The cortado and the Gibraltar are similar espresso-based drinks and can often be mistaken for one another. With espresso and milk as the only ingredients in both beverages, there are small differences that set them apart. Choosing between the cortado and the Gibraltar will depend on one’s personal coffee preferences.
Most espresso-based drinks come from traditional Italian drinks; however, cortados are one of the only mainstream espresso drinks that are Spanish in origin. Like lattes, cappuccinos, and macchiatos, a cortado is a combination of espresso and milk, but it’s the ratio that makes cortados different. The word “cortado” comes from the word “cortar,” which is the Spanish verb meaning “to cut,” as the espresso is typically cut with milk. A cortado is basically a one-to-one ratio of espresso and steamed milk. The beauty of the cortado is how the milk cuts the bitterness of the espresso and reduces the acidity while pulling out the sweet notes, still allowing the flavors to shine.
While this drink contains milk that has been steamed, the cortado doesn’t have as much milk foam or froth as other Italian coffee beverages. The fact that the cortado doesn’t have a lot of foam is what allows the milk to cut through the espresso, blending together as smoothly as possible. Cortados are traditionally made with an espresso machine and served in a 4.5-ounce smooth carajillo shot glass that is slightly longer where the drink completely fills the glass. At a typical specialty coffee shop, ordering a cortado means you’ll get about two ounces of espresso and two ounces of milk. While baristas typically prefer to stay true to the cortado’s simple and true form, it is possible to get creative by adding flavorings or toppings to the drink. The most important factor when serving a cortado is that the ratio of espresso to milk is equal.
The Gibraltar was created in San Francisco by the owner of the Blue Bottle Coffee Company. In 2005, the company accidentally purchased Gibraltar glasses which were too small to hold the regular coffee options. Instead of fixing their mistake, they experimented with different espresso-to-milk ratios. Eventually, the Gibraltar was born. After gaining popularity in coffee shops throughout San Francisco, little by little, the beverage started showing up all over the country.
The Gibraltar, very similar to a cappuccino, is an espresso-based drink with steamed milk. A Gibraltar is always the same volume: one double shot of espresso and two ounces of steamed milk. If you have a Gibraltar made with two shots of espresso and two ounces of steamed milk, then it would be considered a cortado. A Gibraltar is always served in the same glass: a 4.5-ounce rock glass with a tapered, octagonal bottom.
While the Gibraltar and cortado have the same ingredients and taste similar, they differ in ratio of milk to espresso, glassware, and origin. If you prefer your drink to taste stronger with more espresso and less milk content, you should select a Gibraltar. If yoe’re looking for a drink where the milk and espresso are balanced, you might prefer a cortado.
