For when coffee would be too much, but you need a refreshing boost, the colorful Starbucks Refreshers are here for you. Discover the best Starbucks Refreshers you can order from the menu, as well as the secret drinks taking Instagram by storm. What is a Starbucks Refresher? The Starbucks Refresher is an iced drink created by mixing fruit juice with green coffee extract and real fruit pieces. Green coffee extract is made from beans that haven’t been roasted yet and is often touted as a metabolism booster for those looking to lose ...
Starbucks Holiday Cups 2021 And How They Compare!
They arrived on November 4th in stores all over the world, brightening up counters with their colorful festive designs. The Starbucks Holiday Cups 2021 are here! The cups arrive to herald the holiday season, and they bring with them festive favorites like the Peppermint Mocha, and Caramel Brulee Latte. And some new creations for this year, such as the Iced Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte as the first nondairy holiday coffee drink! The Starbucks Holiday Cups for 2021: This year’s holiday cup design is actually 4 different designs, each ...
19 Tik Tok Starbucks Drinks And How To Order Them
TikTok is the birthplace of many trends, and none have been as successful as the TikTok Starbucks drink. These are customized orders created by TikTok influencers and spread around the globe until baristas end up making them on a daily basis. Not officially on the Starbucks menu, they’re so popular that they’re considered to be on the “Secret Menu”. Your local barista isn’t trained in making these concoctions, so it’s a good idea to run them through the ingredients and how you’d like it to be made rather than just giving them the name of ...
23 Starbucks Caramel Drinks Mixes and Secret Menu Items
If you love your coffee, but prefer it super-sweet, then this list is for you! You don’t have to stick to a Caramel Macchiato when you place your order at Starbucks (although, if it’s your thing, go ahead!). The possibilities are endless! You can add caramel to your latter, drizzle it over your frappucino, and even have it made into cold foam! Scroll on for a caramel lover’s dream round-up of all the obvious (and secret) ways you can enjoy a sweet treat. How to add caramel to your Starbucks drink: Caramel syrup This dairy-free ...
Essential At Home Coffee Guide - Get Your Coffee Gear Right Here
Whether you're an aspiring barista, or you just want to make your own cappuccino at home, this guide is for you. I've covered the basic tools any coffee lover would need in the list below. You may want some items, all of them, or maybe none and you just get a better idea of what to look for. These are all Amazon links, and I may earn a small commission from your purchase (it does not affect your buying price). So here's my top picks for the Essential At Home Coffee Guide ! (in no particular order) Espresso machine to last you for ...
How Many Bars For Espresso ? Here's How Many You Really Need
Espresso is one of the most well-known coffee types all over the whole world. To produce a high extraction, it requires some components for a perfect taste. Besides proper pressure, it's necessary to use a precise amount of coffee, a suitable grind size, the properly tamped coffee, a good quality water (best if bottled or filtered), a correct water temperature, and a perfect time of contact between water and coffee. But speaking of pressure, there are some common questions out there. What is it, and how many bars do you need for a good ...
Washed Coffee - What Is It, And Is It Better ?
Being aware of what's in a cup of coffee is a big step to a better experience. Coffee is more than a dark liquid. This well-known beverage is more than roasted dark beans and classic methods. It is a journey indeed and a delightful experience if it's done properly. Coffee grows in all of the planet's sub-tropical zones. And each country has its own way of cultivating, harvesting and processing the beans. All of this will determine the final taste, and your experience. In some countries after the coffee is harvested, coffee beans are ...
What's The Strongest Coffee At Starbucks ? 12 Best Coffees, Ranked
Looking for the strongest coffee Starbucks can offer ? If a morning caffeine kick is what you're after, then I've got you covered. I've found and ranked their strongest coffees, so you don't have to scour the menu. You're welcome. What I'm looking at when comparing Starbucks drinks Now, you might be looking for the strongest coffee at Starbucks, depending on several things. It could be flavor, it could be roast level, or it could be caffeine. I'm going to go by caffeine, and use the Starbucks online menu as a guideline to figure out ...
