Difference Between Wet And Dry Cappuccino – Detailed By A Coffee Lover

Learning the difference between wet and dry cappuccino will help you to understand the cappuccino drinks menu and coffee drinks menu better at your local coffee shop.

The difference is subtle and very easy to understand. It’s all related to the different ratios of steamed milk and milk foam.

Keep reading for the details!

Difference Between Wet And Dry Cappuccino

The difference between a wet and dry cappuccino is the ratio of milk and foam used to make the drinks.

Changing the ratios alters the texture and flavor of the drink. When more milk is used, such is the case with wet cappuccino and super wet cappuccino, the coffee beverage is sweeter and has a reduced airy bubbly texture.

Dry cappuccino and extra dry cappuccino have more foam and less milk, resulting in a stronger and bolder coffee flavor and a cappuccino is that has more of a bubbly airy texture and mouthfeel due to the extra foam used.

Let’s detail all cappuccino drinks as there are many. Understanding them, what they are, will help you to get a greater idea of how different they are, how they are made and get a full understanding of a cappuccino drinks menu.

Read: Bone dry coffee meaning

Traditional Cappuccino

This is the original version of the coffee drink and is also known as an Italian cappuccino, and as a classic cappuccino. You’ve probably enjoyed one many times!

It is made with a single or double espresso, steamed milk and milk foam in equal ratios of 1:1:1. The milk used is whole milk but can be made with any type of milk upon request, including low fat and no fat versions and milk alternatives like coconut milk, oat milk, almond milk, cashew milk, rice milk and soy milk.

You might see a sprinkle of cocoa or chocolate shavings or flakes on top of a fluffy pillow of foam.

A great well-made and well constructed classic cappuccino has a bold coffee taste without being too intense. The bitterness is subdued by the sweetness from the milk. It has a light fun airy texture.

Iced Cappuccino

An iced cappuccino is different from all variations of a cappuccino beverage and not just because of the presence of and use of ice.

It is different due to being the only variant that uses whipped cream.

A classic and traditional iced cappuccino is made with a single or double espresso, cold milk and whipped cream in equal ratios.

You can also order dry, extra dry, wet and super wet iced cappuccino beverages. It is an entire category of drinks in its own right.

Extra Dry Cappuccino

An extra dry cappuccino is the driest of all cappuccino drinks and is also known as a:

• Bone Dry Cappuccino.
• Super Dry Cappuccino.

made with an espresso shot, single or double, and twice as much foam by volume as there is espresso.

No milk other than the milk froth is used to make this drink.

Expect a strong bold coffee with a flavor that is very similar to a straight shot of espresso. The thick foam layer doesn’t alter the flavor of the beverage but alters the texture with a lighter and airier mouthfeel.

Read: What does bone dry cappuccino mean?

Dry Cappuccino

This espresso drink is, as you can imagine, very similar to an extra dry cappuccino with one key and simple difference: a 15 ml (half an ounce) splash of milk is used.

A typical construction of a dry cappuccino is 1 Oz espresso shot with half an ounce of steamed milk and 1.5 oz of steamed milk.

The flavor profile is not as strong and intense as an extra dry cappuccino due to the half ounce of milk providing enough sweetness to subdue the strong espresso. The texture has a light presence and airy mouthfeel from the microfoam with a hint of silky velvet feel.

Super Wet Cappuccino

This variation of a cappuccino you can already guess is the one that uses the most amount of milk.

A super wet cappuccino, also known as an extra wet cappuccino, is very unlike a cappuccino as it has no pillow of foam on the top, this because the drink is not made with any foam at all. It is entirely espresso and steamed milk, using an espresso to steamed milk ratio of 1:2.

This is very similar to a latte, but it is not a latte. I’ll talk about that a little later.

A super wet cappuccino has a very balanced flavor that is sweet due to the amount of milk used. It’s creamy with a rich silky texture with the bold espresso flavor cutting through the milk.

What Is Bone Dry Cappuccino?

A bone dry cappuccino, as perhaps you have already figured out, is very closely related to the dry cappuccino but has no steamed milk used to make it and is all espresso and milk foam.

The flavor is very similar to a straight espresso but has  an airy mouthfeel due to the addition large amount of milk foam.

Read: Bone dry cappuccino

What Is An Extra Dry Cappuccino?

An extra dry cappuccino is exactly the same as a super dry cappuccino and a bone dry cappuccino. Different coffee shops and different baristas may use slightly different terms and language to describe the same drink.

As a quick reminder it is a cappuccino drink that is made with only espresso and milk foam using an espresso to foam ratio of 1:2.

It is a strong and bold tasting coffee drink with a very enjoyable light and airy texture and mouthfeel due to the large amount of milk foam.

It is unfortunately mistaken as an espresso macchiato, which is understandable as they are two very, very similar drinks. I’ll detail their differences in a jiffy.

Dry Coffee Meaning

A dry coffee and the meaning of the term is pretty clear in the world of coffee and coffee drinks.

It means that your coffee is made with a reduced amount of milk than what the regular drink requires.

Extra dry, bone dry, super dry means that the coffee drink is made with no milk at all.

Quick recap:

• Dry Coffee: Made with a reduced amount of milk.
• Bone Dry: Made with no milk at all.

This applies to all drinks when you see the term used, be it a latte, a cappuccino or whatever drink it may be.

Wet Cappuccino Vs Latte

Let’s see how a wet cappuccino, a super wet cappuccino and a latte compare and how they are similar but also very different from a latte.

