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The Soul of Americano - Espresso

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Many people trying Americano for the first time are surprised that simply diluting espresso with water can create a new beverage sold as Americano coffee. In fact, espresso was invented and developed in Italy, beginning in the early 20th century. However, until the mid-1940s, it was a beverage made solely through steam pressure. Only after the invention of commercial coffee machines did espresso transform into the drink we know today. The process of making a Double Espresso involves the coffee machine extracting 45-60ml of coffee liquid with high-temperature, high-pressure water within 20-30 seconds.

It is this intense liquid that tests both coffee beans and the barista's extraction skills. Within dozens of seconds of extraction time, if stopped too early, the espresso becomes very sour and astringent, undrinkable; a few seconds later, and the espresso becomes watery, even developing burnt and smoky unpleasant flavors. Only the perfect timing can create an espresso that is rich yet not overly complex—either mellow, bright, or deep. Different varieties and roast levels of coffee beans bring different mouthfeel characteristics. Even when a barista makes a delicious espresso they're proud of, some customers still might not order it. That's understandable, as many people cannot accept the intense stimulation of espresso but cannot resist the temptation of coffee. Thus, they choose Americano coffee. After dilution with water, the sour, sweet, and bitter notes of espresso are diluted, making it more pleasant while allowing for a longer drinking experience—a true delight.

Long Black and Lungo

These two "brothers" of Americano are both mixtures of espresso and water, so what's the difference?

Differences in Preparation and Flavor

Due to the different dissolution rates of various flavor components in coffee, shortening or extending the extraction time of espresso results in different flavor components in the extracted liquid. Therefore, the mouthfeel of the aforementioned coffee varieties differs—not just in terms of being "light" or "strong."

Americano is made by adding espresso first, then water. The crema on Americano gets dispersed by the hot water.

Long Black, however, involves adding water first, then extracting espresso. Since the crema is added last in Long Black, you'll see more crema on the coffee surface, and these oils will last longer because they haven't been subjected to external forces. The non-water-soluble substances in crema are the result of emulsification under high pressure. Moreover, crema contains carbon dioxide, along with many flavors and aromatic compounds. At the same time, this layer of crema, due to its non-water-soluble components, forms a film on our tongue when we drink it. This film brings us a lasting aftertaste while reducing sensitivity to bitterness. Therefore, Americano is slightly more bitter than Long Black.

What is Lungo Coffee?

Lungo is made by adjusting the grinder settings to speed up the espresso flow, without needing to add additional water.

Lungo is Italian, corresponding to "long" in English and "café allongé" in French, meaning "long" in Chinese. It refers to "a coffee beverage made using an espresso machine with double the normal amount of water." A Lungo is essentially a "stretched espresso." If we must give it a Chinese name, it would probably be called "Italian long coffee." Lungo is very popular in Italy. A single serving is about 60-85ml, while a double serving is 120-170ml. The reduced water volume brings a richer mouthfeel than Americano. A regular espresso requires 18-30 seconds to extract, with a volume of 25-30ml; extending the extraction time to about one minute extracts about 50-60ml of coffee liquid, and this beverage is called lungo.

Therefore, lungo is not the Americano we commonly know, nor is it Long Black. Americano and Long Black are easy to distinguish: the former is "espresso + water," the latter is "water + espresso"—the order is different. Lungo, however, extends the extraction time of espresso by nearly double, with the extracted liquid volume also increasing by about double.

If the extraction time of espresso is shortened by nearly half, the resulting beverage is called Ristretto. If the extraction time of lungo is extended by another double, and the coffee liquid volume increases by nearly double again, this "longer" beverage is called Caffè Crema, which is relatively rare. However, visiting many domestic coffee shops, you'll rarely find places offering Lungo and Ristretto. This is largely because making them requires an independent grinder, adding considerable complexity. We can only make them by combining practice and relevant materials. We adjusted parameters and extended extraction time, finding that Lungo's crema is the most stable among the three. The mouthfeel is lighter than espresso but slightly more bitter. Compared to Americano, the mouthfeel is richer.

Americano Coffee Bean Brand Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee's roasted popular Americano coffee beans: Yirgacheffe coffee, Golden Mandheling coffee, Brazil coffee, and others all have full guarantees in terms of brand and quality. More importantly, they offer extremely high value for money. A half-pound (227g) package costs only about 70-90 yuan. Calculating at 15g of coffee powder per pour-over, one package can make 15 cups of coffee, with each Americano costing only about 5-6 yuan. Compared to café prices that often reach dozens of yuan per cup, this offers exceptional value.

END FrontStreet Coffee: A roastery in Guangzhou with a small shop but diverse bean varieties, where you can find various famous and lesser-known beans, while also providing online store services. 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