The Three Coffee Waves, Explained For Beginners
The coffee world has seen a lot of trends through history. Yet in the past few decades the coffee world is passing through a period of growth and progression. And this is a good sign for coffee lovers. The more people are concerned about the quality, the more this industry will grow. In this article, we'll talk about the transition from the first wave of coffee to the third wave. This third wave is happening right now and it's almost got its foot into the fourth wave. So let's see them. What are coffee waves ? All of these coffee waves ...
Espresso Extraction - What You Need To Know (+Troubleshooting)
Coffee has been around for a very long time, and espresso has been part of our daily lives quite a lot in the past few decades. An espresso is only as good as its extraction is. so mastering this should be on every coffee lover's to-do list. Many folks buy an espresso machine and then explore espresso roasts, shots and various drinks with enthusiasm, but something's always missing. And after a lot of bad shots, we finally figure it out. It's the extraction, we're doing something wrong. How can we get a better extraction? Why is ...
Roast Defects In Coffee - What They Are And How To Spot Them
The roasting process has been through a lot of changes. From the conventional dark roasting procedure to the newest era of light roast, the coffee beans experienced a significant metamorphosis. In this article, we'll talk about roast defects and how to identify them in a cup. The roasting procedure is a highly complex process that requires a lot of knowledge about green beans and the chemistry behind it. A short look at the roasting process During the roasting process, some things are transformed inside the green bean. These changes are ...
Beginner's Guide To Piccolo Latte
You can walk in any coffee shop in this world, and you'll see in the menu these well-known milky drinks: cappuccino, cafe latte, flat white, and macchiato. There is no coffee shop without one of these. But what about all of those great alternatives less known like the piccolo latte? What is this mysterious drink, and why is serving it a great choice? Let's find out! What is the piccolo latte? The word "piccolo" comes from Italian and means small. This doesn't mean that piccolo is just a small latte, it's more like a medium drink with lots ...
Beginner's Guide To Shade Grown Coffee
Shade grown coffee seems to be a newly discovered wonder. You'll see it printed on labels and touted by more and more coffee shops. Most people think there is something extra special about shade grown coffee, and there is. But the idea of growing coffee in the shade is not innovative, or unique. As it is, this was the first place where wild coffee was discovered: under the shade of other trees. Let's take a closer look. What is shade-grown coffee? Shade-grown coffee is practically a plantation of coffee trees that are growing under ...
Beginner's Guide To Coffee Cupping
Ever heard of coffee cupping ? If you're reading this, you probably have and you're curious to know more. Here's a little explainer for you. In the world of coffee two cooks define this singular product called coffee: The Roaster and The Professional Barista. With fire, the Roaster modifies the dry coffee beans into something completely different. With his knowledge and experience, the Barista "cooks" the roasted beans, extracting the aromas and creating a beverage. But who defines the value of what the chef is offering? The final ...
What Is A Cortado And Why Is Everyone So Obsessed With It ?
Most folks know what a cappuccino, flat white, or cafe latte is. That because 80% of coffee lovers drink espresso with a lot of milk. When it comes to cortado, macchiato, or even piccolo latte, a lot of people are confused. There are lesser known drinks and can really throw people off. Today we're talking about the cortado and exactly what it is. There's been a lot of hype surrounding it and we need to get to the bottom of this. What is cortado? A cortado is a beverage consisting of one shot of espresso combined with an equal amount ...
What Are K-cups ? Here's A Beginner's Guide To Help You Out
Curious about K-cups ? Many Americans own a Keurig or have at least had a K-cup coffee before. But if you've never had one and are wondering just what they are, and if they're worth it, then check out this article. You might just find the info you need. Single-serve coffee has changed our habits and practices. It has moved espresso out of its traditional place of consumption, much like the invention of the teabag made folks really get into tea, as it was cheaper and more convenient. There are two main single-serving coffee types: pods ...
