Know Your Coffee: A Guide for Finals
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

Know Your Coffee: A Guide for Finals

A helpful guide to understanding what's in your drink and how much caffeine you're getting

59
Know Your Coffee: A Guide for Finals
Buy the Cover

'Tis the season to be...stressed out. With finals fast approaching, students are flocking to any campus coffee shop, nearby Starbucks, and internet cafe with the intention of getting as much caffeine in their systems as possible to try to finish months of school work in a single night. So here's a helpful guide to understanding your coffee and how much caffeine you're actually getting:

Drip Coffee: Surprisingly, your average cup o' Joe offers the greatest caffeine content, ranging from 115-175 mg (depending on the strength of the grounds). Your classic brew is often thought to take a second seat to the espresso due to the drip coffee's weaker flavor. This is because drip coffee (also commonly known as "filtered" or "brewed") is made by passing almost boiling water through a filter paper which holds the coffee grounds. It then utilizes gravity to, you guessed it, drip the coffee into the pot below. This filter paper traps a lot of the coffee extracts which give it its rich flavor. However, the filter paper does not trap any of the caffeine. So if you're a "pot a day" drinker, be careful. You are intaking about double the recommended 400 mg per day.


Espresso: A typical 2 oz espresso shot is made by pushing hot water at a high pressure through a layer of finely ground coffee. It not only extracts a high content of caffeine, but also a rich flavor. This bitter little guy contains about 100 mg of caffeine, which is more than an entire Red Bull (80 mg), and almost twice as much as most teas (40-60 mg)! Most of your common coffee drinks incorporate an espresso shot. Be careful if you get a Doppio (double shot), because in that one power-packed shot you're intaking half of your daily recommended caffeine.

Macchiato: A macchiato, meaning "stained coffee" in Italian, is simply an espresso shot with a dollop of steamed milk added to soften the espresso's harsh flavor. A "short" macchiato contains a single espresso shot, so 100 mg of caffeine, and a "long" macchiato contains two. However, nowadays people think of a macchiato as being something similar to Starbucks' Iced Caramel Macchiato, which is made by adding vanilla syrup, milk, ice, 2 shots of espresso, and finally a caramel drizzle. (So basically, nothing like an actual macchiato). So when ordering this drink, make sure that both you and the barista are on the same page.


Americano: This bitter black coffee is simply made by filling a cup 2/3 with hot water, and then adding an espresso shot. Often you can add cream to make it a little sweeter. 100 mg.


Cafe Latte: Or "latte" for short is a sweeter espresso-based drink made by adding steamed milk to an espresso shot with about 1 cm of foam. It may have a fancy design, depending on how hipster you are. It is common to add different syrups and flavors to a latte, such as chocolate (mocha), vanilla, caramel, Irish cream, and, of course, pumpkin spice. 100 mg.


Cappuccino: This popular morning drink is similar to its cousin, the latte. The major difference is that the cappuccino has about 2-3 cm of foam. Imagine this drink in thirds: 1/3 espresso, 1/3 steamed milk, and 1/3 milk foam. The extra foam also provides an excellent opportunity to practice your foam art! 100 mg.


Mocha: A mocha is basically just a chocolate cappuccino. It is made the same way as its close relative with the simple addition of chocolate syrup or powder added to the espresso shot. Often there is an additional chocolate topping on the foam. 100 mg.


So once you understand your basic coffee drinks and how much caffeine you can count on, those finals (and those coffee shops) are yours to conquer!


Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

71235
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

133349
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments