Espresso Drinks
Complete guide for making espresso-based coffee drinks on the De'Longhi Eletta Explore machine.
Overview
All espresso drinks are made using the De'Longhi Eletta Explore automatic espresso machine with Starbucks espresso beans. The machine grinds fresh beans, brews espresso, and froths milk automatically for each drink.
Equipment: De'Longhi Eletta Explore Guide
Key Difference: Hot vs. cold drinks use different milk frother attachments:
- Hot drinks = Hot milk jug
- Cold drinks = Cold milk jug (blue one)
Our Espresso Drink Menu
1. Americano
Description: Espresso shots diluted with hot water Caffeine: High Difficulty: Easy (no milk needed) Prep time: ~30 seconds
How to Make:
- Place cup under spout
- Touch "Americano" on touchscreen
- Press START
- Machine dispenses espresso + hot water automatically
- Ready to serve in ~30 seconds
Customizations:
- Size: Can adjust water amount
- Extra shot: Add additional espresso (check machine settings)
- Sweetener: Offer simple syrup or sugar
Popular with: Customers who want strong coffee without milk
2. Latte
Description: Espresso with steamed milk and light foam Caffeine: High Difficulty: Easy Prep time: ~60 seconds
How to Make:
- Ensure hot milk jug is attached (NOT cold jug)
- Fill milk jug with fresh whole milk
- Place cup under spout
- Touch "Latte" on touchscreen
- Press START
- Machine grinds beans, brews espresso, froths milk automatically
- Ready in ~60 seconds
Customizations:
- Milk type: Whole (default), oat, almond, soy
- Size: Regular (16oz) or Large (20oz)
- Extra shot: Additional espresso
- Sweetener: Vanilla, caramel, or simple syrup
- Flavored latte: Add flavor syrups (vanilla, caramel, hazelnut)
Milk Alternatives:
- Oat milk - Best alternative, froths well
- Almond milk - Okay foam, thinner
- Soy milk - Can separate, use carefully
Popular with: Customers who want creamy, smooth coffee
3. Cappuccino
Description: Espresso with steamed milk and thick foam (more foam than latte) Caffeine: High Difficulty: Easy Prep time: ~60 seconds
How to Make:
- Ensure hot milk jug is attached
- Fill milk jug with fresh whole milk
- Place cup under spout
- Touch "Cappuccino" on touchscreen
- Press START
- Machine creates thick, airy foam (more than latte)
- Ready in ~60 seconds
Latte vs. Cappuccino:
| Drink | Espresso | Steamed Milk | Foam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Latte | 1-2 shots | 8-10 oz | Light layer |
| Cappuccino | 1-2 shots | 4-6 oz | Thick 2" layer |
Customizations:
- Milk type: Whole milk recommended (best foam)
- Dry cappuccino: Extra foam, less milk (ask manager for settings)
- Wet cappuccino: Less foam, more milk
- Sweetener: Sugar or syrup
Popular with: Customers who love foam, traditional espresso drinks
4. Iced Latte
Description: Cold espresso with cold milk and ice Caffeine: High Difficulty: Easy (but requires cold milk jug) Prep time: ~60 seconds
Use COLD Milk Jug
For iced drinks, you MUST switch to the cold milk jug (blue one). The hot milk jug will steam the milk, which is wrong for iced drinks!
How to Make:
- Switch to cold milk jug (blue one) - CRITICAL!
- Fill cold jug with fresh whole milk
- Fill cup with ice (3/4 full)
- Place cup under spout
- Touch "Cold Drinks" menu → "Iced Latte"
- Press START
- Machine brews espresso over ice, adds cold frothed milk
- Ready in ~60 seconds
Customizations:
- Milk type: Whole, oat, almond, soy
- Ice level: Light, regular, extra
- Size: Regular (16oz) or Large (20oz)
- Sweetener: Simple syrup, vanilla, caramel
- Extra shot: Additional espresso
Popular with: Customers wanting cold coffee, summer drinks
Coffee Beans
Brand: Starbucks Espresso Beans Type: Espresso roast (dark roast) Form: Whole beans (machine grinds fresh for each drink)
Storage:
- Keep beans in hopper (top of machine)
- Seal bag when not in use
- Store extra beans in cool, dry place
- Use within 2 weeks of opening for best flavor
Refilling:
- Check bean level every hour during busy times
- Refill when hopper is 1/4 full
- Machine warns when beans are low
- Never let hopper run empty
Milk System
Hot Milk Jug (Default)
Use for:
- Latte
- Cappuccino
- Any hot espresso drink with milk
Setup:
- Attach hot milk jug to machine
- Fill with fresh cold milk (even for hot drinks)
- Machine heats and froths automatically
- Keep jug in fridge between uses
Cold Milk Jug (Blue One)
Use for:
- Iced Latte
- Iced Cappuccino
- Any cold espresso drink with milk
Setup:
- Remove hot jug, attach cold jug (blue)
- Fill with fresh cold milk
- Machine froths without heating
- Creates smooth cold foam
Switching Jugs
Always check which jug is attached BEFORE making a drink! Hot jug on iced drink = disaster. Cold jug on hot drink = wrong texture.
Sizing
We have two sizes:
- Regular (16oz) - Standard espresso drink size
- Large (20oz) - More milk, same espresso (or add extra shot)
Espresso shots by size:
- Regular: 1-2 shots (machine default)
- Large: 2 shots (or add extra shot for stronger)
Machine Operation
Startup (Opening)
Morning routine:
- Fill water tank with filtered water
- Fill bean hopper with Starbucks espresso beans
- Turn on machine (power button on side)
- Wait 15-20 minutes for warm-up (machine must heat up!)
