Starbucks Drink Guide - Lattes

Starbucks is taking over my hubs! I'm a full-time barista and I love what I do, so I'm writing a series of Starbucks drink guides. In this part, I'm going to address a topic that I answer questions about every day at work - lattes, the Starbucks way.

To read about the Starbucks basics, visit the previous installment in my series of guides. If you're an expert on lattes, feel free to skip ahead to the next part, where I address cappuccinos.

By Starbucks definition, a latte is composed of shots of espresso and milk. Both hot and iced versions are offered and vary slightly from one another. A plain latte does not have any sugar or flavoring added - sweeteners such as sugar, splenda, or honey can be added at no additional cost. We'll get to the flavored lattes in a moment.

The components of a hot latte are espresso, steamed milk - 2% by default - and milk foam. When milk is steamed, it is aerated to achieve the rich, creamy texture any latte drinker knows and loves. The aerating process actually makes the milk taste a bit sweeter than normal milk. Foam is sort of the by-product of this procedure and has a unique texture that people tend to either love or hate. The best way I can describe it is to say it's aptly named. It's... well, foamy.

What makes a latte different from other espresso based beverages is not only its ingredients, but also the way it is assembled. According to Starbucks procedure, a latte is made by pouring shots of espresso directly into the cup. Then, steamed milk is poured in and finally, the drink is topped with a spoonful of foam. The end result is something like what is pictured on the right. The espresso and the steamed milk completely mix together and the foam adorns the top.

An iced latte isn't terribly different from a hot one. Simply put, substitute cold milk for steamed milk and ice for the foam. Shots of espresso are poured directly into the cup, cold milk is added and then the beverage is finished off with a scoop of ice. A plain iced latte might not be quite as creamy or sweet as a hot one, since the milk is just plain 'ol milk. Again, 2% is the default.

Ever notice the green lines on the Starbucks iced cups? Those are guidelines for the barista. For lattes, we use those lines to measure exactly how much milk and ice to add to a drink to ensure consistency.

Starbucks is all about the customers getting exactly what they want. While the table above shows the standard amount of syrup in each size, pumps can be adjusted to taste. Flavors can be mixed by adding more than one kind of syrup. For instance, Starbucks doesn't actually offer a French Vanilla flavor, but baristas in the know will make it by using half Vanilla and half Hazelnut syrups. Although I've already listed the syrup flavors in the first part of my guide, here they are again for the sake of convenience.

• Vanilla (available sugar-free)
• Caramel (available sugar-free)
• Cinnamon Dolce (available sugar-free)
• Hazelnut (available sugar-free)
• Toffee Nut
• Peppermint (available sugar-free)
• Raspberry
• Classic (simple syrup; a mixture of sugar and water)

Caffè Latte:

The basic beverage detailed above. You can order yourself a Latte or a Caffè Latte... it doesn't matter to the barista one way or the other.

Flavored Latte:

Really just any standard latte. Simply pick one of the flavors listed above and your barista will make your latte according to the standard recipe. Examples of how to order a regular flavored latte: Grande Hazelnut Latte, Tall Sugar-free Caramel Latte, Venti Peppermint Latte.

Skinny Flavored Latte:

Skinny lattes are made with nonfat/skim milk AND sugar-free syrup. The flavors available for a true Skinny Flavored Latte are Vanilla, Caramel, Cinnamon Dolce, Hazelnut and Peppermint.

Vanilla Latte

I think the only reason that Starbucks gives this latte its own place on the menu is because it's the most popular flavor.

Cinnamon Dolce Latte:

This specialty drink is made just like a normal latte with the standard amounts of espresso and Cinnamon Dolce syrup. It's made just a little more fancy by being topped with whipped cream and Dolce sprinkles by default.

