Updated on December 18, 2022
If you enjoy coffee, you may be familiar with the phrase espresso, although cortado is not a common term. The idea that espresso is a type of bitter roast of coffee is widely held. What precisely are espresso and cortado, and what are their primary distinctions?
A concentrated version of coffee made from various roasts or kinds is known as an espresso. A cortado is an espresso variation that also includes milk in the same quantity. The primary distinction between the two drinks is that cortado has less “acidity” than espresso, which has a more overtly acidic flavor.
What Is a Cortado?
A cortado is an espresso-based beverage with equal parts espresso and hot milk. A cortado is produced using steamed milk and isn’t very “textured” or foamy, unlike some Italian coffee drinks. The creamy beverage includes microfoam on top and is served in tiny cortado glasses. Thus, one of the “diluted” forms of espresso coffee is a cortado.
How Many Shots Are in a Cortado?
A cortado typically contains 2 oz (59ml) of milk and a double shot of espresso. Similar drinks like a cortado are sold in other countries with different ingredients.
They consist of:
Spanish coffee with one shot of espresso is known as café solo corto.
Cortadito: This is the name of a Cuban variation of the cortado, which also includes a shot of espresso and a corresponding amount of heated, sweetened condensed milk.
Gibraltar: San Francisco, California is where the phrase first appeared. In a Gibraltar glass, it’s a cortado with a double shot of espresso and topped with foamy steamed milk.
Similarities Between Espresso and Cortado
Particularly in the majority of European nations, the popularity of espresso and cortado has increased. The fact that both an espresso and a cortado contain some espresso coffee is their main point of commonality.
Therefore, to produce the beverages, you must first express hot water through an espresso machine. The fact that both beverages come from European nations is another resemblance. While cortado has Spanish roots, espresso has Italian origins.
Differences Between Espresso and Cortado
Even though cortado and espresso share some characteristics, you may have also observed some significant variances. These deal with the two beverages’ tastes, ingredients, and serving. The following are the primary variations:
While a cortado’s acidity is lessened compared to an espresso, both have excellent flavors.
A cortado contains a topping of steamed foamy milk while espresso coffee does not have any additional milk.
Espresso is typically served in demitasse cups, also known as espresso cups in Italy. A cortado, on the other hand, is served in glasses, like the Gibraltar glass in the United States.
The base for other coffee specialty is an espresso, which is a pure type of coffee. A cortado, on the other hand, is an espresso derivative.