- Attach hot milk jug with fresh milk
- Machine displays "Ready" when finished warming up
- Make test drink if you're first person opening
See: Opening Checklist
During Service
Between drinks:
- Machine auto-cleans between each drink (wait for it to finish)
- Check water level every hour
- Check bean level every hour
- Refill milk jug as needed
- Wipe spouts and drip tray regularly
Closing (End of Night)
CRITICAL nightly tasks:
- Empty grounds container (brown bin under machine)
- Empty and wash drip tray
- CLEAN MILK SYSTEM (most important!)
- Remove milk jug
- Run "Milk Clean" from menu
- Rinse tubes with hot water
- Wipe machine exterior
- Refill water and beans for tomorrow
- Turn off machine (if policy)
Milk System Cleaning
You MUST clean the milk system every night. Old milk clogs tubes and can make customers sick. This is your most important closing task for the espresso machine.
See: Closing Checklist
Customization Options
Milk Types
| Milk Type | Foam Quality | Taste | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole milk (default) | Excellent | Rich, creamy | Lattes, cappuccinos |
| Oat milk | Very good | Creamy, sweet | Best dairy alternative |
| Almond milk | Good | Nutty, thin | Light drinks, nut lovers |
| Soy milk | Acceptable | Can separate | Soy preference |
Recommendation: Whole milk for best results, oat milk for dairy-free.
Sweeteners
Offer customers:
- Simple syrup (standard sweetener)
- Sugar packets
- Honey
- Flavored syrups: Vanilla, caramel, hazelnut, mocha
Adding sweetener:
- For hot drinks: Add while drink is brewing or after
- For iced drinks: Add syrup BEFORE pouring drink (mixes better)
Extra Shots
If customer wants extra espresso:
- Check machine settings with manager
- May need to run "Espresso" function separately
- Add to existing drink
- Increases caffeine significantly
Quality Standards
✅ Good Espresso Drink:
- Proper foam texture (smooth, velvety)
- Espresso flavor present (not too weak)
- Milk not burnt or scalded
- Correct temperature (hot but drinkable)
- Clean appearance
- Served fresh (within 2-3 minutes)
❌ Poor Espresso Drink:
- Burnt milk smell (means old milk or dirty system)
- Thin, watery foam
- Too hot to drink
- Espresso tastes bitter or burnt
- Large bubbles in foam (should be microfoam)
- Separated milk and espresso
Common Issues
"Machine Not Ready"
Cause: Machine still warming up Fix: Wait full 15-20 minutes after turning on. Don't rush it!
"Empty Grounds Container"
Cause: Container full of used coffee grounds Fix:
- Open front door
- Remove brown container
- Empty in trash
- Rinse if needed
- Replace firmly
"Fill Water Tank"
Cause: Water tank empty or not seated properly Fix:
- Remove tank from back of machine
- Fill with filtered water from RO system
- Replace firmly (should click in)
"Add Coffee Beans"
Cause: Bean hopper empty Fix:
- Open top lid
- Add whole Starbucks espresso beans
- Close lid
- Press OK or START
"Clean Milk System"
Cause: Milk system needs cleaning (used too many drinks) Fix:
- Remove milk jug
- Menu → Maintenance → "Milk Clean"
- Follow screen prompts
- Rinse tubes with hot water
- Get manager if unsure
Coffee Tastes Burnt
Causes:
- Old beans (over 2 weeks old)
- Machine needs descaling
- Grinder needs cleaning Fix: Get manager - not user-fixable
Milk Won't Froth
Causes:
- Milk too old (won't foam)
- Milk system dirty
- Wrong milk type (skim doesn't foam well) Fix:
- Use fresh milk (check expiration)
- Clean milk system
- Use whole milk for best results
Troubleshooting Quick Reference
| Problem | Quick Fix |
|---|---|
| Machine won't start | Wait for warm-up (15-20 min) |
| No coffee coming out | Check beans, check grounds container |
| Weak coffee | Check grind settings (manager), add extra shot |
| No milk foam | Check milk jug attached, use fresh milk |
| Error code on screen | Note code number, get manager |
| Loud grinding noise | Normal during brewing, abnormal = get manager |
| Water leaking | Turn off, get manager immediately |
Training Checklist
New staff should practice:
- ☐ Americano (easiest, no milk)
- ☐ Latte (hot milk jug practice)
- ☐ Cappuccino (understanding foam)
- ☐ Iced Latte (switching to cold jug)
- ☐ Checking water and beans
- ☐ Emptying grounds container
- ☐ Cleaning milk system (most critical!)
Master these 4 drinks and you can make any espresso drink!
Pro Tips
- Turn on machine FIRST when opening - takes 15-20 minutes to warm up
- Check water and beans every hour during busy times
- Hot jug for hot, cold jug for iced - label them if needed!
- Use fresh milk - old milk won't foam properly
- Clean milk system EVERY NIGHT - non-negotiable
- Machine auto-cleans between drinks - let it finish
- Whole milk froths best - recommend for best quality
- Espresso drinks are fast - 30-60 seconds per drink
Related Pages
- Espresso Machine Guide - Full equipment guide
- Drink Categories - All menu categories
- Milk Tea Base - Other drink types
- Opening Checklist - Morning startup
- Closing Checklist - Nightly cleaning
Questions? Contact [email protected] or ask your trainer/manager
Machine issues? See Espresso Machine Guide or get manager immediately