Skinny Cinnamon Dolce Latte:

This latte is just the same as any of the other Skinny Flavored Lattes. There's a debate among the baristas I've worked with as to whether or not it's supposed to be topped with the Dolce sprinkles. According to the Starbucks website, that's what makes it special. However... I'd specify to your barista whether you want the sprinkles or not, just to be safe.

There are a number of ways to customize your latte, the first and most obvious being the milk that goes into it. For more information about the milk and temperature choices, visit the first part of my guide.

For quick reference, here's a list of the milks that Starbucks offers:

• Nonfat/Skim
• 1%
• 2%
• Whole
• Breve
• Heavy Cream
• Soy
• Eggnog (seasonal)

The second major component in a latte is espresso and the amount can be altered to suit your taste. The default amounts are displayed in the table at the beginning of this article. At Starbucks, you can add or subtract shots however you please. There is, of course, an extra charge for extra shots of espresso, but the extra kick costs less than a dollar.

There is a different name for a latte minus the espresso, and I'll talk about steamers/creams in another part of my guide. However, a latte can absolutely be made decaf or half-caf.

The third part of a latte that can be adjusted is the foam. It takes a skilled barista to make a perfect latte with absolutely no foam but it's definitely not an uncommon request. Light foam may be an option for those who want their drink to be mostly steamed milk with just a hint of foam at the top. You can ask for a latte with extra foam, but if you're a huge fan of foam, you might want to think about ordering a cappuccino instead.

Finally, a latte can be customized with sweeteners. You can add your own touch at the condiment bar in the store, or a barista can mix in packets of sweetener for you. Here's a list of the other things your barista can add to your latte to give it a new spin:

• Sugar - Yep, plain old sugar. Some stores carry it in packets, others only have shakers. If you're exceptionally picky about how much sugar goes into your latte, I recommend adding it yourself. As a barista, I like to say that my customers can trust my judgement, but it's sometimes hard to figure out just how much sugar is in one packet when you only have a shaker on hand.
• Splenda
• Equal
• Sweet 'n Low
• Honey - The type of honey packets that are available at my store are notoriously hard to open. We don't make them available on the condiment bar because of this, but you can certainly ask for some on the side... just be prepared to have a pair of scissors handy.
• Sugar in the Raw - All natural Turbinado sugar.

There are seriously a ton of ways to spice up the plain old latte at Starbucks. In addition to the basics listed above, there are a handful of toppings that can be added to almost any drink in any combination you'd like.

• Whipped Cream - Starbucks baristas make the whipped cream in-store with heavy cream and vanilla syrup. It's obviously not whipped by hand, but it IS fresh and delicious. Generally, adding whipped cream to a latte means the foam will be left off.
• Caramel Drizzle - Famous for it's role in the Caramel Macchiato, this thick, sweet caramel sauce is... well, it's just tops.
• Mocha Drizzle - The same sauce used to flavor Starbucks' Mochas. It's a nice addition if you're looking for just a little bit of chocolate.
• Chocolate Powder
• Vanilla Powder
• Nutmeg
• Cinnamon
• Dolce (DOL-chay) Sprinkles - This stuff is literally just cinnamon mixed with sugar. It's named for the Cinnamon Dolce Latte that it tops.

Seasonal:

• Caramel Brulee Topping - I think these little candy sprinkles are delicious, but one of my co-workers refers to them as shards of glass. I have to admit that I can see why - this topping is like a crushed up hard candy, but it also has a delicious smoky caramel flavor.
• Chocolate Curls - The only part of the Peppermint Mocha that's actually seasonal is the topping. These curls are made from dark chocolate.
• Sea Salt - I've never had someone ask for this without the Caramel Drizzle it's usually paired with. The combination is amazing and definitely my favorite topping. The Sea Salt is actually mixed with sugar, but there's enough saltiness to give it a unique kick.
• Pumpkin Spice - I'm told that this powder is made up of the traditional ingredients in a pumpkin pie.
• Peppermint Whipped Cream - According to this fun little tool where you can design a signature Starbucks drink, this topping is offered seasonally. We've never carried it in my store, but maybe it will be a new edition for Winter '12.

