Breve Vs Latte – The Definitive Comparison By A Coffee Lover!

In the comparison of a Breve Vs Latte you will end up learning a lot more about both of these two tasty coffee drinks and as a nice secondary effect improve your coffee knowledge and gain a better understanding of the modern coffee menus and the drinks that are on them.

If you are in a rush, here is the quick difference between the two coffee beverages:

A breve is made with steamed half-and-half cream in an equal ratio and amount as there is espresso while a latte is made with 1/3 espresso and 2/3 steamed milk and a cap of microfoam and latte art.

Keep reading for more detail on both a breve and latte, how they taste, look, caffeine and calorie count.

Breve Vs Latte

Let’s get right to comparing these two espresso based beverages and talk about what makes up these two drinks:

• Breve Latte: An espresso-based drink made with a double shot of espresso and steamed half-and-half cream in equal amounts using a ratio of 1:1.
• Latte: An espresso-based coffee drink made with espresso and steamed milk in a coffee to milk ratio of 1:2. Capped with a fine layer of milk foam. May have some amazing latte art on top.

A latte is milky with light coffee flavors breaking through the milk while a caffe breve is creamier and with a richer mouthfeel.

Read: Latte Vs Mocha Vs Cappuccino

What Is A Breve?

A breve coffee drink is a rich and creamy coffee drink often referred to as an Americanized version of a caffe latte. It’s made with a shot of espresso and steamed half-and-half cream to produce a rather lovely, rich tasting and delicious treat.

What Does A Breve Taste Like?

A café breve is sweet, rich and creamy due to the half-and-half cream. It’s sweet without the need to add sugar or any alternative sweetener. It’s like a latte with a notably heavier body.

It’s more of a sweet dessert than a coffee drink, for this reason coffee fans and lovers of a café breve add caramel, chocolate or a flavored syrup.

Why Is It Called A Breve?

The name of a breve is from Italian, and surprisingly old English too. Both translations from Italian and old English describe the drink perfectly – Brief.

That is exactly what a breve is, a brief short coffee drink.

What Is A Latte?

A Latte is without question the most identifiable and best known coffee drink in the world. Made with espresso coffee and twice as much steamed milk and a layer of milk foam that forms the canvas for some truly amazing latte art designs.

Traditionally it is whole milk that is used to make a latte but now, and thanks to the modernization of coffee during the third wave of coffee a whole range of alternative milks like oat milk, almond milk, coconut milk and soy milk are great choices.

Read: Does mocha have caffeine?

What Does A Latte Taste Like?

A latte is milky, mild and creamy due to the milk content being twice as much as the espresso base. Light and lovely coffee flavors and acids break through and are tones down by the lactose.

This coffee drink has a very rich silky and velvet like mouthfeel from the steamed milk. It’s very enjoyable as it is and can be enhanced with the addition of spices and flavored syrups.

Breve Vs Latte – Their Differences

The standout and distinct difference between these two coffee drinks is the type of dairy used to make them. A traditional latte is made with whole fat milk while a breve is made with half-and-half milk.

The result is a different texture, taste and mouthfeel as well as a large difference in calories.

Breve Vs Latte – Taste

The steamed half-and-half cream makes a breve coffee rich and creamy. The process of steaming the half-and-half cream produces a light caramel taste. The closer coffee to milk ratio results in a more dominant coffee taste.

Compared to a humble latte which is creamy, sweet and with light coffee flavors breaking through the milkiness.

Breve Versus Latte – Their Composition

The composition of each of these coffee beverages are that a breve is made with 50% espresso and 50% steamed half-and-half cream. A Latte and its composition is 33.33% espresso and 66.67% steamed whole milk and topped with a fine layer of milk froth.

Breve Vs Latte – Their Appearance

A breve is very easy to recognize and identify due to the notably thicker half-and-half cream and the separation of the espresso in distinct layers.

It looks a lot like a bone dry cappuccino.

A latte is a drink where the espresso and steamed milk are mixed in a fashion where the creaminess of the milk and the espresso flavor are equally distributed. It’s easily recognizable with the latte art.

