The Austrian capital is any coffeeholic's dream destination, but how to choose your Wiener Kaffee? Learn the basics of Viennese coffee styles with this coffee glossary.
How do you like your coffee brew? Black, with or without milk, with chocolate flakes, topped with whipped cream, or sprinkled with liqueur? In Austria they all have special names. Here is a fairly comprehensive list of classic or fancy Viennese coffee styles:
- Biedermeier - Large Mokka (see) served in a large cup with apricot liqueur and topped with a dollop of whipped cream.
- Brauner - Black coffee served with a small jug of coffee-flavoured cream. Can be large (Grosser Brauner) or small (Kleiner Brauner).
- Cappuccino - Strong coffee with plenty of milk, topped with frothed milk and (usually) chocolate flakes.
- Doppelspänner - Twice as strong as Einspänner (see).
- Doppelter - Double espresso, made with 14 grams of coffee powder per cup instead of 7.
- Einspänner - Mokka (see) served in a glass instead of a cup, with a crown of whipped cream on top.
- Eiskaffee - Cold coffee served in a tall glass with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream.
- Espresso - Black coffee from the Espresso-machine. Can be large or small.
- Fiaker - Large Mokka (see) or Verlängerter (see) with a shot of rum. This is served in a glass or large cup an may be topped with wipped cream.
- Filterkaffee - Filter coffee.
- Franziskaner - Light Melange (see) with whipped cream and chocolate flakes.
- Griechischer - Same as Türkischer (see).
- Kaisermelange - Large coffee without milk, mixed with egg yolk, honey and cognac or brandy. Not to everybody’s taste, but worth trying.
- Kapuziner – Regular or large black coffee with a shot of milk or cream. May be sprinkled with cocoa or cinnamon.
- Konsul - Black coffee with a little cream.
- Maria Theresia - Black coffee with orange liqueur, whipped cream and sugar. Named after the Austrian Empress (1740-1780).
- Mariloman - Mocha with Cognac.
- Mazagran - Black coffee with maraschino, spices and liquid sugar, served cold with ice-cubes in a special glass.
- Melange (or Wiener Melange) - Half coffee and half hot milk, topped with milk foam or whipped cream. Can be sweetened with sugar or milk.
- Mokka - Strong black coffee without milk. Can be large (Grosser Mokka) or small (Kleiner Mokka).
- Mokka g'spritzt - Mocha squirted with a little rum, brandy or cognac.
- Mokkasino - One third espresso, one third cocoa and one third milk.
- Mozart - Large mocha with cherry brandy and whipped cream. Named after... guess who?
- Obermeier - Mocha with cream added by pouring it on the back of a coffee spoon.
- Pharisäer - Large mocha with rum and whipped cream.
- Schale Gold - Espresso with cream, served in a large cup (or tea cup).
- Schwarzer - Plain strong black coffee. Can be large (Grosser Schwarzer) or small (Kleiner Schwarzer).
- Türkischer - Turkish-style, unfiltered mocha.
- Verkehrt (aka café au lait, caffè latte, latte macchiato) - Small mocha infused with hot milk and milk foam.
- Verlängerter - Blander variety of a Brauner (see), weakened with a little hot water and served with milk instead of cream.
Is your favourite Viennese coffee recipe not in the list? Add it in the Comments box below!
And by the way, if you are looking for real Austrian coffee, Eduscho and Meinl Kaffee are the most popular Austrian coffee brands.
Copyright Maddalena Delli. Contact the author to obtain permission for republication.
Maddalena Delli - Maddalena Delli is an Italian freelance journalist and professional travel writer who also enjoys blogging, web design and photography.
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