Italian coffee drinks can range from bitter to sweet.

Italian cuisine is more than just good food; it also features many delicious drinks that can complement any meal. Many of these drinks are often served before or after a meal or at a particular time of the day, such as only in the morning hours, and have become a traditional part of Italian culture.

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Coffee Drinks

Many Italians drink espresso, a bitter, strong brew of coffee. Due to the strong flavor of the coffee, it is served in small portions. A cup of espresso is only about 3 oz. Milk and sugar are sometimes mixed into the espresso or it can be drunk black. Another common type of Italian coffee is cappuccino. Cappuccino is an espresso made with steamed and foamed milk. The milk gives the coffee a sweet and creamy flavor and the drink is sometimes topped with cacao powder. In Italy, cappuccino is typically served with breakfast and coffee in general is only consumed with or after a meal, according to the Life In Italy website.

Wine

Prosecco is a sparkling wine made in the Veneto region of Italy. This wine is a bubbly, delicate white wine made from the Prosecco grape. Prosecco is similar to French champagne yet is less expensive because the wine is not aged as long as champagne so it costs less to make. Another typical Italian wine is a dessert wine known as Passito. Passito wine is a red or white sweet wine often served after dinner. This type of wine is made from grapes that are picked late in the harvest season and then allowed to dry in the sun so the juice sweetens as the grapes dehydrate.

Nonalcoholic Drinks

Typical nonalcoholic drinks in Italy are Italian sodas made from fruit juice and carbonated mineral water such as Chinotto, Limonata and Arinchatta. Chinotto is a bittersweet soda made from herbal extracts and juice from the Chinotto fruit that grows on trees in Southern Italy. Limonatta is a lemon-flavored soda made from mineral water and lemon juice. Arinchatta is a soda made from mineral water and orange juice and can be flavored to taste bitter or non-bitter. Tap water is not commonly consumed in Italy. Most Italians drink mineral water because it is considered healthier and tastier than most tap water, according to the Discover Italian Food website.

Mixed Drinks and Liqueurs

Typical Italian mixed drinks include aperol spritz and Campari spritz. These drinks are usually served before dinner. An Aperol spritz is made from an orange-flavored liqueur called Aperol that is mixed with white wine, often Prosecco, tonic water and garnished with an orange slice. A Campari spritz is similar to an Aperol spritz except it is made from Campari liqueur which is a much more bitter orange-flavored liqueur and it is also mixed with white wine and tonic water. Limoncello is a typical Italian liqueur usually consumed after a meal. Limoncello is a liqueur made from lemon zest, alcohol, water and sugar and is usually served straight in small chilled glasses.

It's officially that time of the year again. People are trading in their iced coffees for something a little warmer, like the always sought-after pumpkin spice latte. This drink seems to be gaining in popularity every year, meaning one can cost upwards of $6.00! But, why spend that much money when you can easily make this drink from the comfort of your home for a fraction of the price? Since this recipe uses real pumpkin, it'll likely taste better than what you would get at most coffee shops, too.

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Things You\’ll Need

• 8 oz whole milk

• 2 1/2 tablespoons pumpkin puree

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar, more to taste

• 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 shot of espresso

• Whipped cream, optional garnish

• Cinnamon, optional garnish

• Cinnamon stick, optional garnish

• Saucepan

• Whisk

• 1 large coffee cup

Tip

If you don't have an espresso machine at home, try using instant espresso instead.

Step 1

Add the milk to a saucepan, and set over medium-low heat.

Step 2

As the milk is warming up, whisk in the brown sugar, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin spice until incorporated. Vigorously whisk the milk until slightly frothy. Remove the saucepan from heat once the milk is hot, but not boiling. Whisk in the vanilla extract.

Step 3

Add an espresso shot to a large coffee cup, followed by the hot pumpkin-milk mixture. Taste and add additional sugar, if needed. Garnish the latte with a dollop of whipped cream, a light dusting of cinnamon, and a cinnamon stick.

How Long Does a CO2 Cartridge Last for Serving a Keg?

Carbon dioxide is integral for those people home brewing with a keg. Home brew kegs (also called "cornelius kegs") are smaller than most commercial kegs, so the carbon dioxide in most CO2 tanks last longer than it would for larger quarter-barrel to full-barrel kegs. CO2 cartridges, however, are a good alternative to tanks, as they take up less room and do not need the more elaborate tube set up required for tanks.

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CO2 Cartridges

Two cornelius kegs in a kegerator set up with 5 lb tank and tubes

CO2 cartridges stand in the place of a CO2 tank (or cylinder), which adds carbonation to a beer keg. Most home brewers use 5-gallon kegs, attached to which are anywhere from 3.5 to 20 lb CO2 tanks. CO2 cartridges hook into a portable CO2 charger, which is less cumbersome to use when dispensing beer from a keg outside of the house, and thus is often used for serving at picnics, parties or anywhere the keg must be carried.

Sizes of CO2 Cartridges

Cornelius keg set up with CO2 charger

CO2 cartridges range in size from 12g to 68g, and the length of their life depends both on how much they hold and how much carbon dioxide needs to be pumped into the beer. In general, old versions of CO2 chargers take 12g cartridges, while newer chargers handle 16g cartridges. Be sure that you buy the correct size for your charger.

Temperature and CO2

CO2 charger

The other important factor in the life of your cartridge is temperature. Particularly when using a portable cartridge, temperature is something that will affect the pressure of the CO2 cartridge and tank. The pressure increases when exposed to heat, and decreases when cool. At an average of 72 degrees F, the pressure should read 750 PSIG.

Rules of Thumb for CO2

Brewing beer into keg

In general, it takes about ½ lb of CO2 to dispense a quarter barrel of draft beer. Since most home brewers use 5-gallon kegs, however, these numbers are somewhat meaningless. For an average 5 lb CO2 tank and a 5-gallon keg, that means the tank will pump 31 to 44 kegs of beer. On a smaller scale, for portable cartridges, one 16g cartridge will empty about a third of a cornelius keg. A larger 68g cartridge will push through anywhere between one to four kegs.

CO2 Cartridge Warnings

Beware when attaching the charger to the keg. Always attach the ball and pin lock valve first to the keg, then to the charger. If you attach the ball and pin lock valve to the charger first, it will fail by becoming over-pressurized.

Degrees Baume and degrees Brix describe the sugar content in wine grapes.

Degrees Baume and degrees Brix both indicate the sugar content of a substance. Producers of wine, beer, juice, maple syrup, corn syrup and honey use these measurements, according to David Ball in the "Journal of Chemical Education." Measurements in degrees Baume use a scale of specific gravity — the density of a substance in relation to the density of water — and are used when there is a known relationship between the sugar concentration and the specific gravity of the substance. Measurements in degrees Brix indicate the number of grams of sucrose per 100 grams of the substance; 10 degrees Brix means 10 grams of sugar per 100 grams.

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Step 1

Check to ensure that the specific gravity of the substance characterized using degrees Baume is greater than that of water. The Baume scale uses a different scale for substances with a specific gravity less than that of water, but for grapes and syrups the density should be greater.

Step 2

Multiply the degrees Baume by 1.905.

Step 3

Subtract 1.6 from this number to obtain degrees Brix.

Tip

Approximate the percentage of alcohol in wine or beer by multiplying 0.55 by the degrees Brix of the original mixture.