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Coffee is one of the most beloved and mentioned drinks in the whole world. You can either indulge in its intense aroma that takes away the edge of some of the toughest moments in our lives and provides that much needed break in modern hectic days or simply not consume it at all, but the fact is that it’s always around us no matter where we go. The list of different types of coffee on the Planet seems endless, so let’s focus on some of the best and most delicious coffee treats available right now!
World’s best coffee types: Espresso, Italy
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Even if you don’t belong to the army of coffee lovers, once in Italy it’s almost impossible to resist the temptation to taste what Italians proudly call the perfect cup of espresso, cappuccino, latte o macchiato to name just a few types of coffee Italy is famous for. If you want “the real thing”, get yourself an espresso by all means – it’s very strong, finely ground black coffee meant to provide you with a morning kick we often badly need in order to start our days. You can either make your own espresso at home if you get yourself a coffee machine that sends pressurized water though the metal filter packed with coffee or drink it outside – Italians usually take their morning espresso cup on their feet at bars on their way to work, or later in the day after a delicious meal. If you’re more a cappuccino type and prefer larger cups of coffee diluted with milk, take one thing into account – when in Italy, don’t order it after noon or they’ll immediately know you’re a tourist, Italians never drink milk in the afternoon. Maybe it would be wise to stick to the good old saying: “When in Rome, do as the Romans do” – you’ll definitely get a better service at lower price, especially if you stay away from fancy bars in central zones.
World’s best coffee types: Americano coffee, America
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You can think of an Americano as a watered down form of espresso – the basic form of Americano coffee is made by brewing an espresso and adding hot water to it, or by filtering water onto espresso to get filtered coffee. This takes away some of the espresso’s renowned strength, but at the same times lets you enjoy that good old flavor you can definitely miss when tasting other available types of coffee on the market. While the first wave coffee movement focused on enlarging coffee consumption in the world from the beginnings if its use in the 1800’s till the end of the 20th century without making quality its priority, the second wave coffee movement decided to pay attention to roasting styles in order to help everybody enjoy specialty coffee beans. Starbucks was among the first companies that recognized this need to perceive coffee as a pleasurable experience rather than just a simple beverage, and they still proudly offer their quality Americano coffee which became one of the indispensable parts of the daily routine on the American continent.
World’s best coffee types: Turkish coffee – Kahve, Turkey
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Turkish coffee is bold, black and strong with one important difference from espresso – it is left unfiltered, so you’ll always find coffee grounds on the bottom of each cup. This means that if you add sugar or milk to your coffee and vigorously stir it with your spoon to mix the ingredients together, you’ll need to let it sit for a while before drinking it and take small, fine sips unless you want to ingest the sludge as well. This type of coffee is boiled and not brewed, which secures you richer supply of antioxidants, especially polyphenols and hydrocinnamic acids which can help you lower your risk of getting various diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, some forms of cancers or heart disease.
World’s best coffee types: Flat white, Australia
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This extremely popular type of coffee in Australia and New Zealand is basically a shot of espresso with some hot, creamy milk on the top of it. If we’re talking about it from the specialty coffee perspective, we must mention that while it may appear similar to latte it should contain less microfoam and less volume. Also, flat white is typically served in ceramic cups that are usually smaller than those used for cappuccino while latte often comes in glasses, but this can vary from place to place. What matters the most is the fact that if you like milk in your coffee but need to cut on the dairy intake, flat white might be the perfect choice for you.
World’s best coffee types: Café des Épices, Morocco
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If you’re in for something extra special, try this incredible spiced type of coffee from Morocco. The number of ingredients and their amounts may vary from place to place, but typically this exotic coffee type is flavored with nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and ginger or ginseng. As some of these spices have anti-inflammatory properties and may serve as serotonin and energy boosters, their synergy with caffeine create healthy and extremely powerful pick-me-up morning combo that can surely take your coffee consumption to the next level!
Future trends: Third Wave Coffee
No matter what types of coffee we prefer and at what location we indulge in it, we’re surely becoming more and more conscious of the quality of the product we purchase. The increasing number of health researches made us aware of the benefits and disadvantages of what we put into our bodies on daily levels, and the strive for true excellence has never been stronger. This is where the third wave of coffee comes out – it is a movement that gathers coffee lovers who protest against the promotion of bad coffee. It’s not any more about the coffee industry and marketing at all costs any more, the best quality matters more than ever before. The use of the term third wave coffee began with an article by Trish Rothgeb of Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters in 2002 where she stated:
“The third wave is, in many ways, a reaction. It is just as much a reply to bad coffee as it is a movement toward good coffee.”
Consumers are more and more interested in the origins of their coffee, methods of cultivation, farm soil and harvest procedures, which sets them on search for the ultimate craft coffee. Kona coffee from Hawaii is a perfect example of what coffee connoisseurs are and will be striving for.
What are your favorite types of coffee? Tell us all about it in the comments section!
If you didn’t have any sleep at all last night, you might consider something VERY intense!