What is Americano Coffee: Origin, Development, and Benefits

When we walk into a coffee shop to order, the first beverage we typically see is Americano coffee. As Chinese people have developed the habit of drinking coffee, Americano has not only become a daily essential for boosting energy but also the top choice for health-conscious individuals. In this article, FrontStreet Coffee will delve into the world of Americano coffee.

Is Americano Black Coffee?

From the name, we can probably deduce that Italian coffee comes from Italy, so Americano should naturally originate from America. The rise of Americano coffee dates back to the eighteenth century. At that time, Americans were extremely dissatisfied with the British government's expensive import tariffs on tea, leading to the "Boston Tea Party" in 1773, where they advocated for switching to coffee instead. Gradually, the number of coffee shops in America expanded continuously, promoting the vigorous development of the coffee industry in the United States. By the 1880s, about one-third of the world's coffee beans were sold to America. During World War II, American Allied forces consumed large amounts of coffee daily to relieve monotonous life while also boosting morale for soldiers.

However, Italians were accustomed to drinking strong, intense espresso, which American soldiers found too strong and bitter. They therefore diluted the coffee with water to achieve a concentration they could accept. Later, in cafés opened by Italians in America, they also "adapted to local customs" by introducing a "water-diluted coffee" based on espresso, which became very popular. This "water-diluted coffee" was later called "Americano," and because it contains no other additives—only water and espresso—it belongs to the category of black coffee.

What's the Difference Between Americano and Long Black Coffee?

In addition to Americano, another beverage called Long Black has also begun to appear on some coffee shop menus, translated in China as "Ao Hei" (Australian Black). In the 1980s, large numbers of Italians immigrated to Australia, bringing espresso machines to countries like New Zealand, Australia, and Melbourne. Australians prefer coffee with stronger flavors, and clearly the refreshing Americano wasn't to their taste. Italians therefore adjusted the espresso base and brewing ratios to cater to Australian's "heavy taste." In Australia, people generally use "Black Coffee" to refer to black coffee and "White Coffee" to refer to coffee with milk. Long Black uses a small amount of water to dilute the excessive concentration, highlighting the aromatic characteristics of black coffee.

FrontStreet Coffee reviewed relevant materials and noted that the most obvious difference between Americano and Long Black is the amount of water added. Americano is made by first extracting espresso, then diluting it with water, with an espresso-to-water ratio of 1:5 to 1:8. Long Black, however, has a more intense coffee flavor compared to Americano, with smaller serving sizes. Baristas extract two shots of espresso (40g) into a cup containing 100-120ml of water, preserving rich Crema on the surface. Therefore, Long Black offers the most intense and mellow flavor from the first sip, with subsequent flavor characteristics appearing clearer and cleaner.

Americano Coffee Brewing Ratios

Currently, there are no specific standards for coffee-to-water ratios, meaning that Americano coffee can vary from shop to shop, with each establishment determining ratios based on the flavor characteristics of the coffee beans used and the desired serving size. For example, FrontStreet Coffee's Americano uses FrontStreet Coffee's own house-roasted FrontStreet Coffee Sunflower Warm Sunshine Espresso Blend, which ideally should offer notes of wine aroma, vanilla, cream, chocolate, and berries. To highlight these aromas, FrontStreet Coffee conducted multiple comparisons and ultimately determined a 1:4.5 ratio—that is, 40g of espresso with 180g of hot water.

For making iced Americano, we need to consider the effect of coffee being chilled and the melting of ice cubes. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee uses solid large ice cubes, generally removing them in advance and storing them refrigerated as "aged ice," which can slow down the melting speed and better maintain the taste of iced coffee.

FrontStreet Coffee's ice cubes weigh approximately 25g each. FrontStreet Coffee's iced Americano uses a ratio of 40g espresso, adding 40g of ice cubes and 120g of water, or 1:2.5:3. This ensures that the iced Americano isn't too strong at the beginning, causing discomfort, nor does it become too diluted due to ice melting.

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