There are many different types of coffee drinks made from espresso and milk. These coffees are usually distinguished from one another by the amount of milk they contain and by the proportion of the milk that is either steamed or foamed.
This results in undeniably similar drinks – after all, they’re made of the same ingredients – but there is usually a significant enough difference in how they are prepared for even the novice coffee drinker to tell them apart.
However, the distinction between coffees can become much less clear when you start to tweak their recipes, bringing one type of coffee closer to another type.
This is the case with the wet cappuccino. By making a cappuccino “wet,” the drink becomes much more similar to a latte, and it can then be difficult to tell the difference between the two.
However, the two coffees are not the same. In this article, we’re going to clear up the difference between a wet cappuccino and a latte once and for all.
What is a Wet Cappuccino?
A wet cappuccino is a cappuccino that has more steamed milk and less milk foam than a traditional cappuccino.
A traditional cappuccino is a drink of equal thirds. One-third of the coffee is espresso (either one or two shots), one-third of the coffee is steamed milk, and the final third of the coffee – which sits on top of the drink – is a layer of milk foam.
In theory, this strict balance of espresso, steamed milk, and frothed milk is what defines a cappuccino. However, over time, people have begun to change the accepted proportions of the coffee to suit their tastes. This has resulted in the wet cappuccino and the dry cappuccino.
When someone orders a wet cappuccino, they are asking the barista to break the rule of thirds and include more steamed milk in their coffee.
The cappuccino will still be based on one or two shots of espresso, but instead of having an equal amount of steamed milk and foamed milk, there will be more steamed milk and a thinner layer of froth on top.
When someone orders a dry cappuccino, they are asking for the opposite of a wet cappuccino. They want the barista to increase the amount of foamed milk to give a thicker froth on top of the drink, with a reduced amount of steamed milk.
Either way, the amount of espresso doesn’t change. Wet or dry cappuccinos simply adjust the proportions of steamed milk and milk foam in a cappuccino, with the traditional cappuccino of equal thirds being the balanced option in between wet and dry.
What is a Latte?
A latte is a coffee drink made from espresso and steamed milk.
To make a latte, one or two espresso shots are pulled using an espresso machine, then an amount of steamed milk that is double the volume of the espresso is added to the cup. This creates a drink that is one-third espresso and two-thirds steamed milk.
Usually, a latte will also feature a thin layer of foamed milk on top of the steamed milk. However, this layer of milk froth will be significantly thinner than you would find on a cappuccino, which is traditionally one-third milk foam.
The Difference Between a Wet Cappuccino and a Latte
The difference between a wet cappuccino and a latte is that a wet cappuccino has a thicker layer of milk foam on top. Even though the frothed milk on a wet cappuccino is not as thick as the foam on a traditional cappuccino, it is still thicker than the foam on a latte.
In other words, a wet cappuccino sits somewhere between a traditional cappuccino and a latte.
A traditional cappuccino is one-third milk foam. A wet cappuccino cannot be one-third milk foam, as the frothy layer of the wet cappuccino needs to be reduced to make way for more steamed milk.
However, that doesn’t mean that the milk foam is reduced to the level of a latte’s foam.
The layer of foam on a latte is so thin – and the layer of foam on a cappuccino is so thick – that there is room for the wet cappuccino to exist between the two.
Should you order a Wet Cappuccino?
While there is a difference between a wet cappuccino and a latte, whether or not you decide to order one depends on how particular you are about your coffee and how much you trust the skill of your barista.
As explained above, the difference between a wet cappuccino and a latte is subtle and comes down to having slightly more steamed milk and slightly less milk foam.
If you are not too fussy about your coffee, you could just order a cappuccino if you want lots of foam and a latte if you want less. You don’t necessarily need the option of a wet cappuccino in between the two.
And, even if you do order a wet cappuccino, whether you actually receive what you’ve ordered depends on the knowledge and skill of the barista who is making your coffee.
With such a subtle difference between the two drinks, it is easy for a barista to make the mistake of serving your wet cappuccino with too little foam (which makes it a latte) or too much (which makes it a traditional cappuccino).
Is it worth ordering a wet cappuccino? Only you can decide!
FAQ – Wet Cappuccino vs Latte
The difference between a wet cappuccino and a latte is that a wet cappuccino has a thicker layer of milk foam on top. Even though the frothed milk on a wet cappuccino is not as thick as the foam on a traditional cappuccino, it is still thicker than the foam on a latte.
No, a wet cappuccino is closer to a latte but with a thicker layer of milk foam on top. The Flat White, in contrast, is topped by a very thin layer of steamed milk. The thin layer is “flat”, hence the name of the coffee drink.
You add a layer of steamed milk on top of the coffee, as well as a layer of milk foam on top. In contrast to a basic cappuccino that follows the 1/3-rule; equal amounts of espresso, steamed milk, and foamed milk to be used in the preparation.
I’m Joel, an espresso-loving coffee nerd. I got into coffee because I spent a lot of time in Milan as a kid and started liking coffee waaaay too young. I’m all about making sure espresso is treated with the same care as any other coffee – it’s not just a quick drink!
Leave a Reply