in Melbourne, and your flat white experience will be fairly consistent. One part espresso, five parts milk, served in a six-ounce ceramic cup. The milk is steamed to a creamy consistency similar to that of a latte.
Cappuccino
Another drink that catches non-Aussies by surprise is the cappuccino. Cappuccinos are commonly served in Australia with a single espresso shot, textured milk, and a dusting of chocolate powder. We’re starting to see a growing movement amongst specialty-coffee cafes in Australia to serve ‘traditional cappuccinos’ as defined by the WBC standard: single espresso, textured milk and no chocolate.
Latte
If you’re a latte drinker, be prepared for another surprise when your drink arrives. The ratios are similar to it’s northern counterpart, but it’s served in a 7.5-ounce (220ml) glass instead.
Double Ristretto
This brings me to my next point regarding double ristrettos. Most cafes pour double ristrettos for their take-aways in an attempt to maintain milk to coffee ratios. Ask if you are getting a double ristretto before ordering your take-away. To really enjoy the proper coffee experience in a take-away cup, you really want either a full double shot of coffee, or a full, unrestricted single shot with half the amount of milk. I know this sounds confusing, but I really want you to get the best experience. In fact, don’t order take away coffees at all. Just sit down, drink out of a ceramic cup, and enjoy the Melbourne cafe scene.
The Piccolo
The final contender in our list of milk-based espresso drinks: the Piccolo. This is usually served in an espresso cup, or a miniature latte glass, so the volume can vary from three- to four-ounces (90-120ml). It consists of a single shot of espresso, topped the rest of the way with steamed milk. Though it resembles a tiny latte or a flat white, it’s generally twice as strong.
When I first heard this term three years ago, I couldn’t figure out what it was. I thought it was somebody's name :(
Magic
Oh yeah last but not the least, we have a coffee named Magic. Did it catch your attention? It definitely caught mine when I heard about it. I was like what the hell is it? Who calls their coffee magic? So for the knowledge it’s a double ristretto topped with five ounces of creamy frothed milk like that of a latte, always served in a six-ounce cup.
