Among the most loved go-to cup of Joe, mocha and lattes have to somewhere at the peak of the list. Moreover, if people can bear the thought of standing in line for hours to enjoy a cup of steaming hot coffee before dreadful Mondays – it sure does say a heck lot!
However, every once in a while, we can’t pinpoint the difference between latte and mochas. So, we’re here to tell you the distinguishable secrets about these fancy drinks.
Mocha vs. latte: All Major Differences
Having trouble deciding which team of this caffeine-war you’re on? Keep reading to know the primary differences and see if they match your taste buds.
The most notable difference between mochas and lattes is the appearance of chocolate. Despite having an espresso base and its well-known bitter kick, mochas are more induced with a chocolate-y hit.
Lattes are usually made with frothed or steamed milk.
On the brighter side, lattes can also be divulged with various other flavors in the form of syrups. Meanwhile, a steaming cup of mocha will have accurate ratios of frothed milk, espresso, steamed milk, and chocolate.
The bitter and energy jolt you get from the espresso shot can be customized in both drinks. Thus, how much of an energy boost you need is entirely upon your choice.
Perhaps, we can all comprehend the dissimilarities between mochas and lattes if we dipped into what goes into these soul-warming drinks.
What’s In A Latte?
Here’s the basic breakdown of latte drinks: 1/6 foamed milk, 4/6 steamed milk, and 1/6 espresso.
Here’s how you make the perfect cup of latte.
- Add a shot of espresso.
- Add your preferred shot of flavored syrup.
- Froth or/and steam around ten ounces of milk a 140 to 160 F.
- Pour in the milk and espresso in the ratio of 3:1.
- Top it off with the milk foam.
And you’re done!
Lattes have a very distinct velvety finish that most coffee lovers are a huge fan of. This texture is a dedication to the diluted brew and extra-creaminess. Other than that, it also lacks that smacking, full-strength caffeine hit.
What’s In A Mocha?
Before knowing more about mochas texture and flavor, let’s see what goes into creating this chocolate-inclined soul food. Here’s how they’re made.
- Add one tablespoon of chocolate flavor syrup or two tablespoons of sweet cocoa powder to your cup.
- Add a shot of espresso to it.
- At 14 to 160 F, steam 10 ounces of milk and add it to the mixture.
- Stir and top it off with chocolate shaves or whipped cream.
Mmmm.. my mouth is watering!
So, what makes mocha taste the way it does? The mocha coffee beans!
These mocha coffee beans are named after their region of birth from Yemen. These belong to the Arabica plant family, which has a reputation for being widely cultivated. These Arabica plants are the reason for that sweet to bitter contrast in mocha coffees.
Originally, mochas do have a chocolate-y taste. However, to bring more life to that slight chocolate undertone, baristas add a tad bit of chocolate to your favorite mocha coffee cups.
The two espresso shots and two more ounces of hot, delicious chocolate additions is why mochas have a deeper, stronger, and richer flavor.
Which One Do You Prefer?
Albeit the basics, there is more that lets us comprehend the difference between mocha and latte. Even with clear-cut flavor distinguishers, it heavily depends on the coffee-lovers preference.
Do you only need and want a lighter hit or a more potent caffeine punch in your system?
Even though mochas are more decadent and robust, lattes are healthier to consume every day. If you only want hot, velvety and thick coffee running down your throat once during the day that doesn’t shock you into waking up, lattes are the way to go!
On the contrary, mocha-lovers have a clear goal of waking up and staying awake and energetic for hours. Because of the chocolate undertones, mochas are decadent while carrying heaviness to them.
You would prefer these if you have a sweet tooth too. Needless to say, lattes come with lower calories.
So, if your goal is to obtain a light pick-me-up, lattes will be your go-to. Mochas will be your best friend if you have to multitask or need to cooperate with your grumpy boss throughout the week.
Latte vs. Macchiato
For the most part, coffees share a ton of similarities. The key ingredients are usually the same, but the ratios could vary greatly. The difference between latte and macchiato comes from the balance of the milk and espresso.
Simply put, a macchiato is steamed milk with espresso, but, as we all know, lattes are filled with definite proportions of foamed and steamed milk and espresso. It goes without saying that lattes are one of the lightest coffee drinks out there.
Macchiato is much more assertive in its boldness and taste rather than lattes. The balance of bold caffeine-induced flavors and fragrance is undeniably mightier and potent.
Typically, macchiatos could have around 80mg worth of caffeine if served in small or medium quantities. However, the bars could rise higher if you consume a higher volume. If that’s the case, you could attain 120mgs in one pack.
Lattes are basically creamy drinks usually topped with frothed milk or any other liked choices. In single or medium servings, lattes can hold up to 80mg concentration of caffeine. In contrast, a larger intake would be around 120mg, the same as a macchiato.
Generally, lattes taste more like milk itself rather than having a rich coffee flavor and depth. The best part about lattes is that you can never run out of options to mix and match!
Add in almonds, caramel, oats, chocolate, chai, matcha, and anything in between. Latte flavors will affirm to them all, creating newer explosive flavor bombs in your mouth. This is why any drink’s base that has steamed milk can be named a latte.
We can know more about the differences by acknowledging what goes into making a macchiato. So, let’s get steaming!
What’s In A Macchiato?
Macchiato is served in tiny espresso cups, which hold around 2 to 3 ounces of coffee. The making of macchiato is as simple as it can get. Just add:
- Double or single shots of espresso.
- A big dollop of steamed milk. And that’s it!
Macchiatos are made with top-notch quality beans and have an intense espresso taste. The more rich and intense fragrance and flavor you will attain, the higher the macchiato beans’ quality.