Essential Guide For Coffee To Water Ratio, Like You've Never Seen It Before
Do you have a minute to talk about our savior Ratio? What is exactly a coffee to water ratio and how can it help us understand coffee better? And how exactly can this ratio save us? I'll explain in this article and I'll give you some useful tricks about how to adjust a coffee recipe to your liking. Let's see! What is a ratio? It is practically the balance between two ingredients, in this case ground coffee and water. This means that for each gram of coffee there is a perfect amount of water for brewing. There are many ways ...
What Is Coffee With Chicory ? Here's How Your Drink Really Started Out
There's all sorts of odd mixes in the world of food and drink,m but most of them actually make some sense once you take a look at the ingredients. One such mix is coffee with chicory. What it is and why it came to be is what we're going to figure out in this article, so hold on tight. First, let's start with the basics. What is chicory? Maybe you know about chicory. Maybe it's your favorite drink. For those who don't know what this plant is chicory (or succory for some folks) is a woody, tracheophyte within the dandelion family. It ...
Flat White VS Cappuccino - What Are They, And Which Is Best ?
Have you ever had a moment when you just wanted to try something different even if you’re not sure about what? Or maybe you are in a good mood and you’re thinking „I’ll try a new thing today!” You look up on the menu a little confused and you just notice two beverages: flat white and cappuccino. What’s the deal with these two drinks? What is better for you and most important which one tastes better? I’ll give you some big differences between them and after that I’ll show you how to combine them according to your taste. Let’s see! What is ...
What Is CTC Tea ? - Beginner's Guide To CTC Black Tea
CTC tea is something you'll stumble upon often, maybe without even knowing. In fact, if you own a box of teabags, they're most likely CTC. So let's figure out what this tea is, and why it's so common. So what is CTC tea ? CTC tea is a way of processing tea leaves to make black tea. It started out as an alternative to orthodox processing, which is the traditional way tea is made. But, since CTC is cost-effective and produces consistent results, it's become a very common practice. So, what is CTC exactly ? It stands for Crush, Tear, Curl, ...
How Is Tea Made - Each Tea Type, Discussed And Explained
The way tea is made influences a lot about its final flavor. Knowing how our favorite tea is made can shed light on why we like it, and what other teas we may like as well. So, let's talk today about how tea is made. How each tea type is processed, and the main differences between them, as well as how it used to be made, thousands of years ago. So how is tea made ? Tea - as in, true tea - is made by wilting, oxidizing and heat-treating the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Herbal tea is much simpler, often requiring only ...
Sencha VS Matcha - 7 Differences To Tell Them Apart
Trying to figure out the difference between Sencha and Matcha ? Then this article is for you. These are two of the most famous green teas in the world, and today we're going to compare them. By the end of this post you should be able to tell the difference by look and by certain traits as well. So, let's start by defining each tea first. What is Sencha ? Sencha is a type of Japanese green tea. It's one of the most common Japanese green teas, actually. You'll find it very easily on almost all markets, and if not it can be easily ordered ...
What Is Sencha ? A Beginner's Guide Japan's Popular Green Tea
If you're a green tea fan then you've definitely heard of Sencha. It's the Japanese green tea that's got everyone hooked, and it's a little more affordable than Matcha. So, Sencha. This is going to be a beginner's guide, and cover most of the questions you'd have when you first find this tea. Now let's start with the most obvious, and important question... what is it ? What is Sencha ? Sencha is a type of sun grown Japanese green tea. It uses the Camellia sinensis tea plant, like most other teas. This tea is at times shaded, but ...
Shade Grown VS Sun Grown Tea - 4 Crucial Differences
We keep hearing about sun grown and shade grown tea. But what really happens when you grow tea in the shade ? And how do you even shade an entire farm ? Is it worth it ? We're going to discuss exactly that, and compare sun grown and shade grown tea today, so let's get into it. What is sun grown tea ? Sun grown tea is the most common way of growing tea. So common in fact that often you won't even find it mentioned on the tea pack. All this means is that the tea plant is grown under the open sky, just like any other crop. It grows and is ...
