Coffee and Water: Black Coffee, Americano, What is Black Coffee and Its Characteristics

Black coffee is coffee without any added sugar, milk, or other additives. Examples include Americano coffee, pour-over coffee, and clear coffee made from freeze-dried powder that we commonly see. Below, FrontStreet Coffee will discuss the most popular type of black coffee: Americano.

How did Americano coffee originate?

The ingredients for Americano coffee are very simple: only espresso and water. Espresso, as the name suggests, comes from Italy in Europe. The development of espresso was aimed at increasing the speed of coffee making. Initially, espresso referred to a method of making coffee, where "espres" means "fast" - meaning a cup of black coffee could be prepared in a very short time.

The rise of Americano coffee dates back to the 18th century. At that time, Americans were extremely dissatisfied with the British government's high import tariffs on tea, leading to the "Boston Tea Party" in 1773, where they advocated switching to coffee. Gradually, the number of coffee shops in America continued to expand, 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 the United States. During World War II, American Allied forces consumed large amounts of coffee daily to relieve monotonous life and boost morale for soldiers.

However, Italians were accustomed to drinking strong, concentrated espresso, which American soldiers found too intense and bitter. They began adding water to dilute the coffee liquid to reach a concentration they could accept. Later, in cafes opened by Italians in America, they also "adapted to local customs" by introducing "water-diluted coffee" based on espresso, which became very popular. This "water-diluted coffee" was later called "Americano."

What are the characteristics of Americano coffee?

Because no other additives like milk or sugar are added, Americano coffee allows you to better taste the original flavor and aroma of coffee beans, while also testing the flavor and quality of the espresso. FrontStreet Coffee's stores use their own roasted "Sunflower Warm Sun Blend," which consists of 70% Honduras Sherry coffee and 30% Yirgacheffe Natural Red Cherry coffee. The whiskey, vanilla, and cream flavors of Sherry combined with the tropical fruits and fermentation notes of Red Cherry create a rich aroma and smooth texture in the cup.

When preparing Americano coffee, FrontStreet Coffee grinds the coffee beans into powder, extracts espresso concentrate at a 1:2 powder-to-liquid ratio, and dilutes it in water. That means using 20 grams of coffee powder to extract 40 grams of coffee liquid. According to FrontStreet Coffee's multiple experiments and adjustments, a 1:6 ratio of coffee liquid to water is most suitable for expressing the aroma of Warm Sun - that is, pouring 40 grams of coffee liquid into 240 grams of 88°C hot water to complete hot Americano coffee.

If preparing iced Americano coffee, hot water is replaced with 120 grams of ice and 120 grams of room temperature water, with the best taste before the ice completely melts. FrontStreet Coffee's iced Americano presents a refreshing and pleasant sweet and sour taste that even friends who don't often drink coffee can easily accept.

Why is Americano coffee so popular?

The reason Americano coffee is so sought after is not only because of its moderate concentration and approachable taste, but also because drinking an appropriate amount daily can help us digest, relieve greasiness, and reduce body edema. Additionally, due to its very low calorie content, it can increase the body's metabolism. Drinking it an hour before exercise can help burn fat, making it one of the recommended beverages for many fitness enthusiasts. However, FrontStreet Coffee still needs to remind everyone that only pure Americano coffee has certain benefits. If sugar syrup, condensed milk, or coffee creamer are added to Americano coffee, it will bring additional calories, and long-term consumption is not beneficial to our health.

Whether Americano coffee is healthy is an enduring global topic, but the current consensus in the medical community is that moderate consumption of Americano coffee has no adverse health effects and does not increase the risk of certain cancers, and may even be beneficial to the body. FrontStreet Coffee suggests that no more than 3 cups of Americano coffee (or black coffee) per day is beneficial and harmless to the body, but this should be considered in combination with each individual's physical constitution. When we experience insomnia, gastrointestinal discomfort, or other conditions after drinking coffee, we should not consume too much caffeine.

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FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473