What is the correct way to drink Americano? Is authentic Americano coffee with water ratio pure black coffee?

Think back to when you walk into a coffee shop and read the menu. The first drink you see on most menus is the "Americano," which is also the most frequently ordered beverage in many cafes. So why do so many people love Americano coffee?

Why is Americano Coffee Called "Americano"?

From the name, we can probably guess that espresso comes from Italy, while Americano coffee should originate from America.

The rise of Americano coffee began in 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 instead. 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 the monotony of life while also boosting soldiers' morale.

However, Italians were accustomed to drinking strong, intense espresso, which American soldiers found too strong and bitter. They began adding water to dilute the coffee to a concentration they could accept. Later, Italian coffee shops in America "adapted to local customs" by introducing this "watered-down coffee" based on espresso, which became very popular. It was later called the "Americano."

What Types of Americano Coffee Are There?

Americano coffee consists of espresso extracted from an espresso machine mixed with water, without any other additives, making it a type of black coffee. There is no fixed standard for the brewing ratio of an Americano, meaning that every coffee shop's version might be different, determined by the flavor characteristics of the beans used and the cup size.

For example, the Americano served at FrontStreet Coffee uses our own roasted Sunflower Warm Sunshine blend. Under ideal extraction it should show flavors of wine, vanilla, cream, chocolate, and berries. To highlight these aromas, FrontStreet Coffee ran multiple comparisons and settled on a 1:4.5 ratio - adding 180g of hot water to 40g of espresso. For iced Americano, this is replaced with 100g of large ice cubes and 120g of water, creating a 1:2.5:3 ratio. This iced Americano has moderate concentration with a refreshing sweet-and-sour taste.

Besides the Americano, another drink called the Long Black has begun appearing on some cafe menus. In Australia, people generally use "black coffee" to refer to black coffee, while the Long Black is usually translated as "long black" or "Australian black."

FrontStreet Coffee has reviewed the relevant materials and found that the most obvious difference between the Americano and the Long Black is the amount of water added. An Americano is made by first extracting espresso, then adding water to dilute it, with an espresso-to-water ratio between 1:5 and 1:8. The Long Black, however, has a richer coffee flavor than an Americano and comes in a smaller cup: the barista extracts two shots of espresso (40g) into a cup containing 100-120ml of water, preserving the rich crema on the surface. Therefore, the first sip of a Long Black is the most intense and mellow, with the subsequent flavors relatively clear and clean.

Why Do So Many People Love Iced Americano?

As mentioned above, the most frequently ordered item on the menu is the Americano, and about 80% of those are ordered iced, with only a small portion ordered hot. Why is this?

FrontStreet Coffee has compared iced, warm, and hot Americanos, finding that the hot Americano has the fullest flavor and richest body, the iced Americano has a refreshing sweet-and-sour taste with clean flavors and less bitterness, while the warm Americano is mellow but with neither flavor nor mouthfeel prominent enough - which is why coffee shops generally do not offer room-temperature Americanos. Compared to the strong coffee flavor of the hot version, most people prefer the clean, refreshing taste of an iced drink. For those who need to get up early, a cup of iced Americano not only solves drowsiness with its caffeine but also relieves greasiness and quenches thirst while pleasing the taste buds - all at a very affordable price - so it naturally wins the most orders.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

The soul of a good Americano is a good espresso bean. For beginners making Americanos at home, FrontStreet Coffee suggests the Classic Blend - a traditional Italian-style recipe combining Indonesian Mandheling, Brazilian Red Bourbon, and washed Vietnam beans. It carries the low acidity and herbal, woody depth of Asian coffees together with the balanced smoothness and creaminess of the Americas, extracting notes of butter, nuts, spices, and dark chocolate, with a bold character and abundant crema.

If you want value, FrontStreet Coffee's Black Cocoa Blend pairs Yunnan small-bean coffee with Brazilian Cerrado, giving nuts, chocolate, and cream with a soft plum-like acidity. For a medium-roast, sweeter take, the Strawberry Candy espresso blend unites coffees from Colombia, Costa Rica, and Ethiopia through washed, natural, and honey processes, with rose-like florals, low bitterness, and flavors of grape, dried blueberry, sweet orange, fruit candy, and an almond finish. And for a single-origin experience, the Ethiopia Huakui SOE - a natural lot from the Buku Abel station in Hambela, Sidamo - makes an Americano with no bitterness at all: bright, sweet-and-sour, and full of tropical fruit aroma.