What is Americano, the Unassuming Black Coffee? Do You Really Understand Americano Coffee?

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Watching Hong Kong dramas, you often see a scene: "Give me a plain coffee, thank you." The term "plain coffee" here refers to black coffee. When it comes to drinking coffee, everyone knows it's coffee without sugar or milk. However, from FrontStreet Coffee's barista's perspective, black coffee is not just about excluding sugar and milk—it's divided into two categories.

Black coffee is classified into two major categories based on preparation methods: one is drip-style pour-over coffee, and the other is Americano made with espresso machines. Pour-over coffee gained popularity during the third wave of coffee, while espresso represents the core of the second wave of coffee.

History of Espresso Machines

As early as the mid-1880s, the first espresso machine appeared and was showcased at the World Expo in Turin, Italy, where a patent was registered for this machine. The emergence of the first espresso machine marked a significant turning point in world coffee culture. However, this machine was never put into industrial production.

It wasn't until 1901 that a Milan designer first registered patent technology for espresso machines suitable for commercial production. In 1905, La Pavoni company first used this technology to officially produce espresso machines, giving birth to the first true espresso machine. Pavoni made many adjustments to the machine, adding multiple brewing heads, portafilters, and more.

In the 1930s, a Milan barista improved the espresso machine design by adding a piston lever. From then on, the characteristic crema of espresso appeared, and the coffee liquid developed more aroma and rich substances.

In 1961, Faema company launched the world-famous commercial espresso machine Faema E61. Faema E61 is known as "the father of modern espresso machines"—it was the world's first semi-automatic espresso machine, which allowed baristas to control extraction pressure, time, and various other parameters without using a pressure lever. The machine also featured a horizontal boiler that enabled baristas to interact with customers. It was precisely with the emergence of the Faema E61 that Italy's espresso culture experienced explosive growth.

Origin of Americano's Name

It's not difficult to tell from the name of Americano that it has some connection with America. FrontStreet Coffee researched and found that the name Americano comes from the World War II period, when American soldiers went to European battlefields. Europeans' coffee was very strong, which American soldiers couldn't tolerate, so they later poured water into espresso. Europeans also looked down on this watered-down coffee, so they called this mild coffee suited to American taste "Americano."

The Correct Way to Drink Americano

After introducing the origin of Americano's name, it's time to share the correct way to drink Americano. Regarding the preparation method of Americano, FrontStreet Coffee has mentioned it in many previous articles. Making Americano involves adding water to espresso.

While making espresso seems simple, it involves extensive knowledge, including factors such as water temperature, pressure, grind size, dose, brew ratio, time, and crema.

Pressure

Generally, about 9 bars of pressure can extract ideal emulsified espresso. If the pressure is lower than 9 bars, the extracted crema components are relatively few, making it difficult to balance aroma presentation; if the pressure is higher than 9 bars, such as 11 to 14 bars, it will destroy too much coffee structure, causing over-extraction of crema components. Due to the vigorous movement of water and other substances, the extraction rate of many undesirable flavor compounds also increases, resulting in bitter coffee with rough texture.

Grind Size

If the grind size used for espresso is too coarse, it's easy to cause under-extraction; if the coffee particles are too fine, it's easy to over-extract, resulting in undesirable bitterness.

Dose

The amount of coffee grounds is generally determined by the size of the portafilter basket. FrontStreet Coffee's brewing handles use 20-gram baskets, so FrontStreet Coffee also uses 20 grams of coffee grounds when making espresso.

Brew Ratio

With other factors fixed, the more coffee grounds used, the more soluble substances extracted, the stronger the aroma intensity, and the stronger the concentration; the fewer coffee grounds used, the fewer soluble substances, the lighter the concentration, and the aroma loses its character, appearing bland and tasteless. FrontStreet Coffee's Americano uses a brew ratio of 20 grams of grounds yielding 40 grams of espresso liquid, with the final espresso and water mixed at a 1:6 ratio.

Crema

The commonly mentioned crema refers to the light-colored layer covering the top of espresso liquid. This is a foam layer composed of countless carbon dioxide bubbles, containing a large amount of volatile aromatic substances. After extraction is complete, this foam layer gradually dissipates over time. This also reflects the freshness of coffee beans. Since FrontStreet Coffee uses freshly roasted coffee beans, the extracted espresso has rich crema and a smooth, dense mouthfeel.

FrontStreet Coffee's Espresso Making Process

① First, place the portafilter on an electronic scale and zero it, then dose 20 grams of coffee grounds.

② Use a distribution tool to ensure even distribution of coffee grounds in the portafilter basket.

③ Tamp—apply moderate pressure. If tamping is too light, the puck structure will be loose, resulting in fast flow rate; if tamping is too heavy, the puck becomes too compact, making it difficult for water to pass through the coffee layer, causing over-extraction. Additionally, it's important to note that the tamper should be perpendicular to the portafilter basket; otherwise, it will cause an uneven puck, resulting in uneven extraction.

④ Extraction—after locking the portafilter, begin extraction while timing. Generally, extract 40 grams of espresso liquid, taking about 25 to 30 seconds.

⑤ After extraction is complete, clean the portafilter basket.

FrontStreet Coffee uses a Lelit V3 espresso machine with the following extraction parameters:

Pressure: 9 bar±2
Temperature: 90.5~96°C
Time: 20~30 sec
Brew Ratio: 1:1.7~1:2
Dose: 12g (single espresso) 20g (double espresso)
Extraction Yield: 20ml (single) 40ml (double)

FrontStreet Coffee uses Sunflower Warm Blend for making espresso. This blend contains 70% Honduras Sherry and 30% Ethiopia Natural Red Cherry. The Americano made with this beans is described as having berry acidity, wine-like aroma, and chocolate aftertaste.

Which Tastes Better: Espresso or Americano?

Due to the different brew ratios between Americano and espresso, their flavor profiles and textures are also vastly different. Espresso has intense flavor, which might be overwhelming for those new to coffee. When FrontStreet Coffee serves espresso, they also provide a glass of ice water and a spoon. The ice water can cleanse the palate before tasting, while the spoon is used for stirring to mix the espresso more evenly. Americano, being diluted with water, makes the espresso less concentrated, allowing some flavors to become clearer and making it more acceptable for beginners.

Important Notice :

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FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

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