Have you ever wondered what type of coffee grounds Starbucks uses when making its famous lattes? Whether you’re a longtime fan or only starting to explore the world of Starbucks, it’s important to know the nitty-gritty details for a wholesome coffee experience.
What coffee does Starbucks use for lattes? Starbucks lattes are made with espresso shots from Starbucks’ signature espresso roast, which is a blend of beans from Latin America and Asia/Pacific. The espresso roast has a rich flavor with notes of caramelized sugar and cocoa. It is also the base for many of their other drinks such as cappuccinos, macchiatos, mochas, and Americanos.
What Coffee Does Starbucks Use For Lattes?
While we answered the question briefly above, it’s time to dive deep.
By now, you know that you’re going to need an espresso shot to make a Latte.
Starbucks makes these espresso shots from a blend of coffee beans that have been specially roasted to perfection. They call it the ‘Signature Espresso Roast’.
If you’re planning to make an espresso shot at home, you can make one with a Blonde roast, Medium roast, or Dark roast. All of it will do just fine.
Coming back to Starbucks, they source their beans from the best coffee-growing farms in Latin America, and Asia Pacific regions. They also use only Arabica beans which are way better than Robusta beans.
Arabica beans have a richer flavor profile and are the best ones to make a delectable cup of coffee. It’s a good thing that Starbucks sticks to it rather than making compromises.
How Does Starbucks Choose the Right Espresso for Their Lattes?
As we explained above, you can make espresso shots with pretty much any kind of roast.
Whether you have a medium roast or a light roast, you can still make an espresso shot out of it. But the roast definitely has a role to play in the final taste of the espresso which will also affect the taste of the latte.
That’s why Starbucks exclusively uses its Signature Espresso roast for making its espresso shots.
What’s the Signature Espresso Roast?
The signature Espresso Roast is a dark roast that imparts a bittersweet taste to the final espresso shot. This roast has a bold and intense flavor which reflects well in the resulting espresso. You can also taste some caramel goodness in your espresso.
Why does Starbucks choose this particular espresso?
Well, for one, it works for them.
With its intense flavor and aroma, the Signature Espresso Roast helps Starbucks make that perfect latte that we all love.
It is also one of the most popular espresso roasts preferred by coffee lovers around the world.
They also have a blonde espresso roast, but we doubt they use it to make the espresso that will be used for their lattes.
Can You Make a Starbucks Latte at your Home? [What’s The Secret?]
Starbucks is great, but it’s also very expensive. Don’t want to waste your hard-earned money on a Starbucks drink?
Try making your own latte at home.
Here’s what you’ll need.
- Starbucks Espresso Roast Coffee Beans
- Grinder (optional)
- Espresso Machine (or an alternative)
- 2% Milk
- Milk Frother (optional)
- Flavoring agents
Step 1 – Picking the Right Coffee Beans
To make a proper latte, you’ll need to pick the right beans. We recommend using Starbucks’ Signature Espresso Roast, as it will give you a bold and intense flavor that works well with the milk-based latte.
If you can’t find the Signature Espresso Roast, you can use other dark roast coffee beans or espresso grinds instead.
Do keep in mind that if you’re going to use other roasts apart from the signature roast, the taste of your espresso is going to change accordingly. To get your latte as close as possible to the original Starbucks latte, make sure to use a Signature Espresso roast blend from Starbucks.
Step 2 – Grinding the Beans
If you have a coffee bean grinder at home, try grinding the beans as finely as possible.
If you don’t have a coffee grinder, no worries.
You can go to your nearest Starbucks and ask them to grind your beans, provided you got your coffee beans from them.
If you got purchased your coffee beans elsewhere, you can take your beans to a grocery store with a coffee grinder and they’ll get the job done for you.
Just make sure you’re getting a very fine grind as it is the right type of grind for making an espresso shot.
If you’re looking to avoid this step altogether, you can buy pre-ground espresso beans. There are tons of options available. Get the closest ground coffee that will get you a proper espresso shot.
Step 3 – Preparing the Espresso Shot
Once your beans are finely ground, it’s time to get brewing.
First, fill up your espresso machine with water and turn it on. Once the water has heated up, start making the espresso shot by pressing the coffee grounds into the portafilter.
Make sure to press it down as evenly and firmly as possible.
Once all of the water has been pushed through, you’ll have your perfect espresso shot ready for a latte!
What if you don’t have a $1000 espresso machine? Don’t worry. We’ve got you!
You can use several alternatives to make an espresso shot.
If you have a french press, you can easily make your espresso shot without any issues. Here’s our explainer on how you can make espresso with a french press. Do give it a read!
You can also try other options like the ones below.
Keurig
If you have a Keurig at home, you’re good when it comes to espresso.
Pick the lowest setting in your Keurig and it will yield 6oz of coffee. Usually, an espresso shot is only 30ml, but with the right espresso roast blend, we can get the right output.
Just make sure to use a K-cup with dark roast and fine grounds. That’ll get the job done.
Nespresso
The Nespresso, as the name suggests, is another way to make an espresso shot.
Once again, we are going to use the lowest setting in this machine and that will give us a yield of 40ml which is almost perfect for a homemade espresso shot.
Aeropress
Of all the methods mentioned above, the Aeropress is the most flexible one.
It is super customizable and you can get the perfect espresso shot with it.
Just make sure to use a dark roast and grind your beans as finely as possible before packing the filter.
The Aeropress is also a great option if you’re looking to replace your french press. Just saying!
Step 4 – Frothing the Milk
Once your espresso shot is ready, it’s time to froth the milk.
Remember, you need 2% frothed or steamed milk for this step. The brand doesn’t matter but if you’re going by the book you can get the Lucerne milk that Starbucks uses.
For a latte, you are going to need 2 parts of frothed milk and 1 part of espresso. So if you have 30 ml of espresso prepared, take 60 ml of milk and froth the dairy out of it.
Note: If you’re vegan, you can opt for vegan alternatives like almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, or any vegan milk of your choice.
Now, there are two ways to froth your milk – using an electric steamer or a manual steaming wand. If you have an electric steamer, use it to foam up your milk according to the instructions that come with it.
If you have a manual steaming wand, first heat up the milk in a pan and then use the wand to froth it. Make sure to get a nice milk foam.
Just make sure that you don’t over-froth your milk as it will ruin the taste of your latte. Keep an eye on it so that you get it just right!
Step 5 – Assembling the Latte
Now, it’s time to assemble your latte.
Start by pouring the foamed milk into a mug and then slowly pour in the espresso shot.
Gently stir the two together and you have your perfect Starbucks-style latte ready! You can also add flavoring agents or sweeteners to make the latte to your taste.
Adding a little vanilla syrup can make it a vanilla latte. But do avoid adding white sugar to your latte. Here are some healthy ways to sweeten your coffee.
You can also top it off with some cinnamon or chocolate powder if you want to get extra fancy with your coffee drink.
And there you have it – a perfect cup of Starbucks-style latte that will make a Starbucks barista jealous!
So go on, give yourself the treat and make a delicious homemade Starbucks coffee right now!
