The question, does breve have coffee is a question that is often asked by coffee lovers when they first find out about this drink.

The quick answer is yes, a Breve has coffee if you request a breve coffee, however if you only request a breve at Starbucks all you will get is a cup of half and half cream as the breve is only in reference to the cream used.

Keep reading for full details about a breve and the various breve coffee drinks.

Does A Breve Have Coffee?

Yes, a breve has coffee. To be more specific, a breve coffee is made with a single or double shot of espresso depending on the type of breve coffee that you have ordered. As a breve coffee, also known as caffe breve, is a whole category of coffee and tea drinks where regular milk is switched out for half-and-half cream.

Breve, itself, when you order a breve at Starbucks will only give you a cup of half-and-half cream with no coffee at all. You must state the drink that you want the breve with.

Let’s get to more details and talk more specifically about what a breve is.

Read: How to make a breve coffee

What Is A Breve?

Strictly speaking and in the strictest of terms, a breve is only in reference to half-and-half cream.

However,

in the beverage industry, specifically coffee, a breve is in reference to a small, short, concise and creamy decadent coffee often served in a 4.5 Oz (135 ml) Gibraltar glass.

A breve coffee is almost exactly the same as a Spanish cortado, a coffee drink made with a double shot of espresso and steamed milk with only one difference. It is not steamed milk that is used in a breve coffee.

A breve coffee, also known as a cafe breve is a very decadent coffee drink made with a double shot of espresso and steamed half and half in equal amounts. It’s a richer, creamier and more decadent coffee drink than a cortado.

The whole term “breve” spins off a whole classification of coffee drinks where the only difference is the changing of regular milk for steamed half and half cream.

Breve latte, mocha breve, breve cappuccino, breve macchiato, flat white breve, tea breve, London fog breve and more.

You name it, add breve to the name of the drink, and you can enjoy it as a breve.

The only difference between the original and the breve version is the type of dairy used.

What Is Breve At Starbucks?

At Starbucks, you must be clear with your order when you want a breve coffee, request a cafe breve, be sure to use the word cafe. If you forget to, all you will get is a cup of half-and-half cream.

If you want just a cup of half-and-half cream, tell the barista that you want only breve just the half-and-half cream, just to be clear.

At Starbucks, you order almost all their drinks as a breve, which is the exchange of the regular milk for half-and-half cream.

Read: Breve latte

Breve Vs Latte

Let’s compare a breve coffee and a latte, one of the most popular coffee drinks.

Let’s start with a café latte.

A Café Latte

A café latte is one of the most popular coffee beverages in the world and is often made with a double shot of espresso and steamed whole milk using an espresso to steamed milk ratio of 1:2 and then capped with a very fine layer of milk foam.

The type of milk used can vary depending on the coffee drinker. Popular types of milk used are:

• Soy milk.
• Oat milk.
• Coconut milk.
• Almond milk.
• Whole fat milk.
• Skim milk.

The key to making this espresso drink is using quality dark roast coffee beans and the steamed milk of your choice in an espresso to steamed milk ratio of 1:2.

Latte art is very popular with this drink, be it a swan, heart, rosetta or an intricate more complex design.

Breve Coffee

A cafe breve is very different to a regular latte due to being made with a double shot of espresso and steamed half-and-half milk in equal ratios.

Two very different coffee drinks due to both the different ratio and the different dairy used. It’s also very decadent, creamier and with a heavier mouthfeel and richer texture.

For a more complete comparison, let’s talk a little about a breve latte.

Breve Latte

A Breve latte is very similar to both a breve coffee and a latte and takes the best of both worlds using the creamy rich steamed half-and-half cream, a double shot of espresso and an espresso to steamed milk ratio of 1:2.

It is essentially a regular latte with steamed half and half instead of milk.

Breve Coffee Recipe

A breve coffee is easy to make, very easy and can be made in a few minutes. If you have not yet invested in a home espresso machine, now might be a good time to invest in one.