Macchiato refers to ‘spotted’. This is also about the tiny spot atop the drink resulting from when the barista pours the espresso directly into small amounts of steamed milk, leaving behind an espresso spot at the end.
Traditionally, macchiatos can be found in taller glasses packed with milk and vast amounts of caramel, but not in Italy.
Although being very tasty, this revamped version sure steers clear of the conventional espresso-dominant drink in Rome.
Which One Is For You?
We’re in no power to end this debate for you. We can only confirm that whichever way you choose to hail, we’re with you!
For example, there lies a fragile barrier of variation between macchiato and lattes in America. Sometimes this barrier is even non-existent to the drinker’s mouth.
There lies a slight separation between the two in America; even coffee aficionados have a tough time.
Macchiatos in America come with less flavoring, but they have the exact proportions of milk just like a latte. These are named ‘latte macchiato’ as they utilize identically sized cups in making the two.
In Italy, lattes are served as a glass of milk. And the milk isn’t steamed either. There’s no added espresso, coffee, or foamy texture.
So, what does this mean? Your best resort will be lattes if you want a caramel or vanilla hit to your drink. On the other hand, if your taste buds want an emphasis of that espresso punch and bitterness, macchiatos are the route to take.
Macchiato vs. Mocha
We all know the primary taste similarities and divergences to mochas and macchiatos. Indeed mochas come in a big pool of flavors with combinations and contrasts of coffee and chocolate flavors.
Still, some argue that mochas are ‘too sweet’ for them and don’t come around as authentically espresso-flavored.
In comparison, macchiatos will remind you of its rich and bold espresso flavor with every sip. They’re authentic Italian drinks rounded up with foamy or steamed milk.
As heavily induced with espresso they may be, some think it’s too intense for them. Simultaneously, the rest of the macchiato lovers pay for this very component and don’t mind the lower flavoring variations.
But without a doubt, the differences are broader between macchiato and mocha. Let’s find out what they are.
- Variety
Mocha has to take the winning cup for having many diversities rather than macchiatos. Their ranges go far and beyond regular white mochas. If you haven’t tried the seasonal peppermint mocha cup, give it a whirl.
In retrospect, macchiatos are straight-forward. Their focus is entirely on espresso and how to enhance its aromatic flavors via options like latte macchiato and espresso macchiato.
Very rarely, you could get your hands on vanilla or caramel macchiatos – but only if you’re lucky.
- Flavor
Macchiatos play with your tastebuds with their creamy milk flavor and smashing espresso flavor. Mochas have an intense espresso flavor with a sweet undertone that comes from the chocolate.
- Milk
Mochas and macchiatos have very unconventional milk preparation techniques. The effects that the amount of milk can have in coffees are surprising.
With espresso macchiatos, baristas use a small amount of foam and milk. In contradiction, latte macchiatos mostly use milk to create micro-foam layers before the espresso shots are poured.
In opposition, chocolate, milk, and espresso are the booming highlights that bring out their textures and flavors in mochas.
Latte vs. Mocha vs. Macchiato
So, what makes each of these drinks different yet, so mouth-watering? Like we’ve said earlier, the making and preparations consist of the most distinguishable splits amongst the three.
Let’s take a gander at each of these drinks’ ingredients and their quantities to know better.
Lattes
- A centimeter of foam.
- Six to eight ounces of milk.
- Double shots.
- 1:3 or more ratios of milk.
- Eight to twelve ounces in total.
Macchiato
- No layer of foam.
- A spot of milk at the top.
- Double or single shot.
- 2:1 ratios of milk.
- Two to three ounces in total.
Mocha
- Chocolate
- Six to eight ounces of milk.
- Double shots.
- 1:3 or more ratios of milk.
- Eight to twelve ounces in total.
The Proportions
Most definitely, the proportions of each of these ingredients vary. Cafe lattes which can be directly translated to ‘coffee with milk,’ utilize 1:4:1 ratios of espresso shots, steamed milk, and foamed milk, respectively.
That’s 30ml, 120ml, and 30ml for each.
Macchiatos use 60ml espresso shots and a dot of foam milk. Lastly, mochas are often devoured as desserts because of their potent chocolate flavor.
The ingredients are steamed milk, chocolate, and espresso in the ratio of 1:2:2. Loosely translated, these are 30ml, 60ml, and 60 ml, respectively.
The Calories
Since some of our readers could be conscious about their body weight and diet, it’s only fair that we unveil all of their calorie breakdowns.
Even with the perks of coffee, it’s inevitable that it will contribute to some of your pounds.
Lattes hold up to 130-290 calories. But it also depends on the kind of milk you like to use. In addition, macchiatos have the lowest calorie and lie inferior in this chain. Each serving holds around 100 calories, sometimes even less.
The red light goes off for most when it comes to mochas. Lurking somewhere at the top of the calorie line, each mocha cup has around 300 calories. However, it will also vary based on the size of your cup.
So, which cup of Joe speaks to you more?
Besides the apparent brewing differentiations, one similarity that calms all coffee-lovers nerves is that you can enjoy any of these three drinks from an espresso machine. Better yet, some devices can prepare each of these drinks with just one push of a button.
It’s quick and easy. But the best – they’re all equally heartwarmingly delicious!
Conclusion
We believe that our comprehensive article based on the difference between latte and mocha and macchiato has cleared up any remaining doubts about these beverages.
As avid coffee-lovers, nothing excites us more than trying out diverse tastes. Whether it’s the velvety froth of a latte or the sweetness of a piping hot mocha cup – we love our coffee a certain way.
And, hopefully, now you know which of these flavors your taste buds love to mingle with the most!
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