Breve Vs Latte Caffeine Content

The caffeine content of a Breve is 150 milligrams per 4 ounce serving. It’s a small and highly caffeinated coffee. A latte is no slouch either with an ample 75 mg to 150 milligrams of caffeine depending on the size of the coffee drink.

Breve Vs Latte Calories

The number of calories in these two coffee drinks without anything added, no spices, no sugars and no syrups is from 100 calories to 250 calories for a latte and 200 calories for a 4-ounce caffé breve.

Check the table below for details.

Iced Breve Vs Latte

These drinks, iced breve Vs Latte, are as follows:

• Iced Breve: A double shot of espresso with steamed half-and-half cream in a ratio of 1:1 and ice to make the drink nice and cool.
• Latte: An espresso based beverage with steamed milk in a ratio of 1:2.

Despite an iced breve having ice it is still brewed hot, and the half-and-half cream is still steamed. The only difference between a breve and an iced breve is the temperature at which the drink is served. It’s still a decadent creamy and rich coffee drink.

A latte, iced or hot, is still the same drink. It’s a milk coffee where the milk dominates and has a rich silky texture.

Read: Latte Vs Mocha

Breve Vs Latte Vs Cappuccino

To get a better overview of these three coffee drinks, let’s list what makes up each of these drinks side by side:

• Breve Coffee: Made with a double espresso and an equal amount of steamed half-and-half.
• Latte Coffee: A popular espresso based drink with a shot or two of espresso and steamed milk in a 1:2 coffee to milk ratio.
• Cappuccino: An Italian coffee drink with espresso base, steamed milk and frothy milk foam in ratios of 1:1:1.

The slight difference in the ingredients and how these three drinks are prepared makes for three different tasting coffees.

A breve, more of a dessert than a coffee in my opinion, even though it can be enjoyed as coffee drink is creamy, rich and to be honest delightful. The taste of coffee is more prominent than a latte but much less than a cappuccino.

A latte is more enjoyed for the light and mild coffee taste, which is mostly hidden beneath the milkiness of the drink. Enjoyable for the rich velvety mouthfeel.

A cappuccino has a strong but balanced coffee taste. Some would say the perfect balance between coffee and milk due to the 1:1 ratio of the espresso to steamed milk. The light airy and bubbly mouthfeel from the large layer of milk foam makes it a fund and enjoyable drink.

Frequently Asked Questions About Breve Vs Latte

Is Breve Better Than Latte?

What is better is entirely subjective and varies based on coffee taste and preference. If you are looking for a healthier coffee drink with lower fat, cholesterol and calories, a latte is better. A caffe latte is made with espresso, steamed milk or steamed low fat milk and milk froth.

A Breve coffee is made with half-and-half milk or half heavy cream and half light cream. It’s a coffee beverage with a rich creamy taste. If that is what you love, then this will be a great choice for you.

Is Breve Sweeter Than Latte?

Yes, while a latte can be made sweeter with the addition of sugar or simple sugar. A breve latte is naturally sweeter due to the extra sugar in the half-and-half cream.

What Is Difference Between Breve And Latte?

A latte is made with a shot of espresso and steamed whole milk using a coffee to milk ratio of 1:2. A fine 2 cm cap of milk foam and latte art is added to the top.

A caffe breve is made with a shot of espresso and half-and-half cream using a coffee to milk ratio of 1:1. Due to the higher fat content, breve coffee has a richer, silkier texture.

Is A Breve Latte Healthy?

A breve latte when enjoyed in moderation is not too bad for your health. They will become an unhealthy choice if you make it your daily coffee.

Other lattes are healthier, particularly a skinny latte made with zero fat milk.

Why Is It Called A Breve?

A Breve coffee gets its name from the meaning of the word which means brief in the Italian language. The coffee drink is precisely that, short, small and brief.

What Does Starbucks Call A Breve?

At Starbucks, the drink that they refer to as a café breve is a latte that is made with a shot of espresso and half-and-half in an equal amount.

Final Thoughts – Breve Vs Latte

If you have read this far, you know the differences between a Breve Vs Latte and as a bonus, a cappuccino too and as a result have a greater understanding of their flavors, texture and of course their composition.

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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