Wet Vs Dry Cappuccino: What's The Difference?

For some, coffee is a simple pick-me-up to start the day. However, delve into the craft, and there's an incredible amount of minutiae to unravel. Baristas pay close attention not only to how they prepare the brew, but also the milk. After all, you've likely heard of famed types of Italian coffee like a macchiato, cappuccino, or latte. Each is distinguished by the ratio of steamed milk, milk foam, and espresso. The cappuccino — an especially beloved option — traditionally contains equal parts of foam and steamed milk poured onto coffee.

However, you can get even more particular with the milk, asking for the cappuccino wet or dry. Order the wet option, and you'll get a more steamed milk-heavy cup. Meanwhile, if you're after more foam, then request it dry. While seemingly minute details, such characteristics have a strong influence on your drinking experience. More steamed milk crafts a sweeter and smoother-tasting cup, while a dry cappuccino lets your innate coffee flavor shine. So keep track of the details to tailor cappuccinos to your taste.

Order a cappuccino wet, and you'll experience a gentler side of the drink. Up to 75% of the milk added to the cup is in the steamed milk, making the dairy much more prominent. Keep in mind that steaming converts lactose to glucose, a compound more discernibly sweet-tasting to the tongue. As a result, a wet cappuccino lessens bold coffee flavors, turning the beverage into a more easy-drinking affair.

Furthermore, more steamed milk creates greater dilution, which further smoothens the coffee. The mouthfeel turns silkier, with added density, minimizing the espresso's effect. If you're a fan of such qualities, you can even request a super wet cappuccino from the barista, which gets rid of the foam entirely. In such a creation, milk takes center stage over coffee, essentially turning into the difference between a cappuccino and latte, but contained in a smaller volume. While still tasty, note it's quite a different experience from the original cappuccino format.

Meanwhile, a dry cappuccino veers into the other direction — it's more foam than steamed milk. As a result, the espresso shines with a more coffee centric, less diluted flavor. Although the drink may appear the same visually, when you start sipping, the foam's accumulation at the top becomes clear. Due to its aerated nature, this forms a suspension over the espresso. While it still tinges the brew, the texture of the pulled shot is less impacted. As a result, it's trickier to nail down latte art with such consistency.

In terms of taste, the palate of the espresso comes through, with more acidity as well as added boldness. The exact flavor depends on the beans employed and how the espresso is prepared. And the coffee temperature remains hotter, further impacting the flavor. The precise amount of foam in a dry cappuccino is also malleable; so in short, the exact taste depends on the barista.

If you enjoy such coffee with a strong character, you can even veer into bone dry territory, meaning it's all foam. Such a beverage consists of minimal mingling between dairy and coffee — the espressos sipped through the foam. Essentially a bigger macchiato, this coffee style is best suited for those who enjoy espresso straight. In fact, it's remarkable the drink is even considered a cappuccino. So if you're keen to drink a coffee somewhere between a macchiato and a latte, the dry and wet monikers will help you explore the nuance.