What is Long Black Coffee? How Does It Differ from Lungo and Americano?

Have you noticed that on coffee shop menus, Americano coffee often ranks first and consistently has the highest production rate? As the coffee industry becomes increasingly competitive, various lesser-known coffees from different regions have started appearing on menus, such as Long Black, which looks very similar to Americano.

What exactly is Long Black coffee?

Long Black translates to "Australian Black coffee," and it's also called "short black"—this is how Australians refer to black coffee made by adding water to dilute espresso.

When espresso coffee was introduced to countries like Australia and New Zealand, Australians developed a strong appreciation for this concentrated coffee and created various Australian-style coffee drinks based on their taste preferences. For example, Starbucks' Flat White originated from Australia's Flat White. Australians make Long Black by extracting two shots of espresso (40g) and pouring them into a cup containing 100-120ml of hot water, preserving the rich Crema on the surface. This preparation method allows you to taste intense coffee flavors while directly experiencing the texture of coffee oils.

How did Americano coffee originate?

A Long Black is made from espresso and water, using the same ingredients as Americano coffee, which often leads to confusion in preparation.

During World War II, American military forces consumed large amounts of coffee daily to relieve monotonous life and boost their spirits. However, Italians were accustomed to drinking strong, intense espresso, which American soldiers found too bitter and concentrated. So they diluted their coffee with water to achieve a concentration they could tolerate. Later, in cafes opened by Italians in America, they "adapted to local customs" and introduced "water-diluted coffee" based on espresso, which became very popular. This "water-diluted coffee" was eventually called "Americano." Due to its refreshing taste and affordable price, it gained great popularity in the coffee community.

Are there differences between Long Black and Americano?

Many people try to distinguish Long Black from Americano by believing that Americano is made by adding espresso first, then pouring water; while Long Black adds coffee to water first to preserve the crema. However, today most baristas don't get caught up in whether to add water first or coffee first. To improve service efficiency, many shops prepare water first and then add coffee, so emphasizing this difference has little significance.

The most obvious difference between Americano and Long Black is the amount of water added. Americano coffee typically includes more water, with a coffee-to-water ratio usually between 1:5 and 1:8. This is because Americans are accustomed to drinking drip-brewed coffee, which has a very low concentration—just a hint of coffee flavor is sufficient. However, Australians pursue stronger coffee flavors, using smaller cups and less water, resulting in naturally higher concentration.

FrontStreet Coffee believes there's no fixed ratio for how much water to add to Long Black—it depends more on the barista's understanding of the coffee bean's flavor profile and determining the water amount based on the desired flavor expression. For example, FrontStreet Coffee's Americano uses their house-roasted Sunflower Warm Sunshine blend coffee beans, which should ideally yield notes of wine aroma, vanilla, cream, chocolate, and berries when properly extracted. To highlight these aromas, FrontStreet Coffee conducted multiple comparisons and ultimately settled on a 1:3 ratio.

Prepare a cup with 100-120ml of 80°C hot water and pour 40g of extracted espresso over the surface. Due to the different densities of espresso and water, a cup of coffee exhibits a gradual concentration process without stirring. Therefore, the first sip of Long Black is the most intense and mellow, with a smooth texture from the crema, while subsequent flavors remain relatively clear and clean.

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