What Is a Macchiato?
What Is a Macchiato?
What is a macchiato, exactly?
Espresso with a spot of foam on top. Macchiato means marked or stained in Italian, and the foam is the mark. It is roughly ninety percent espresso by volume.
It exists to take the sharpest edge off a shot without turning it into a milk drink.
For this, Spectre is the dark espresso roast we developed against a shot rather than a filter.
Traditionally served in a demitasse and finished in two or three sips.
| Macchiato | Cortado | Latte | Caramel macchiato | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Espresso to milk | About 9:1 | 1:1 | 1:3 or more | 1:4 plus syrup |
| Size | 2 to 3 oz | 4 oz | 12 to 16 oz | 12 to 16 oz |
| Added sugar | None | None | None | Vanilla and caramel |
| Tastes like | Espresso | Balanced espresso | Sweet milk | Dessert |
Now you know what it is. Here is whether it is worth making.
Knowing the definition is the easy half. The part that decides whether you like it is what goes in the cup underneath.
A drink built on mediocre coffee tastes like mediocre coffee with extra steps.
See the lineup →Why is the chain caramel macchiato so different?
Because it is a different drink wearing the same word. It is espresso, a full serving of steamed milk, vanilla syrup and caramel sauce, which puts it closer to a flavoured latte.
Nothing wrong with it as a drink. It is just named after something it does not resemble.
If you want the traditional version, ask for an espresso macchiato and the ambiguity disappears.
The ratio is the recipe. The bean is the flavour.
You can follow any of these to the gram and still not enjoy it, because everything downstream of the roast is decoration.
Start with coffee you would drink black, then build on it.
Browse best sellers →Who should order a macchiato?
Anyone who already likes espresso but wants the sharpest edge softened. If you want a milk drink, a cortado or a latte is what you are actually after.
It is the best single test of a roaster, because there is nowhere for a bad bean to hide.
If you find espresso too intense, start with a cortado instead and work down.
One bag you know how to use beats five you do not.
Learn one roast properly. Then make sure you never open the cupboard and find it empty.
- Pick the roast that suits how you actually brew.
- Set it to resupply on a schedule that matches what you drink.
- Stop thinking about it. You do not hit zero again.
Can you make one at home?
Yes, easily, if you can pull espresso or brew something close with a moka pot. Froth a small amount of milk, spoon the foam onto the shot, and it is done.
You need very little milk. A tablespoon of foam is the whole milk component.
The roast matters more than the technique here. Use something you would happily drink black.
Brew it. Get after it.
Whatever tomorrow asks of you, it goes better on a cup that was worth the effort.
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Shop the lineup →Questions people actually ask
What is the difference between a macchiato and a latte?
A macchiato is almost entirely espresso with a spoon of foam, around two ounces. A latte is one or two shots under a large volume of steamed milk, usually twelve ounces or more.
Is a caramel macchiato a real macchiato?
Not in the traditional sense. It is a flavoured latte with vanilla and caramel. The name was borrowed and now means different things at chains than at independent shops.
How much caffeine is in a macchiato?
The same as the espresso it contains, roughly 63mg for a single shot or 126mg for a double. The foam adds none.
Is a macchiato stronger than espresso?
No. It is espresso with a small amount of foam, so it is marginally milder. It tastes nearly identical because the foam changes texture more than flavour.
What does macchiato mean?
Marked or stained in Italian. The name describes the shot being marked with a spot of milk foam, which is the entire concept of the drink.
