A History of...: 2012

I have worked for Starbucks for about 2 years as a Barista, therefore I have a pretty good knowledge on Starbucks coffee, but this is definitely not the only way or best way of producing coffee, Starbucks like many of the leading coffee shops around the world often are about speed and quantity of sales rather than the quality of their coffee, many smaller individual, privately owned coffee shops, pride themselves on great tasting coffee as it is the way they will attract attention, therefore they spend not just more time picking which beans and roast they will use to make their beverages but also take more time producing a high quality drink. Starbucks, Costa, Nero and a few other coffee shops are seen as the fast food restaurants of the coffee world

Having said that I have learned many different beverages that can be made using coffee as the foundation, below I will go through all the different beverages and how to make them.

I am going to use the descriptions I found on this website - Go Coffee Go

this is a nice little website that explains the process of the making of each drink and they explain it better than I can.

Espresso based drink

Source - http://inventors.about.com/od/cstartinventions/a/coffee.htm

'In 1822, the first espresso machine was made in France. In 1933, Dr. Ernest Illy invented the first automatic espresso machine. However, the modern-day espresso machine was created by Italian Achilles Gaggia in 1946. Gaggia invented a high pressure espresso machine by using a spring powered lever system. The first pump driven espresso machine was produced in 1960 by the Faema company. '

Espresso machines come in all different shapes and sizes, they all work differently, and can effect your coffee in hundreds of different ways, each espresso machine will take different times to pour the perfect shot for that machine, some machines are automatic so all you have to do is push a button and the machine grinds fills and tamps the coffee its self, or on others which is more common, you grind fill and tamp the coffee by hand before introducing it to the machine, these machines allow the Barista to get more control over the outcome of the espresso shot, but this of course depnds on the quality of the machine, but in many cases you get what you pay for.

Espresso - (definition) Strong black coffee made by forcing steam through ground coffee beans.

'In its pure form, espresso is more popular in Europe than America, particularly in Italy. Though catching in America, derivatives and misconceptions are spreading like cream in coffee. For instance, many hold the misconception that espresso is a dark, bitter to burnt-flavored roast of coffee.
In fact, espresso is not a roast at all; it is a method of preparing coffee. Espresso coffee is often blended from several roasts and varietals to form a bold - not bitter flavor. The finely ground coffee is tightly packed or tamped into a “portafilter”; high-pressure water is then forced through the grounds and extracted in small, concentrated amounts. Intensity is the key here. Why do you think they call it a “shot?” '

Espresso Machiatto - (Definition) Caffè macchiato , sometimes called espresso macchiato, is a coffee drink, made out of espresso with a small amount of milk

'Despite Starbucks’ popularization of the term Machiatto as a brand name, this is a very simple drink devoid of the flavored caramel and chocolate treatment better suited to an ice-cream parlor. It is simply a shot of espresso with a layer of foamed milk'

Espresso con Panna - (definition) Espresso con panna, which means "espresso with cream" in Italian, is a single or double shot of espresso topped with whipped cream.

'A shot of espresso with a layer of whipped cream.'

Cappuccino - 'Another drink warped by misconceptions! Cappuccino, named for its similarity in color to the robes of Capuchin monks, is simply a shot of espresso with steamed, wet milk, not necessarily slathered with a frothy, dry foam.'

Latte - 'This is very popular drink in America probably due to its sweet, mellow flavor. One shot of espresso is mixed with 6 to 8 ounces of steamed milk, then topped with foam'

There are various different ways you can have a latte, people can have a 'wet' latter which means they dont want any foam and just steamed milk, the latter can also have flavoured syrup added to it, depending on the drinkers preference.

Iced Latte - same as the latte but made from espresso being poured over cold milk and ice cubes.

Americano - 'This is essentially a watered-down shot of espresso with the resulting flavor arriving very close to simple, brewed coffee. One espresso shot (1 ounce) with 6-8 ounces of hot water.'

Iced Americano - Same as Americano but using ice cubes and cold water with the espresso.

Flat White - Is a coffee beverage originating from Australia It is prepared by pouring microfoam (steamed milk from the bottom of a pitcher) over a single or double shot of espresso. It is similar to the latte and the café au lait. Like other espresso-based beverages, it can be interpreted various ways.
The beverage is typically served in a small, 150–160 millilitre, ceramic cup. Microfoam is used, resulting in a smooth and velvety texture. A flat white may incorporate latte art.

The image below is a coffee i made on a shift at Starbucks, the technique is tricky to keep consistent but there are endless possibilities when it comes to latter art.
But i was quite proud of this one so I thought i would involve it in the research.

Other ways of making coffee

Source - howtobrewcoffee.com

Coffee Percolator - 'The percolator consists of a pot with a chamber at the bottom, closest to the source of heat. A vertical tube leads from this chamber to the top of the percolator. Just below the upper end of this tube is a perforated chamber. The grounds go in the top chamber, water in the bottom. When the water boils, it travels up the tube, over the grounds, cooling the water, then back down to the bottom chamber to cycle again.'

James Mason invented the coffee percolator on December 26, 1865

'Coffee in a percolator is inevitably boiled several times over, leading to significant over extraction and the tarry bitterness which boiling produces. If you HAVE to use a percolator, choose a coffee which is low in acidity and VERY smooth, and grind it even coarser than for the French press. Allow it to perk for no more than 3 minutes.'

Source - http://coffeetea.about.com/cs/kindsofcoffee/a/instantcoffee.htm

Instant coffee - Instant coffee was invented back in 1906 by George C. Washington. He was an Englishman living in Guatemala and a chemist by trade. An avid coffee-drinker, he noticed a powdery buildup on the spout of his favorite silver coffee pot. That prompted his curiosity and further experimentation followed. He eventually produced a dried coffee crystal much like we still have today. His brand was called Red E Coffee.

Bascially, instant coffee is just regularly brewed coffee with nearly all the water removed. It's not that mysterious a process at all. There is no strange chemical adulteration that goes on. Instant coffee is still pure coffee.

There are two methods for producing instant coffee crystals: freeze-drying and spray-drying. The freeze-drying method preserved the most 'coffee flavour' but it's a more involved procedure. First, the coffee is allowed to sit so the water evaporates naturally, leaving a concentrated coffee solution. This concentrate is then frozen to around -40 Celsius. The remaining water freezes into ice crystals. Sublimation (a natural process similar to evaporation) is used to remove the ice. What's left is dry grains of coffee.

The second method is spray-drying. The water is again allowed to evaporate, forming a concentrate. The concentrated coffee is sprayed from a high tower in a large hot-air chamber. As the droplets fall, the remaining water evaporates. Dry crystals of coffee fall to the bottom of the chamber. The high temperatures involved in this method do tend to effect the oils of the coffee and more flavour is lost.
Even if you don't care for a whole cup of instant brew, you can still use instant coffee to add a tasty touch to other drinks, or even cooking and baking.