Many customers never noticed, but over the course of a few years Starbucks changed the big espresso machines in all their stores.

The old machine was more like the grandpappy of the smaller machines you can buy for your kitchen counter. Espresso was ground in a separate grinder, measured out into a vaguely spoon-like filter thing, tamped down some, and then put into the machine and brewed. Starbucks aims for shots to brew for a very specific amount of time, and the barista was able to adjust how long the shot pulled in several different ways, like varying the tamp pressure.

This is the machine you see in ALL their ads that show close-ups of baristas brewing shots. It’s also featured on some of the Starbucks Cards (the one with the shot glasses on the metal grill). It took a certain amount of skill to perfect your brewing technique on these, especially if you were working on a temperamental machine — the humidity goes up or down, the store temperature changes by a degree, maybe the moon’s in the wrong phase, and the shot times go all out of whack.

The biggest downside to these machines is that they required more actions on the part of the barista — mainly repetative actions, which could easily lead to repetitive stress injuries if you spent a lot of time bar-jockeying. (I speak from experience on this, having developed Carpal Tunnel Syndrome so painful I couldn’t pick up an empty soda can.)

The new machines are a lot more automated. You push a button, it does all the measuring and grinding and tamping and brewing for you. This gives the barista a small amount of extra time per shot to prepare other drinks, as well as cutting way down on the amount of repetitive motion involved.

Some customers have complained that the new machines don’t brew shots as well as the old ones. I don’t drink straight espresso, so I can’t really give an opinion one way or the other. Some baristas have complained that it takes some of the fun and skill out of making drinks. “If all I have to do is push a button, I might as well be operating a fry machine.” However, I think reducing the risk of repetitive stress injuries is of great importance, both to baristas and to Starbucks as a company (they have to pay disability to baristas whose injuries prevent them from working, after all).

The machine change went un-noticed by the vast majority of customers. What effect does it have on you? Odds are, very little. But when a hardcore espresso aficionado, or a nostalgic ex-barista, mentions the “old machines”, now you know what they’re talking about.

In a nutshell: A latte that tastes like Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal (tm, or whatever).

Description: This is a latte (espresso and steamed milk) with Cinnamon Dolce flavoring syrup added. By default it comes with whipped cream and cinnamon on top. It has the usual number of shots (1 for tall, 2 for grande or venti, 3 for iced venti) and the usual amount of syrup.

This seasonal drink, which usually comes out in January or February as the holiday drinks are leaving, is a perennial favorite. It’s sweet — though not overwhelmingly so — and really does taste like Cinnamon Toast Crunch. It’s cinnamony and slightly vanilla-y, even sweeter with the whipped cream on top.

The syrup was sold separately in a “Cinnamon Dolce Latte Kit” in stores for a while (the kit also includes crunchy sprinkles). You may still be able to find it; if you’re as addicted to this drink as I am, ask your local barista if they have any for sale.

It’s possible that the CDL has been changed from a seasonal drink to a regular one, since it’s still easily available right now in May. However, it might also be the case that too much syrup was ordered and they’re still working through the surplus.

Available in: Hot, iced, or frappuccino varieties. Also, new this year is the sugar-free CDL, made with sugar-free syrup.

Try this if you usually order: Moderately sweet drinks or frappuccinos. It might also help you stave off summer cravings for the holiday-only Gingerbread Latte.

You’ll like it if: You like sweet things, cinnamon, or Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal.

You might not like it if: You don’t want your drink sweet at all, or if your big sister force-fed you Cinnamon Toast Crunch until you begged for mercy.

In a nutshell: Espresso and milk.

Description: The latte is the basic drink that most of the frou-frou coffee drinks on the menu are based on. First the fresh shots are poured in the cup (1 for tall, 2 for grande and hot venti, 3 for iced venti), then steamed milk almost to the top of the cup, and finally some milk foam.

The resulting drink isn’t sweet, beyond what sweetness is in the milk (soy is a little sweeter than moo milk). However, it’s easily sweetened with any of the various flavoring syrups — vanilla, hazelnut, mint, sugar-free vanilla … the exact selection varies a little from store to store and season to season. There’s usually around 10 different flavors of syrup. If you add chocolate or white chocolate to a latte, it becomes a mocha or white mocha respectively.

The amount of foam can be varied — some people don’t like any, some people like lots. If the cup is about half foam, that’s a cappuccino.

Available in: Hot or iced varieties.

Try this if you usually order: Plain coffee, a misto (cafe au lait), or Americano. Or if you want a cold coffee drink but aren’t in the mood for something as sweet as a frappuccino.

You’ll like it if: You usually put lots of milk in your coffee, or if you’re looking for a simple drink without too many frills.

You might not like it if: You’re not fond of the taste of coffee, or you want your drinks really sweet.

In a nutshell: A sweet, caramelly drink with whipped cream and sprinkles

Description: “Dulce de leche” literally means “sweetness of milk”, and generally refers to a milk-based caramel. The Dulce de Leche latte has a rich flavoring syrup that’s different from the caramel flavoring syrup used in the caramel frappuccino and the caramel sauce topping that goes on top of various drinks. The usual number of shots and syrup go into each latte, the cup is filled with steamed milk, and then the drink is topped with whipped cream and (of all things) toffee sprinkles.

It’s sweeter than the caramel macchiato, partially because unlike the caramel sauce in the macch, this syrup dissolves well in milk instead of drizzling to a clump of sugar in the bottom of the cup. The whipped cream also adds sweetness to the first few sips.

I’ve never been a big fan of sprinkles, since it’s an added hassle when making the drink that really doesn’t add much to the flavor. It’s also odd to start sipping your drink and discover something crunchy. The drink-creation honchos in Seattle, however, seem to be a big fan, so here’s another drink with sprinkles. At least they didn’t come up with a whole new kind of sprinkles to join all the other little bottles in cluttering up the counter — these sprinkles are also seen on the formerly-seasonal Toffee Nut Latte.

Overall, I like it, though I probably won’t be ordering it too often (unlike the Cinnamon Dolce Latte and the Maple Macchiato, which I ordered nearly every time until they ran out of the syrup).

Available in: Hot, iced, or frappuccino varieties

Try this if you usually order: A caramel macchiato or caramel frappuccino, especially if you ask for extra caramel. It may also be a good substitute for the currently-phased-out Cinnamon Dolce Latte.

You’ll like it if: You like your drinks very sweet, or are a big caramel fan.

You might not like it if: You’re not a huge fan of sweet drinks or caramel, or if you’re cutting down on calories.

All righty, folks. In an effort to make all of the info in my head more accessible and useful to J. Random Person, I’m adding a blog to the Starbucks section of this website.

Here I will post reviews, pointers, comments, remarks, and generally whatever’s in my brain regarding drinks, coffee, barista-ing, or whatever. Currently comments are mostly unrestricted — this will change if I start getting gobs of spam (which is probably inevitable). All the posts will be categorized for easy finding, so if you’re looking for a tasty drink you can simply flip through the Drink reviews category.

Posts may be sporadic for the first month or so (I’m still a student, and the end of the semester is approaching) but after that I plan to fill this thing with all kinds of useful content.

Soon the Starbucks Drinks Simplified (kinda) page will redirect here. Do not fear, the gigantic chart itself will still be available! And it will probably remain the most visited page on this site by far.