Understanding Coffee
In most modern specialty coffee, it can be easy to get lost in the variety of options that are offered on any given menu. To make things easier for you all, we wanted to take this opportunity to give you a quick, accessible breakdown of our menu that helps you learn about coffee in a fun way!
Here at Crossroads we have lots of options for you to choose from! We offer a plethora of different brew methods as well as different coffee bean options and very specific types of coffee. We have a wide variation of espresso drinks. To get you more familiar, we will give you a careful breakdown of what is on our espresso menu and what each drink actually consists of.
Don’t like coffee? Well you’re in luck because we have a variety of non-coffee alternatives, too. For those of you seeking something non caffeinated or just need a nice change in pace, we are here for you! Keep reading to learn all about all the non-coffee drinks you can choose from!
We hope we can inspire you to try something new and help make your entire coffee experience at Crossroads the best it can be!
Our Coffee Options
Our main focus at this time is traditional drip coffee and specialty espresso, but of course we also offer cold brew and iced coffee.
We grind all of our coffee fresh to brew. There is a good chance that the drip coffee we serve you was brewed within the hour of your visit to our shop. For our espresso drinks, our coffee is ground right in front of you as you place your order - as our baristas are always attentive and ready to get your caffeine fix in your hands as soon as possible!
Perkatory Coffee Roasters out of Middletown, CT is currently our main source for our beans, and we have also been working with a brand-new, small batch roaster called Sleeping Giant Coffee Co. based out of Bethany, CT. Serving everything from blends that are darker roasts with more nutty flavor profiles, to fruitier African coffees that are naturally processed light roasts – we love having a selection of coffee that caters to every customer. Taking this a step further, you can even pair your pastry with an accompanying coffee that complements each other! This goes for our espresso as well – there is always a different roast to try that we have dialed in for that week. Our passion for serving different coffee and finding out which roast is served best on which brew method is ever-changing and always expanding.
Let’s Talk Espresso
Next, we would like to introduce you to a concise breakdown of espresso drinks we offer, along with some common misconceptions customers often have about coffee drinks. For example, a really common one being americano versus a red eye. Americanos are simply espresso and water. Served hot or iced, the drink is very close to regular coffee. However, sometimes it is thought of as regular drip coffee or coffee with an additional shot of espresso added – which is a red eye. Add an extra double shot to make it a black eye. The second most common misunderstanding would be traditional macchiatos - popular chains make macchiatos with a lot of syrup and sweeteners with whipped cream, making it an unmixed iced latte. Traditional macchiatos on the other hand are a single or double espresso with a tiny bit of foam, sometimes having very small latte art designs depending on the style of the shop. By definition, the word “macchiato” means “stained”, essentially meaning the milk foam is “staining” the espresso – creating a delightful 1-2 ounce drink to enjoy.
A Full Espresso Breakdown
Here is our selection of espresso beverages carefully broken down with descriptions on the traditional definitions, as well as our methods of serving them:
Espresso: The basis of all the best classic specialty coffee shop beverages. Served as a single or double, this 1-2 oz drink is immensely rich in flavor profile with a thick crema on the top layer of the beverage. 18-22 grams of ground coffee into a portafilter, high temperature water is forced through the coffee at intense pressure levels for 25 -30 seconds to produce an evenly extracted foundational beverage.
Macchiato: Single or double shot of espresso with a tiny bit of foam, sometimes with latte art depending on the coffee shop. 1-2 oz.
Americano: Double shot of espresso pulled onto fresh hot water, preserving the crema of the espresso and producing a rich drink. Hot: 12, 16, 20 oz. Iced: 16, 20, 24 oz.
Red/Black Eye: Regular drip coffee with an additional shot of espresso. A black eye is an extra double shot. Hot: 12, 16, 20 oz. Iced: 16, 20, 24 oz.
Cortado (or Gibraltar): Double espresso with equal parts steamed milk, this drink is the perfect mixture of espresso flavor and a creamy drink to sip on. Certainly a staff favorite! Hot, 4 oz.
Flat White: Double espresso with steamed milk and delicate layer of foam, thinner and more delicate than a latte. 6-8oz.
Latte: Served hot, double espresso with steamed milk and foam with your choice of flavor. Another great drink to sip on, there’s always fun seasonal combinations to try. Iced, double espresso with milk and your choice of flavor shaken together to create a perfect foamy mixture. Hot: 12, 16, 20 oz. Iced: 16, 20, 24 oz.
Cappuccino: Single or double espresso, traditionally with thicker steamed milk and 1/3 foam. Hot: 12, 16, 20 oz.
Cafe au Lait: 2/3 drip coffee, 1/3 steamed milk. Hot: 12, 16, 20 oz.
What Can I Add to my Coffee?
Additionally, all of our syrups and flavors are house made from scratch with fresh ingredients from our garden! Feel free to add these to any beverage for an extra little kick of flavor. There are lots of great coffee pairings, like Crossroad’s signature flavor – rosemary vanilla, best served in an iced latte with oat milk.
We hope this information helps you for your future visits to Crossroads Coffee, and we can’t wait to serve you some of these special beverages!
No Caffeine No Problem!
While we are primarily a coffee shop, we also serve a plethora of non-coffee beverages both caffeinated and caffeine free. Following is a careful breakdown and description of each beverage:
Brewed Tea: Served hot or iced, we have quite a few options for fresh brewed tea. Both options are brewed and steeped for minimum 2 minutes at 200°. Hot: 12, 16, 20 oz. Iced: 16, 20, 24 oz.
Chai Latte: A house made blend of probably every spice you can think of, with an additional fun Crossroads spin on the drink. Kick back and relax with this mildly caffeinated beverage - served hot or iced, and sweetened or unsweetened with any of our house made flavors. Hot: 12, 16, 20 oz. Iced: 16, 20, 24 oz.
Matcha Latte: Matcha is a traditional Japanese way of brewing green tea. Made with green tea leaves ground into a powder, it is then mixed together with 200° water and your choice of steamed milk/sweetener! Matcha is always a great way to have a bit of caffeine to refresh, especially in the afternoon. Hot: 12, 16, 20 oz. Iced: 16, 20, 24 oz.
Golden Milk: Providing many natural benefits and containing rich antioxidants, turmeric based drink is warm and spiced with ginger and cinnamon. All of these spices mixed together may help to improve overall brain function and digestion, as well as improvements to mood and immune health! Add vanilla to have it taste almost like a spiced hot chocolate. Hot: 12, 16, 20 oz. Iced: 16, 20, 24 oz.
Steamers/Hot Chocolate: A popular choice for our younger companions, steamers can be made with your choice of milk paired with any of our syrups for a nice caffeine free pick-me-up. With our house made mocha, Crossroads Hot Chocolate is to die for! Some have even said it tastes like a melted gourmet brownie… Hot: 12, 16, 20 oz.
Spice it Up!
Here at Crossroads, not only do we love to have plenty of fun options for everyone – but we also really enjoy putting our own spin on things and spicing them up in Crossroads style!
We have featured drinks every month, from coffee beverages like rosé lattes to watermelon refreshers – there is always something new to try. Brewed coffee is one of our favorite beverages here, and all of us really enjoy changing up the variety with different roasts and brew methods to taste. Even with espresso, we are always dialing in new coffees every week and seeing how they pair with our drinks and syrups, as well as always researching and staying up to date on espresso beverages to experiment with.
As a new and inspired coffee shop, our passion to learn and keep learning is what helps to define who we are – and we cannot wait until you stop in to try something new!
New to specialty coffee? Check out this little "quiz" to figure out your perfect drink!