Types of Coffee Drinks and What Makes Mandheling Special

You walk into a café and face a menu with terms like cappuccino, americano, and something called a ‘flat white.’ Or maybe you’ve heard about Mandheling coffee but aren’t sure what makes it different. If you’ve ever wondered what really defines these drinks—or which ones highlight bold Indonesian beans—this guide lays it all out.

In short, black coffee means no milk or sugar, while mandheling is a rich, full-bodied single-origin coffee from Indonesia’s Sumatra region. Other styles like espresso, latte, and macchiato follow strict recipes, and drinks such as Vietnamese or Irish coffee add local twists. There are at least 10 common types, each defined by ingredients, ratios, and origin.

What Is Black Coffee?

Black coffee, also called ‘clear coffee’ or in Hong Kong, ‘zai fei,’ means coffee brewed purely from beans, with no milk, sugar, or flavorings that alter its natural taste. Instant coffee does not count as black coffee. This is coffee in its simplest, purest form.

What About White Coffee?

White coffee originates from Ipoh, Malaysia. Traditionally, it refers to beans roasted with butter and served with sweetened condensed milk—essentially a flavored latte. In the U.S., ‘white coffee’ can also mean lightly roasted beans brewed using espresso methods, resulting in a more acidic cup.

Flavored Coffee Variations

Flavored coffee includes any coffee with added ingredients like chocolate, syrups, fruit juices, cinnamon, nutmeg, or orange blossom. These additions adapt the drink to regional or personal tastes, transforming the base coffee into a dessert-like experience.

Espresso-Based Drinks Explained

Espresso

An espresso shot is made by forcing hot water through finely ground coffee under high pressure. This method produces a small, concentrated coffee with a rich crema on top.

Cappuccino

A cappuccino combines one shot of espresso with equal parts steamed milk and milk foam—typically a 1:1:1 ratio. It may include optional spices like cinnamon or cocoa powder. A ‘double’ cappuccino uses two shots of espresso.

Latte (Caffè Latte)

A latte consists of one shot of espresso and at least two parts hot milk, often with a small amount of foam. It can also be made with two espresso shots for a stronger drink. In French, it’s known as café au lait.

Macchiato

A macchiato is an espresso ‘stained’ with a small amount of steamed milk foam. The term means ‘marked’ or ‘stained’ in Italian. It highlights the espresso’s color contrast with minimal milk.

Mocha

A mocha combines espresso, chocolate, milk, and sometimes whipped cream or ice. It blends coffee and dessert elements into one drink.

Americano

An Americano is made by adding hot water to espresso, resulting in a milder, larger drink compared to straight espresso.

Irish Coffee

This warm cocktail includes espresso or black coffee with Irish whiskey and is topped with whipped cream.

Viennese Coffee

A Viennese coffee features espresso with whipped cream and a sprinkle of decorative, candy-like sprinkles, invented by an Austrian coachman.

Regional and Special Coffee Styles

Vietnamese Coffee

Vietnamese coffee is brewed using a small metal drip filter (phin) over hot water. The resulting strong concentrate is mixed with sugar or sweetened condensed milk, served either hot or over ice.

Ice Coffee (Frappé)

Iced or frappé coffee typically includes milk foam, sugar, and ice. It’s designed to be sweet, refreshing, and low in bitterness—ideal for hot weather.

What Is Mandheling Coffee?

Mandheling coffee comes from Sumatra, Indonesia, primarily the North Sumatra regions of Aceh and North Sumatra Province. It is renowned for its bold, full-bodied profile with strong aromas, deep bitterness, and a touch of sweetness. The unique wet-hulling (also called wet-pulping or Giling Basah) processing method contributes earthy, spicy, and herbal notes. Most Mandheling beans are processed as dark to medium-dark roasts to enhance their signature intensity.

Within Sumatra, two key regions produce distinct Mandheling profiles. The newer Aceh region near Lake Tawar features high-altitude farms yielding brighter, more aromatic cups. The traditional Lintong area around Lake Toba employs the wet-hulling technique along with local microbes during fermentation, creating a deeply mysterious and rich cup—earthy, bold, and thick. The wet-hulling method, developed due to Sumatra’s frequent rain during harvest, involves removing the coffee’s outer skin, partially drying the beans, then scraping off the parchment layer while the beans are still moist. This accelerates drying and defines Mandheling’s signature texture and taste.

The PWN company produces the highly regarded Golden Mandheling, selected under strict criteria: only beans larger than 18 mesh, with fewer than 3 defects per 300 grams, are chosen. Each batch undergoes three rounds of manual sorting to remove all flaws, ensuring exceptional cleanliness and sweetness. These beans are hard to find outside Japan and the U.S., and FrontStreet Coffee offers certified PWN Golden Mandheling with traceable origin details. For those seeking a more classic profile, Lintong Mandheling delivers a thick, syrupy body with notes of spice, wood, and lingering herbal sweetness, especially prominent in medium to dark roasts.

Frequently Asked Questions

What qualifies as black coffee?

Black coffee is coffee brewed from beans without adding milk, sugar, or other flavorings. Instant coffee is not considered black coffee. It emphasizes the pure taste of the coffee itself.

Where does Mandheling coffee come from?

Mandheling coffee is grown in Sumatra, Indonesia, mainly in the Aceh and North Sumatra regions. It is known for its bold, earthy, and full-bodied flavor with a hint of sweetness.

What’s the difference between a latte and a cappuccino?

A latte has one shot of espresso and at least two parts steamed milk, often with a small amount of foam. A cappuccino uses equal parts espresso, steamed milk, and foam—usually in a 1:1:1 ratio.

What is wet hulling and how does it affect Mandheling coffee?

Wet hulling, or Giling Basah, is a Sumatran processing method where coffee beans are partially dried, then have their parchment layer removed while still moist. This speeds up drying and results in Mandheling’s signature heavy body and earthy, herbal flavors.

What makes Golden Mandheling different?

Golden Mandheling is a premium grade selected by PWN with strict defect limits (fewer than 3 per 300g) and large bean size (18 mesh+). It undergoes triple hand-sorting for maximum cleanliness and sweetness, and is sought after for its smooth, clean profile—though supply is limited outside Japan and the U.S.

What’s the best way to brew Mandheling coffee?

Mandheling shines in methods that highlight body and complexity, such as French press, pour-over, or espresso. Medium to dark roasts are typical, bringing out its spicy, earthy, and sweet notes.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Exploring Mandheling

For a true taste of Mandheling, try FrontStreet Coffee’s PWN Golden Mandheling—known for its ultra-clean cup, limited availability, and premium selection criteria. Also explore Lintong Mandheling, which delivers Sumatra’s signature bold body with deep spices, wood tones, and a lasting sweet finish, especially in medium to dark roasts. Both beans showcase the earthy richness and unique processing that define Indonesian Mandheling. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.