What's the Difference Between Espresso Beans and American Coffee Beans? Brand Recommendations for Americano and Espresso Coffee

Ordering Coffee in North American Artisan Cafés

If you travel to the United States or Canada and order coffee at a so-called artisan coffee shop, the typical menu looks something like this.

Drip Coffee

This is coffee made by a coffee machine, where ground coffee is placed in filter paper and brewed with hot water. It takes its name from the way it slowly drips through the filter paper. You can take whatever size cup you want, and of course most people add sugar, honey, milk, cream, or coffee creamer according to taste.

Espresso

The full name of Espresso is Italian concentrated coffee, and every coffee beverage below is built on Espresso as its base. Espresso is made by forcing hot water through ground coffee under pressure in an espresso machine, creating a very concentrated, very small cup of coffee.

Espresso comes in single (Italian: Espresso solo, usually shortened to espresso) and double (Italian: Espresso Doppio) portions, with a less common triple portion also available. Besides the volume differences, there are also slight variations in preparation.

Espresso also comes in various "short" and "long" versions that offer different flavors. Typically, a single espresso is 30cc and a double is 60cc: a very small, very concentrated cup of coffee. That is why Americans improved it by adding milk foam to make it more palatable.

In Italy, coffee means espresso. In America, however, espresso is usually double, because single portions are too small and do not look good, and because Americans are used to a stronger coffee flavor after adding milk.

Americano

Most people's first reaction on receiving an Espresso is, "Why is the cup so small?" And after drinking it: "Why is it so strong?" The story of the Americano is that during the war, Americans in Europe wanted to drink coffee, but what they got was an Espresso that was both strong and served in a small cup, so they took a large cup and added hot water to fill it up, making it similar to the coffee flavor they were used to.

In China, Americano and drip coffee are often confused, but the preparation methods are actually different, and the flavors differ slightly too. Generally speaking, Americano tends to be sweeter and has lower caffeine content.

Usually, Americano is made by adding water to espresso. In Australia, it is popular to pour espresso into hot water, called a Long Black, which preserves the crema on top and is said to taste quite different. The amount of water added to an Americano determines the final volume.

Caffè Macchiato

This is an Espresso with a small amount of milk or milk foam added, totaling approximately 40-45cc for a single portion and 80-90cc for a double. The original meaning of "Macchiato" in Italian is "stained" or "marked." The name is said to come from Italian baristas who wanted to tell the waiters which cups had milk added, so they would say "this cup has been marked."

Cappuccino

Traditional cappuccino comes in only one size: 180cc. Coffee, milk, and milk foam each occupy one-third of the volume. According to the owner of the famous American coffee shop Vivace, however, a Cappuccino is simply espresso with milk added up to 180cc. Modern popular coffee shops offer different sizes, but at artisan shops you will typically get the 180cc version.

Caffè Latte

In Italian, "Latte" means "milk," so if you go to Italy and order a "latte," the waiter will bring you a cup of cold milk. As the name suggests, a Caffè Latte is coffee with milk or milk foam, and the amount of milk you add determines how much latte you can drink.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If you mainly drink Americano and want a machine-friendly bean for it, FrontStreet Classic Espresso Blend is a smart starting point. Built in a traditional Italian style from Indonesian Mandheling, Brazil red Bourbon, and washed Vietnam, it balances Asia's low-acid, full-bodied, herbal, and woody tones with the Americas' balanced, creamy smoothness, pulling with butter, nut, spice, and dark chocolate aromas that shine in an Americano or a latte.

For a value-focused Americano bean, FrontStreet Black Cocoa Basic Blend is a great fit. Pairing Yunnan small-bean coffee with Brazil Cerrado, it brews with nutty, chocolate, and creamy aromas alongside the ripe acidity of plum, an overall soft body, and a friendly price that also makes it a solid choice for opening a café.

And if the small, concentrated shot is not your thing, FrontStreet Strawberry Candy Espresso is worth trying. This medium roast gathers single-origin Arabica from Colombia, Costa Rica, and Ethiopia and uses washed, natural, and honey processing to lift the aroma, so it carries rose notes with low bitterness and mild acidity, giving Americanos and lattes grape, raisin, sweet orange, and fruit-candy flavors with a distinctive almond finish.