Knowledge Base
Coffee & Tea Guides
Brew better and explore more — buying guides, how-tos, and explainers for every coffee and tea ritual.
Explainer
What Is Hojicha? Japanese Roasted Green Tea, Explained
Hojicha is a Japanese green tea roasted until the leaves turn reddish-brown, giving a toasty, nutty, low-caffeine cup with almost no bitterness. Here is how it is made, the leaf grades, powder versus leaf, and how to brew it.
Explainer
What Is Herbal Tea? Tisanes and Caffeine-Free Brews
Herbal tea, or tisane, is an infusion of herbs, flowers, fruits, spices or roots — not the tea plant — and most are naturally caffeine-free. Here is how it works.
Explainer
What Is Fika? The Swedish Coffee Break, Explained
Fika is the Swedish tradition of pausing for coffee and something sweet, usually with others. Here is what it means, what Swedes eat, and how to fika anywhere.
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What Is Drip Coffee? The Everyday Brew, Explained
Drip coffee is the world's everyday brew: hot water drips through ground coffee in a filter. Here's how it works, automatic vs pour-over, and how to make a great cup.
Explainer
What Is Cold Coffee? The Complete Guide to Cold Coffee Drinks
Cold coffee is the whole family of chilled coffee drinks, from iced coffee and cold brew to iced lattes and blended milkshake-style shakes. Here's how every type differs, plus an easy at-home recipe.
Explainer
What Is Cold Brew Coffee? The Cold-Steeped Method, Explained
Cold brew is coffee steeped in cold or room-temperature water for 12 to 24 hours, then filtered into a smooth, low-acidity concentrate. Here is how it works, how it differs from iced coffee, and how it is served.
Explainer
What Is Coffee Roasting? Roast Levels, Explained
Coffee roasting is the heat process that turns raw green beans brown and flavorful. Here is what happens inside the roaster, plus every roast level from light to dark.
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What Is the Cafe du Monde Coffee Stand? New Orleans Icon
Cafe du Monde is the famous New Orleans coffee stand that has served chicory coffee and powdered-sugar beignets in the French Market since 1862. Here is the story.
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What Is Cafe Bustelo? The Latin-Style Espresso Brand
Cafe Bustelo is the bold, dark, finely ground Latin-style espresso coffee in the unmistakable yellow pack. Here is its East Harlem origin story, what makes it Cuban-style, and how people brew it around the world.
Explainer
What Is Black Tea? The Fully Oxidized Tea, Explained
Black tea is fully oxidized tea from the Camellia sinensis plant — bold, dark and higher in caffeine than green tea. Here is how it is made, the main styles, what orange pekoe really means, and how to brew it well.
Explainer
What Is Black Coffee? The Simplest Cup, Explained
Black coffee is simply coffee brewed and served plain, with no milk, cream or sugar. Here is what counts, how it tastes, and how to make a cup worth drinking neat.
Explainer
What Is an Art Cafe? Where Coffee Meets Creativity
An art cafe blends a coffee shop with an art space: rotating exhibitions, work by local artists, sometimes live music or workshops. Here is what defines one, the long history behind it, and what to expect as a visitor.
Explainer
What Is an Arnold Palmer Drink? Iced Tea Meets Lemonade
An Arnold Palmer is iced tea mixed with lemonade, named after the golfer who ordered it. Here is the classic ratio, how to make it, the bottled AriZona version, and the spiked John Daly variant.
Explainer
What Is an Americano? Espresso and Hot Water
An americano is one or two shots of espresso lengthened with hot water — a long, easy-sipping black coffee with espresso character. Here is how it is made hot or iced, and how it differs from a long black and a lungo.
Explainer
What Is an Affogato? Espresso Over Ice Cream
An affogato is a scoop of vanilla gelato "drowned" in a hot shot of espresso. Here is the classic build, why the hot-cold contrast works, the best variations, and how to make one at home.
Explainer
What Is Afternoon Tea? The Tradition, Explained
Afternoon tea is a light British mid-afternoon meal: a pot of tea with finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, and small cakes. Here is what it is, where it came from, and how it differs from cream tea and high tea.
Explainer
What Is a Spanish Latte? Sweet, Creamy Cafe con Leche
A Spanish latte is espresso, steamed milk and sweetened condensed milk poured together into a sweet, creamy coffee. Here is how it is built, hot and iced, how it differs from a plain latte and a cafe au lait, and how to make one at home.
Explainer
What Is a Ristretto? The Short, Sweet Espresso
A ristretto is a "restricted" espresso shot pulled with less water for a smaller, more concentrated yield. The result tastes sweeter and less bitter than a normal shot. Here is how it works, why, and where it shines.
Explainer
What Is a Mocha? The Chocolate Espresso Drink
A mocha is a chocolate-flavored latte: espresso, melted chocolate or cocoa, and steamed milk, often topped with whipped cream. Here is how it is built, hot and iced, plus a simple home recipe.
Explainer
What Is a Macchiato? Espresso Macchiato vs the Rest
A macchiato is espresso "stained" with a touch of milk. Here is how the espresso macchiato, the latte macchiato and the sweet cafe-style caramel macchiato all differ.
Explainer
What Is a Lungo? The Long Espresso, Explained
A lungo is a "long" espresso pulled with more water passing through the same grounds, giving a bigger, more bitter, more open shot. Here is how it works and how it differs from an Americano.
Explainer
What Is a Garden Cafe? Coffee in the Open Air
A garden cafe is a coffee shop built around greenery, courtyards and natural light. Here is what defines the style, why outdoor cafes feel so good, and how park, riverside, beachside and boardwalk variations fit in.
Explainer
What Is a Frappe? The Greek Iced Coffee, Explained
A frappe is the classic Greek iced coffee: instant coffee, cold water and sugar shaken into a thick foam, then poured over ice. Here is its story, how to make one, and how it differs from a Frappuccino.
Explainer
What Is a Flat White? The Microfoam Coffee, Explained
A flat white is espresso topped with steamed milk and a thin, glossy layer of microfoam, served small and coffee-forward. Here is how it differs from a latte and a cappuccino, where it came from, and what makes its texture so distinctive.