I say invest, as your return on investment is the savings you’ll make at Starbucks and other coffee shops and much, much better coffee at home.

Let’s get to the ingredients that you will need for a breve coffee.

Read: Breve

Breve Coffee – The Ingredients Needed

You need very few ingredients to make this great, delightful and decadent coffee.

• Dark roast coffee beans, whole beans, Italian or French roasts are best.
• Whole fat milk.
• Heavy cream.
• Filtered Or Bottled water.

Making A Breve Coffee – The Instructions

Start by making your half-and-half cream by measuring 1 ounce (30 ml) of both whole fat milk and heavy cream for each breve coffee that you want to make. Mix them well together to make your half-and-half cream.

Weighing your whole dark roasted coffee beans. At Latte Love Brew, we like to brew an espresso the Italian way and that is using a coffee to water ratio of 1:1.5.

Since we need 2 Oz (60 ml) of espresso, a doubleshot we will need to weigh 40 grams of espresso beans per breve coffee that you want to make.

Grind your coffee beans to fine powder like grind size of 200 microns in bursts of 5 seconds and rest of 2 seconds. Grinding in bursts is best to prevent heat build up, and your burr from clogging and clumping.

When your grinds are ready, place them in your portafilter and tamp with a flat and even pressure of 30 kg.

Pull your double shot and time your brewing time.

Your brew time should be 25 seconds with a variance of 5 seconds.

If your brew time is shorter, you will need to adjust your grind size and make it smaller to encourage greater contact. If your brew time is longer, adjust your grind and make it slightly larger to encourage less contact and your hot water to flow better.

When you have the perfect shot, steam your half-and-half cream using the same technique as steaming regular milk. Pour your steamed half-and-half over your espresso and scoop a little milk foam on top.

Serve and enjoy.

Frequently Asked Questions About Does A Breve Have Coffee

Why Is It Called Breve?

Breve is from the Italian language managing little, short, brief, concise and thus a café breve or breve coffee is a brief, short and concise coffee which is a perfect description of a caffe breve.

A breve latte and breve cappuccino or breve macchiato are brief, concise and short versions of respective beverages.

Is A Breve Like A Latte?

Yes, the caffe breve can be said to be an American latte as it is a very Americanisation of an Italian latte. An Italian latte is made with whole milk while a latte is made with steamed half-and-half cream and topped with a little foam.

What Is Starbucks Version Of Breve?

At Starbucks if you only ask for a breve you will get a cup of half-and-half cream with no coffee at all. You must specify if you want a Breve latte or breve cappuccino or a breve cappuccino or whatever drink you want the half-and-half cream in. At Starbuck, as it is with any coffee shop, you can have a breve in any drink you want. In my opinion, the best Starbucks breve is a flat white breve.

Can Breve Be Decaf?

Yes, you have a Breve coffee with any coffee beans that you desire, even as a decaffeinated coffee.

Is Breve Sweeter Than Latte?

Yes, a breve is sweeter than a regular latte and has a creamier taste with a richer silkier texture.

What Is The Taste Of A Breve?

A breve latte is similar to a regular latte but has a creamier and heavier body and mouthfeel and is naturally sweeter without the addition of sugar.

A lot of coffee aficionados treat a breve latte as a dessert than a coffee due to the heavy feel to it.

Is A Breve Keto Friendly?

Surprisingly, yes, caffe breve is Keto friendly with one caveat: you absolutely must request that your Breve is made with heavy cream instead of half-and-half cream as heavy cream has only 0.4 of sugar per tablespoon used, an insignificant amount that will not shift your body out of the ketogenic state.

How Does Dutch Bros Make Breve?

The very tasty and delicious breve coffee by Dutch Bros is a tasty blend of cinnamon syrup, chocolate macadamia nut and white chocolate sauce in a cappuccino breve.

It is a pretty amazing breve!

Final Thoughts – Does A Breve Have Coffee?

If you have read this far you will have that question, does a breve have coffee fully answered, and you are perhaps ready to try a few different and decadent coffee and tea beverages.

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