CTC VS Orthodox Black Tea - 5 Differences To Help You Choose
If you're a black tea lover then you've definitely heard of CTC tea, and orthodox tea. Now, the names are confusing if you don't know their meaning, so let's talk about that. We're going to explain (in short) what each is, and then compare the two, so you have a clear idea of what you're buying/drinking. To better understand what is going on, we need to first know how tea is processed, in general. How is black tea processed ? Tea, of any kind, is processed. From the moment the leaves are harvested to the moment they end up in your cup of ...
What Is Gyokuro Tea ? 8 Things To Know About The Japanese Jade Dew
Want to know more about Gyokuro tea ? This Japanese green tea is one of the best in the world, and for good reason. But how much do we really know about the Jade Dew tea ? Let's talk about it for a bit, and find out everything there is to know about Gyokuro. 1. What is Gyokuro tea ? Gyokuro tea is a type of green tea, from Japan. It's processed in the Japanese fashion, and it's also a shade grown tea. It's been described as one of the best green teas in the world, with a clean, umami and sweet flavor that manages to impress ...
Is Black Coffee Good For You ? Try Skipping Sugar And Milk
Black coffee has been praised for so long as being so much better than milk coffee. It's the real coffee, the one you drink if you really love coffee. But is it ? Is black coffee any better than milk coffee ? And are there any health benefits to drinking black coffee ? Let's explore this as much as possible, so we can really understand why some folks swear by this drink. And maybe see if it's worth switching to as well. Is black coffee good for you ? So is black coffee good for you ? Overall yes, black coffee seems to be good for most ...
What Is Mochaccino ? Unraveling The Most Mysterious Coffee Ever
Wondering what a mochaccino is ? Does no one around you know ? Do you feel lost, confused ? You're not alone. Pretty much the entire internet is confused as just what this coffee is. No one can really make up their mind, and we've all got our pet theory about it. So let's explore this topic a little, to try and figure out this mysterious cup of coffee. It's definitely got everyone confused, so we might just be doing a public service here. What is mochaccino ? Most folks agree it's a spin on the traditional mocha drink. Or that it at least ...
Chinese VS Japanese Green Tea - 4 Differences To Help You Choose
Looking for a great new green tea ? Then you'll definitely bump into the Japanese versus Chinese green tea dilemma. Both green teas are amazing in their own way, and it's really up to you to decide which you would like. But if you're looking for a guide on how they differ, then you've come to the right place. Maybe you'll find it easier to make a decision after reading this. Before we start though, we need to establish that the key ingredient in these teas is absolutely the same: the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Nothing else ...
How Is Green Tea Made ? Breaking Down Your Favorite Tea
Wondering how green tea is made ? If you're a big fan of green tea, this is probably one of the first questions you're going to ask yourself. We'll explore just that in this post, and hopefully make things as clear as possible for you. We'll be following the production process and discuss details along the way. So how is green tea made ? Green tea, like most other true teas, is made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis tea plant. The leaves go through a process of oxidation, heat treatment, and then a final shaping and drying ...
Does Herbal Tea Have Caffeine ? Here's The Truth, For All Herbal Teas
Wondering if you should get that herbal tea or not ? If you're trying to keep your caffeine levels down, or want to avoid caffeine at all costs, this article is going to help guide you. While herbal teas are common, some much about them isn't really common knowledge. Given how for most folks the word 'tea' simply means 'black tea', you see how herbal tea could make some folks wonder if they're really caffeine free. Let's explore herbal tea and see if there's really any caffeine in it. So does herbal tea have caffeine ? Most herbal ...
Beginner's Guide To Iced Coffee - What It Is, And How To Make It
Iced coffee seems to be the perfect summer treat. We're not in the hot season just yet but it's coming our way, alright. But how do we make iced coffee, in the first place ? And is it really any different from other cold coffee drinks ? It does have a very broad name, so it'd fit several drinks as a category. So, let's take a closer look at iced coffee. See exactly what it is, what kind of coffee we need, and (most importantly) how to make one at home ! What is iced coffee ? Iced coffee is pretty much what the name says. Literally coffee ...
