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Defending the Honor of Americano Coffee

Americano coffee, as a type of espresso-based coffee, contains only espresso and water, with virtually no calories. However, some friends say that Americano tastes bad, describing it as burnt, bitter, and intense. I must step forward to say that you must have had an espresso that wasn't carefully prepared by a skilled coffee professional. I'm here to defend the honor of Americano.

The Origins of Americano

Let's start from the beginning to discuss Americano. So, where does Americano come from?

The name "Americano coffee" comes from the habit of American soldiers stationed in Europe during wartime who would add hot water to the small-sized espresso commonly found in Europe. Because Americans generally prefer simple and casual coffee preparation methods, this approach quickly became popular with the worldwide spread of American chain stores. Later, Americano coffee even became a general term for all black coffee—black coffee made with drip, French press, and other methods could all be called Americano coffee. In this article, however, we'll only discuss Americano coffee made with an espresso base.

Americano is very popular in North America, especially for breakfast and during work hours. You can see office workers holding Americano coffee everywhere. In other countries where coffee drinking is common, Americano is also quite popular. In China, most coffee shops also offer Americano coffee. According to our shop's statistics, Americano coffee only accounts for 15% of the total espresso-based coffee production. It's not difficult to observe that Americano enthusiasts are still mostly foreigners and friends with overseas living or working experience, and it's predominantly for takeaway. I'm pleased to see that these friends have gradually made coffee a daily necessity.

The Soul of Americano: Espresso

The soul of Americano is espresso. When I first encountered Americano, I was surprised—could simply diluting espresso with water change its name to Americano coffee for sale? Actually, espresso was invented and developed in Italy, beginning in the early 20th century, but until the mid-1940s, it was a beverage made solely through steam pressure. With the invention and successful commercialization of the spring piston lever coffee machine, espresso transformed into the beverage we know today.

The preparation process involves extracting coffee liquid by forcing hot water at about 90-97°C through coffee grounds with a pressure of 9 to 10 atmospheres (bar) within 20-30 seconds. About 18-21 grams of coffee powder extracts approximately 40-60ml of coffee liquid. Depending on the type of Americano coffee beans, roasting method, and coffee flavor, the specific amount of coffee used, extraction time, and extracted coffee liquid will vary.

It's this intense liquid that tests both the Americano coffee beans and the barista's extraction skills. With extraction times of just dozens of seconds, if extraction stops too early, the espresso becomes very sour and astringent, making it undrinkable. A few seconds later, and the espresso becomes watery, or even develops burnt and smoky unpleasant flavors. Only the right timing can make an espresso rich but not overly complex—either mellow, bright, or deep. Different varieties and roasting degrees of coffee beans bring different taste profiles.

But even when making a delicious espresso that a barista would praise, there will still be customers who don't appreciate it. That's natural—many people still cannot accept the intense stimulation of espresso but cannot resist the temptation of black coffee, so they choose Americano. After dilution with water, the acidity, sweetness, and bitterness of the espresso are all diluted, making it more pleasing while allowing for longer drinking time. What a joy! A good Americano shouldn't just have the bitterness of coffee; it should also have a slight acidity, a touch of sweetness, coffee aroma, and a lasting aftertaste.

Americano's Two Brothers: Long Black and Lungo

Now let's talk about Americano's two brothers: one is Long Black, and the other is Lungo. They're all mixtures of espresso and water, so what's the difference?

Americano is made by adding espresso first, then adding water.

Long Black, on the other hand, involves adding water first, then starting to extract espresso.

Lungo is made by changing the grinder setting, speeding up the espresso flow, without needing to add additional water.

The Differences in Crema and Taste

The crema on Americano gets dispersed by the hot water. In Long Black, because the crema is added last, you'll see more crema on the coffee surface, and this crema will last longer because it hasn't been affected by external forces. The non-water-soluble substances in crema are the result of emulsification under high pressure. Additionally, the crema contains carbon dioxide and many flavor and aromatic compounds.

At the same time, because this crema contains non-water-soluble components, it forms a film on our tongue when we drink it. This film gives us a lasting aftertaste while reducing our sensitivity to bitterness. Therefore, Americano is slightly more bitter than Long Black.

Now let's look at Lungo. Lungo is very popular in Italy, with approximately 60ml volume. The reduced water amount brings a richer texture. In English, "Lungo" means "Long"—Lungo is essentially an espresso with an extended extraction time. However, visiting many domestic coffee shops, Lungo is rarely offered, likely because making it requires a separate grinder, adding considerable complexity. We can only make it by combining practice and relevant materials. We adjusted parameters and extended the extraction time to find that Lungo's crema is the most stable among the three. Its taste is lighter than espresso but slightly more bitter. Compared to Americano, Lungo has a richer texture, while Americano might be somewhat more bitter.

Americano Coffee Bean Brand Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee's best-selling Americano coffee beans: Yirgacheffe coffee, Golden Mandheling coffee, and Brazil coffee all have full guarantees in terms of brand and quality. More importantly, they offer extremely high value for money. A half-pound (227 grams) package costs only about 70-90 yuan. Calculating based on 15 grams of coffee powder per pour-over coffee, one package can make 15 cups of coffee, with each Americano costing only about 5-6 yuan. Compared to the dozens of yuan per cup sold in coffee shops, this offers extremely high value for money.

END FrontStreet Coffee: A Guangzhou-based roastery with a small shop but diverse bean varieties, where you can find various famous and lesser-known beans. They also provide online store service. https://shop104210103.taobao.com

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473