How To Make A Bone Dry Cappuccino Like A Pro Barista!

Learning how to make a bone dry cappuccino like a pro barista is easy and only requires concentration and a little know-how when it comes to pulling the perfect shot of espresso that this drink requires.

It’s easy, very easy, you’ll master in quickly.

Keep reading for the details.

How To Make A Bone Dry Cappuccino

Making a bone dry cappuccino is one of the easiest coffee beverages to make. I’ll show exactly how to make the best possible bone dry cappuccino way better than your local barista.

Before I get to the details, let’s talk about that tasty drink.

Read: Bone dry cappuccino meaning

What Is A Bone Dry Cappuccino?

A bone dry cappuccino is the strongest cappuccino variant. It has a bold, strong taste and a light airy texture.

It is the all too familiar traditional cappuccino with two fundamental differences: it is made with no steamed milk and has notable more milk foam.

The construction of a bone dry cappuccino made with a single shot of espresso is as follows:

• 1 Oz (30 ml) espresso.
• 2 Oz (60 ml) milk foam.

No steamed milk at all is used.

What Is An Extra Dry Cappuccino?

An extra dry cappuccino is exactly the same as a bone dry cappuccino, all part of the gourmet coffee lingo! It is not another exotic cappuccino drink. It is simply a cappuccino that is made with a shot of espresso or two and twice as much thick milk foam on top.

How To Order A Bone Dry Cappuccino At Starbucks

A bone dry cappuccino at Starbucks is a coffee drink that is very easy to order. By far the easiest way of ordering the drink is to simply ask the barista for it directly.

It is unforeseeable or unthinkable to consider that the average Starbucks barista makes and brews around 100,000 drinks per year, this is based on the assumption of making only 300 drinks per day which is a very conservative estimate.

I absolutely doubt that the barista that you ask has not heard of the drink that you want to order, no matter how rare or odd it may sound.

As far as a bone dry cappuccino is concerned, it is a very commonly asked for drink. They will absolutely know what it is and how to make it.

Read: Extra dry cappuccino

Dry Cappuccino Vs Flat White

These two drinks may appear to be the same and very similar, but they are in fact two completely different drinks.

A flat white, to be super clear, is made with a very specific espresso base called a ristretto.

Let’s look at the composition of the two drinks:

• Flat White: An espresso based beverage made with a double ristretto and a ristretto to steamed milk ratio of 1:2. Has a fine layer of milk foam.
• Dry Cappuccino: An espresso-based coffee drink that is made with a shot of espresso, steamed milk and milk foam.

A dry cappuccino is typically a single one ounce (30 ml) espresso shot with 0.5 Oz (15 ml) of steamed milk and 1.5 Oz (45 ml) of milk foam.

A ristretto is a smaller and more concentrated espresso that uses a coffee to water ratio of 1:1 and is typically only ⅔ Oz (20 ml).

How To Make A Bone Dry Cappuccino Like A Pro Barista

To make a truly amazing bone dry cappuccino (also known as an extra dry cappuccino) it is best that you use premium quality dark roasted whole coffee beans. Italian roast works best.

It is your own choice if you want to use a blend or single origin beans.

At Latte Love Brew we encourage you to use the best possible ingredients in order to get the best possible results.

This includes you water just as much as it does your coffee beans. Coffee is 98% water and thus the better your water quality, the better your coffee will be.

At minimum, use filtered water. Bottled water is best.

Start by weighing your freshly roasted premium quality coffee beans. Weigh 15 grams per shot that you want to make.

Grind your coffee beans to a fine 200 micron coffee grind size using a ceramic flat burr grinder. Your grind should resemble grains of sand.

Read: Bone dry cappuccino

When you are grinding your coffee beans, use the burst technique of grinding for 5 seconds and pausing for 3 seconds. This technique is best as it helps to prevent clumping and reduces heat transfer from the burr to the beans.

Once you have your ground coffee, put it in your portafilter and proceed to tamp your coffee grounds.

Tamp with a good even pressure of 30 kg. An uneven tamp will lead to channeling and too low or too high a pressure will lead to a poor flow rate of your hot water.

Put your digital coffee scale below your coffee cup and pull your shot of espresso and time how long it takes to extract.

Your shot should weigh 30 grams (1 Oz) and the extraction should be 25 seconds with a variance of 5 seconds.