How Is Black Tea Made ? Exploring And Explaining The Manufacturing Process
Black tea seems to be everyone's favorite kind of tea. You might not know it, but most probably the tea you're drinking right now might be black tea. This is because black tea is so common in the West it's just called 'tea'. But if we love black tea so much, do we even know what goes into making a batch ? How is black tea made even ? Let's explore this for a bit, so we can also understand why there's so many kinds of black tea out there as well. First, let's start by explaining what black tea is, so we're all on the same ...
Tea vs Herbal Tea - Why Tisanes Aren't Considered True Teas
Tea and herbal tea have been part of our worlds since ancient times. We've consumed them in one way or another for generations and the knowledge of which is which has also been passed down. But why is there a distinction ? Why is one brew 'tea' and the other 'herbal tea' ? Are they not the same end-result ? Well, as it turns out it really matter what you're thinking of when deciding what is tea and what is not. Let me explain. So why isn't herbal tea true tea ? The whole debate started when there was a need to differentiate black ...
Black Tea VS Herbal Tea - 5 Differences Between Them
Black tea and herbal tea are two very common types of tea out there. Often you might wonder if they're not the same or at least very similar. And just what is the difference between them, anyway ? As it turns out, these two teas are a bit similar, indeed. But they also hold a good many surprises as well. So first, let's talk a bit about each tea in particular and then compare the two. What is black tea ? Black tea is the infusion made from the dried leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Black tea is called black because the leaves ...
Black Tea VS Earl Grey VS English Breakfast- How To Tell Them Apart
Telling black teas apart is kind of confusing for beginners since they can be so similar. Some folks would appreciate a comparison between black tea, English breakfast, and Earl Grey. So this is what this post's going to do, help you better understand these 3 teas. What is black tea ? Black tea is probably the most well known tea type out there, along with green tea. It's made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, which is the original tea plant the ancient Chinese used to make tea with. So in short, black tea is what ...
Black Tea VS White Tea - 4 Ways To Choose Between Them
White tea and black tea have long been a part of every tea lover's menu. But if you're just starting out with tea and would like to read a more applied comparison between these two amazing teas, then go on ahead and read this post. Both white tea and black tea have their own place, but one may be better than the other in some cases or for certain scenarios. So that's what we're exploring today. How to pick between black and white tea, and also discussing what each of them is. Is white tea the same as black tea ? No, black tea and white ...
Where Is Chai Tea From ? The Origin Of Masala Chai
Chai is one of those wonderful types of tea that warms you up from the inside and makes everything feel better. It's also one of the most ancient and well known recipes for spiced tea in the world. It comes from an an ancient Indian medicine practice, and over the centuries has established a true presence in the Western world. But exactly where does Chai come from, and what else can we learn from its origin story ? Let's take a deeper look. The geographical origin of Chai Originally Chai is from the Indian subcontinent. It's a mix of ...
Green Tea VS Coffee - 4 Ways To Choose Between Them
Green tea versus coffee. It was going to happen at some point. Everyone, at least one in their lives, has to choose between green tea and coffee. For one reason or another. This is why I'm not going to make a ''which is best'' kind of post. Today's post is all about picking one, based on your current need/goal/mood maybe ? The point is that both coffee and green eta have a place of their own in each person's cup, but maybe for different occasions. So let's break them down a little, and see which is best for what scenario. Starting with the ...
Exactly What Is An Iced Latte ? 3 Things That Make It Special
As warmer weather approaches iced coffee seems to be on everyone's mind. One of the key players is iced latte. Simple, milky, and damn delicious. But just what is an iced latte, and is it any different from regular latte ? Aside from the ice. As it turns out, there's quite a difference between the two. So let's get into that. So what is an iced latte ? An iced latte is, in its simplest form, the cold version of a regular latte. Not a latte that's been left to cool. It's a combination of hot espresso with cold milk and ...