• Café Latte: An espresso drink with steamed milk using an espresso to steamed milk ratio of 1:2. Has a 2 cm layer of milk foam. Famed for the latte art.
• Super Wet Cappuccino: An espresso beverage with steamed milk using a ratio of 1:2.
• Wet Cappuccino: An espresso drink made with half an ounce less of steamed milk than a super wet cappuccino and has half an ounce of milk foam.

I hope that you are seeing the slight difference between wet cappuccinos and a latte. The drink that is most similar to a latte is a super wet cappuccino. The only difference is a super wet cappuccino has no layer of milk foam at all.

Wet Cappuccino Vs Flat White

A wet cappuccino is infrequently mistaken for flat white. Coffee lovers know how different these two coffee drinks are.

The obvious and clear distinction is the type of espresso drink used to make them. A wet cappuccino is made with a regular standard espresso which is made with a coffee to water ratio of 1:2 while a flat white is made with a much stronger and more focused espresso called a ristretto which is made with a coffee to water ratio of 1:1.

In the construction of a flat white, a double ristretto is used and twice as much steamed milk due to the ristretto to steamed milk ratio of 1:2.

Dry Cappuccino Vs Macchiato

Dry cappuccino of both types, regular dry and extra dry cappuccino similar to a macchiato with one clear difference.

A macchiato is a shot of espresso with a tiny 5 ml teaspoon dash of steamed milk while a dry cappuccino is made with significantly more milk with at least 15 ml (1/2 Oz) of steamed milk and milk foam. An extra dry cappuccino is made with no milk at all.

Dry Cappuccino Vs Flat White

A dry cappuccino and a flat white are two different drinks that are constructed differently and more importantly the base coffee beverage are different due to a flat white being made with a double shot of ristretto while a dry cappuccino is made with a single shot of espresso.

• Flat White: A coffee drink made with a double ristretto and steamed milk using a ristretto to steamed milk ratio of 1:2. It has a very, very thin layer of microfoam on top.
• Dry Cappuccino: A coffee beverage that is made with a shot of espresso, a small amount of steamed milk (typically 15ml), and 45 ml of milk foam.
• Extra Dry Cappuccino: The same as a dry cappuccino except no steamed milk is used and extra foamed milk in its place is added. It’s an espresso shot with twice as much foamed milk.

The more caffeinated of these two drinks is a flat white as it contains 130 mg of caffeine while a dry cappuccino has 75 mg.

Dry Cappuccino vs Cortado

A dry cappuccino and notably an extra dry cappuccino are incredibly similar to the popular Spanish coffee drink, a cortado.

A cortado is a double espresso and steamed milk using an espresso to milk ratio of 1:1. A dry cappuccino is a single shot of espresso with steamed milk using an espresso to steamed milk ratio of 1:1.5, a small 15ml (half an ounce) of milk foam is added on top.

A bone dry cappuccino is a shot of espresso with no steamed milk and twice as much milk foam. Clearly dry cappuccinos are distinctly different from a cortado.

Frequently Asked Questions About Difference Between Wet And Dry Cappuccino

Does A Dry Cappuccino Have Less Calories?

Yes, by definition a dry cappuccino is made with less steamed milk than a standard cappuccino and thus has fewer calories.

A bone dry cappuccino, also known as an extra dry cappuccino, has fewer calories than a dry cappuccino as it is made with no steamed milk at all.

Is A Wet Cappuccino The Same As A Flat White?

No, a flat white and a wet cappuccino are two completely different drinks. Here is the composition of both drinks to give you an indication of how different they are:

• Wet Cappuccino: An espresso-based drink made with a shot of espresso, steamed milk and milk foam. 1 Oz (30 ml) of espresso, 1.5 Oz (45 ml) of steamed milk and 0.5 Oz (15 ml) of milk foam.
• Flat White: an espresso based drink made with a double ristretto and steamed milk using a ristretto to steamed milk ratio of 1:2. Has a fine cap of milk foam.

A flat white is often compared to a latte, which is also different as the type of espresso used in a latte is a traditional espresso and is made with steamed milk in an espresso to milk ratio of 1:2.

What Is A Wet Latte Vs Dry Latte?

The difference between wet latte vs dry latte is the amount of milk used. A traditional latte is made with an espresso to steamed milk ratio of 1:2 while a dry latte is made with an espresso to steamed milk ratio of 1:1.

A dry latte is different from a dry cappuccino due to a notably lesser amount of milk foam used in a dry latte, where only a fine cap is used, while there is significantly more foamed milk in a dry cappuccino.

What Is A Cappuccino With Less Milk Called?

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

What’s The Difference Between A Cappuccino And Cafe Latte?

The difference between a cappuccino and a café latte is the ratios.

A cappuccino is made with the espresso, steamed milk and milk froth in equal ratios and amounts.

A latte is made with espresso and twice as much milk and only a fine cap, a fine layer of milk foam.

Why Does Cappuccino Not Taste Like Coffee?

A cappuccino does not taste like a regular coffee drink due to the equal ratio of steamed milk, which is as standard whole milk, and the airy texture of the milk foam.

What Is The Top Of A Cappuccino Called?

The top of a cappuccino is called the microfoam and has many other names from milk froth, milk foam, foamed milk, frothed milk, or foamy milk.

What Is An Italian Cappuccino?

An Italian cappuccino is another name for a traditional cappuccino and a classic cappuccino. It’s a coffee beverage made with an espresso shot, steamed milk and milk foam in equal amounts.

Final Thoughts – Difference Between Wet And Dry Cappuccino

I hope that you now understand the clear difference between wet and dry cappuccino and know which is which when you see them on the drinks’ menu.

If you have any questions about cappuccinos, wet or dry, ask me; I’ll happily answer.

Join our fun and friendly coffee community and tell us which of the two drinks you prefer, a wet cappuccino or a dry cappuccino. 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