Gingerbread Latte:

I consider this to be the simplest seasonal latte, despite the complex flavor. Some people tell me that they think this latte tastes exactly like a gingerbread cookie while I personally refer to it as a spicy cinnamon. Whatever flavor notes you pick up from it, this latte is delicious. The reason I say it's simple is because the gingerbread syrup comes in the same bottles as the Starbucks standard syrups (like Vanilla and Caramel.) It's like any of the normal lattes, just a unique flavor that Starbucks usually features starting some time around October or November. Since it's seasonal, the drink DOES have a topping other than the ordinary milk foam - whipped cream and nutmeg.

Pumpkin Spice Latte:

I could not feasibly count the number of requests I get for this latte when it's not in season. It seems like every coffee shop offers some version of a pumpkin flavored latte starting in autumn, but I have to say, Starbucks' has a unique and incredibly popular flavor. The syrup for this latte is actually a sauce somewhere in between the consistency of mocha and white mocha. Because the flavor sauce is so thick, this latte is creamier than a standard latte. Pumpkin Spice Lattes get whipped cream, of course, and they come with their own special powder on top.

Caramel Brulee Latte:

The literal meaning of brulee is burnt, but I prefer to use words like toasty or smoky. 'It tastes like burnt caramel' just doesn't sound as appetizing as it really is. Creamy, sweet, decadent and so popular that Starbucks decided to feature this drink annually. The Caramel Brulee syrup is like the pumpkin spice - it's actually what we baristas refer to as a sauce because of how thick it is. Caramel Brulee Lattes are topped with whipped cream and bits of candy. They're offered usually starting in November, but I wouldn't be surprised to see them roll out in October.

Eggnog Latte:

Okay, maybe this one is the simplest of the seasonal lattes. It's so simple that I initially forgot to add it to my guide. An Eggnog Latte is made from shots of espresso and instead of milk, a mix of Eggnog and 2% milk is used. It's the only seasonal latte that is topped with foam instead of whipped cream, and it gets nutmeg on top of the foam by default.

Starbucks has turned the simple, unassuming Latte into a beverage that can be highly personalized. Here's the basics of what I discussed in this guide:

• A basic Latte is made from shots of espresso, steamed milk and a little bit of milk foam.
• An Iced Latte is composed of shots of espresso, cold milk and ice.
• The amount of espresso in a Latte according to size is: Short (8oz) - 1 shot, Tall (12oz) - 1 shot, Grande (16oz) - 2 shots, Venti (20oz) - 2 shots, Iced Venti (24oz) - 3 shots.
• The amount of syrup in a Latte according to size is: Short (8oz) - 2 pumps, Tall (12oz) - 3 pumps, Grande (16oz) - 4 pumps, Venti (20oz) - 5 pumps, Iced Venti (24oz) - 6 pumps.
• The milk chocies for a Starbucks Latte are Nonfat/Skim, 1%, 2%, Whole, Breve, Heavy Cream, Soy and (sesonally) Eggnog.
• The default milk used is 2%.
• The flavors available for Lattes are Vanilla, Caramel, Cinnamon Dolce, Hazelnut, Toffee Nut, Peppermint and Raspberry.
• The flavors available for Skinny Lattes are Vanilla, Caramel, Cinnamon Dolce, Hazelnut and Peppermint.
• Only Cinnamon Dolce Lattes and Seasonal Lattes are topped with whipped cream by default. (Excluding Eggnog Lattes.)
• The Lattes that Starbucks offers seasonally are Gingerbread, Pumpkin Spice, Caramel Brulee and Eggnog.

And that's all about Starbucks Lattes! I'm a little amazed I could keep myself to making only one terrible pun. To learn more about the Starbucks menu, continue on to the next part of my guide, where I discuss cappuccinos.