If your coffee is extracted too quickly, it will have a slightly sour taste and will be under extracted. The two most common causes are too light a tamp and too large a grind size.

Make the necessary adjustment, first trying a smaller grind size.

If your espresso takes too long to extract, the two most common reasons are too firm a tamp and too small a grind size. First try with a slightly larger grind size and brew another espresso.

Once you have the perfect shot of espresso. Steam your milk. Use full fat whole milk as this produces the best quality milk that has greater structural integrity and stronger foam that will hold its form for longer.

Steam your milk with a focus on making high quality foam. Add twice as much, by volume, of foam as there is espresso.

Serve and enjoy your bone dry cappuccino.

Frequently Asked Questions About How To Make A Bone Dry Cappuccino

How Can A Cappuccino Be Bone Dry?

A cappuccino can be bone dry by making it without steamed milk and with only espresso and a milk foam pillow.

What Is The Difference Between A Macchiato And A Bone Dry Cappuccino?

To highlight the difference and the similarities between a macchiato and a bone dry cappuccino it is best to define both drinks.

Let’s look at an accurate description of both drinks.

• Macchiato: An espresso shot with a dash of steamed milk; typically only a teaspoon of milk is used. May or may not have a dollop of milk foam.
• Bone Dry Cappuccino: An espresso based drink made with a shot of espresso and an equal amount of milk foam. No steamed milk is used.

How Much Milk Is In A Dry Cappuccino?

A dry cappuccino by definition is dry and has a reduced amount of milk in comparison to a regular cappuccino but more than a bone dry cappuccino. For a cappuccino made with a single shot of espresso, use half an ounce (15 ml) of milk.

What Are The Two Types Of Cappuccino?

There are several types of cappuccino and more than two types.

Here are the different types of cappuccino:

• Classic Cappuccino: A regular cappuccino made with a shot of espresso, steamed milk and milk foam in equal amounts.
• Wet Cappuccino: An espresso based drink made with steamed milk and milk foam. More steamed milk is used and less foam than a classic cappuccino.
• Super Wet Cappuccino: Very similar to a wet cappuccino, made with more liquid milk and no layer of thick foam on top.
• Dry Cappuccino: Similar to a traditional cappuccino with less milk but more milk froth.
• Extra Dry Cappuccino: Also known as a bone dry cappuccino is an espresso drink with only espresso and extra foam. It’s a standard cappuccino with no milk but with more foam.
• Iced Cappuccino: An iced coffee drink made with espresso, steamed milk and whipped cream.

What Is A Cappuccino With Less Milk Called?

A cappuccino with less milk is called a dry cappuccino. A cappuccino with no milk is called an extra dry cappuccino or a bone dry cappuccino.

What Is A Cappuccino Without Milk Called?

A cappuccino without milk is called a bone dry cappuccino or an extra dry cappuccino.

Is Cappuccino Better With Milk Or Water?

A cappuccino is better with milk. You can use any type of milk, including oat milk, cashew milk, rice milk, soy milk, coconut milk, almond milk, but whole milk is best.

What Is The Proper Cappuccino Ratio?

The proper and correct ratio for a cappuccino for all three components is 1:1:1.

 Final Thoughts – How To Make A Bone Dry Cappuccino

If you have read this far you now know how to make a bone dry cappuccino and I hope you are enjoying the results and sipping a tasty bone dry cappuccino!

Join our fun and friendly coffee community and share the results of your brewing and tell us what beans you are brewing with. Find us on Facebook/Meta.

Derek Marshall

Derek Marshall, a certified barista by the Specialty Coffee Association possesses over two decades of experience in specialty coffee shops. He holds professional certifications for coffee brewing and barista skills. Derek is also an author with authoritative books covering various coffee topics including specialty coffee, sustainability and coffee, coffee brewing, coffee recipes, coffee cocktails and books focusing on Brazilian coffee, Vietnamese coffee, Indonesian coffee and Malaysian coffee. As a barista for over two decades, Derek Marshall has worked in specialty coffee shops across the United Kingdom, Spain, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. His expertise extends to the distinct coffee cultures, specialty beverages, and brewing techniques of each nation. Functioning as a coffee consultant, Derek charges US$50 per hour. To learn more about Derek Marshall and Latte Love Brew, visit his About Me Page. For coffee inquiries, contact him at +34-639-410-375 or Derek@LatteLoveBrew.com, mentioning your name and location