“Can I get a grande non-fat caramel macchiato, with a little bit of caramel, no foam, and with whip? Oh, and add an extra shot with that!”
No, no, multiple no, no’s. Stop right there.
With the three different coffee services on campus, students tend to think that they all serve the same menu and are the same Starbucks-branded coffee.
The Commons serves Starbucks coffee. Franz basement serves Nossa Familia. Pilot House serves Stumptown.
If you are looking for a variety of flavors and sweet coffee, The Commons or Franz Hall is the perfect place for you. If you are looking for more traditional, stronger and “authentic” coffee, the Pilot House is your ideal spot.
It is important to know a thing or two about coffee etiquette: different jargon when ordering, the amount of shots each place offers and what is in your beverage.
Pilot House
Although the Pilot House opened just last year, some students, especially the first-years, still aren’t aware of the do’s and don’t’s when ordering their coffee.
When ordering from the Pilot House, it is important to know your coffee terminology. Here’s a short espresso guide:
Espresso: the “shot”; made by high-pressure hot water, from finely grounded coffee and pressed by a puck, which is a round metal that creates evenness for the coffee grounds; usually single or double shots
Macchiato: a shot of espresso, topped with foam or frothed milk, usually equal portions
Americano: a shot of espresso with twice the amount of water; ordered when espresso is too strong and bitter
Latte: espresso with lots of milk and thin foam on top; flavors can be added as well
Cappuccino: espresso with the same amount of milk and topped with lots of soft foam
Mocha: basically a latte but with chocolate flavor
Pilot House espresso is set to two shots, so no matter what size or coffee is ordered, it will always come out as two shots. If you want an extra shot, it will be a total of four shots.
Pilot House offers only two flavors – vanilla and chocolate. So don’t go ordering a caramel macchiato.
Ryan Jensen, Pilot House manager said, “If you order a caramel macchiato, prepare to be educated on the drink you just ordered.”
One thing baristas from the Pilot House despise is the use of Starbucks jargon when ordering. Caramel macchiato is Starbucks jargon. Saying tall, grande, and venti are Starbucks terms. When you say a tall latte, they might give you the tallest cup they have.
The Commons
Finally, a place with the legendary “caramel macchiato.”
According to Hayden Jimenez, barista at the Pilot House and at an off-campus Starbucks, “the way they make Macchiato in Starbucks is not the authentic way. It is pretty much layers. We put vanilla, milk, espresso, foam and then caramel.”
Not only do they have different flavors varying from hazelnut to white chocolate, they also sell iced teas from passion tea to green or black tea.
The Commons does it differently. The size of coffee you order determines the amount of shots you get. If you get a small-sized coffee cup, you get one shot of espresso. Medium size comes with two shots, while large comes with three.
“The Pilot House (coffee) is stronger,” Sophomore Taryn
While workers in the Pilot House suffer when hearing students order a caramel macchiato, Okemura says students asks for really ridiculous things such as a mocha without espresso.
“So … a hot chocolate you mean?” she said.
The Commons also offers seasonal flavors such as Pumpkin Spice Lattes and Peppermint Mochas.
If you prefer your drinks blended, they also make frappuccinos with flavors like vanilla bean or caramel.
The best part is you can finally use that good ole’ Starbucks jargon! From grande to venti, knock yourself out with the pseudo-Italian slang!
Franz Basement
The cute coffee kiosk bar in the basement of Franz Hall is a convenient pit-stop for students who need to grab a bite or get a quick jolt before headed to class.
The used-to-be Starbucks coffee bar now serves Nossa Familia coffee.
Although for the most part, they make their drinks similar to Starbucks -- only with less syrup.
Like the Commons, they too serve a variety of flavors such as vanilla, caramel, almond, raspberry, chocolate, white chocolate and hazelnut. They also offer similar seasonal flavors.
Unlike the other two places, Nossa only offers two sizes: a small and a medium.
Senior Andrew Nilo, barista in Franz coffee bar, spoke about the similarities between Nossa coffee and Pilot House coffee.
“The coffee in Nossa and Stumptown are both mellow, especially for those who like to drink their coffee straight,” Nilo said.
At the end of the day, it’s all up to you and your preferences. Nonetheless, it is important to know what type of coffee you want, especially during midterm week. Just remember the do’s and don’t’s and the proper jargon to use in each coffee location, and you will impress all the baristas with your extensive coffee knowledge.
Joe Burke, Schoenfeldt Hall Director and an avid coffee drinker, compared coffee to transportation.
“Imagine having the choice between driving a '98 Honda Civic (Starbucks), riding a bicycle (Stumptown) and longboarding (Nossa Familia),” Burke said. “All three are going to get you where you need to go. The bicycle makes you feel better and more energized at the end of the trip. But, if I'm being honest, sometimes taking the Honda is more convenient.”
