Should You Add Sugar and Milk to Americano? | What Can You Add to Bitter Americano to Make It Less Bitter?

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The Popularity of Americano

Watch any Korean drama and you'll notice that when characters visit a coffee shop or treat someone to coffee, Americano plays the part of a familiar veteran. Why do so many people love it? For many, an Americano is more than a cup of coffee — beyond its refreshing lift, it is a social gesture in itself.

Americano is a black coffee made from espresso plus water. Being milk-free, sugar-free, and low in calories has made it one of the healthy drinks modern young people readily embrace. Choosing an Americano gets you both the social space a coffee shop provides and an affordable, healthy option. Whether you're drinking it yourself or treating someone else, it's a low-pressure choice.

If you don't know what someone likes to drink, or when you want to ask a favor or say thank you, an iced Americano is a safe bet. And if you worry they may not like black coffee, bring along creamer and sugar packets so they can adjust it to their taste.

What is Americano Coffee?

Americano did not actually originate in America — it originated in Italy. In 1884, Italy invented a coffee machine that extracts using steam pressure, and in the same year a coffee product named espresso appeared.

The defining feature of this coffee is that the beans are first ground into extremely fine particles, then sealed and pressurized so hot water passes through the grounds to extract a highly concentrated liquid. Because this was the industrial development era, espresso was an instant hit with locals.

Before World War II, American soldiers stationed in Italy tasted this intensely strong coffee during breaks at cafes and found it hard to swallow (espresso making was less refined back then, and bean quality was not what it is today). So they began adding water to dilute it.

Italians, who have always loved strong flavors, did not approve of this American habit, so they called espresso with added water "Americano," meaning "American coffee."

Though Italians didn't approve, Americans loved it. For one thing, it was quick and convenient to make; for another, it could be adjusted to personal taste. So after returning home, some Americans introduced Italian espresso machines locally, and soon these fast extraction machines spread across America. Americano became an indispensable item on coffee shop menus.

How to Make Americano Coffee?

An Americano is espresso plus water. When FrontStreet Coffee makes one, we use dark-roasted blend beans, ground into extremely fine particles. Using 20g of coffee at a 1:2 ratio and 9 bar of pressure, we extract 40g of coffee liquid in 25-30 seconds, then add water at a 1:5 ratio.

Note, however, that every grinder and espresso machine performs differently, and the roast, condition, and flavor expression of the beans also vary. The extraction parameters above are just FrontStreet Coffee's suggestions, offering initial reference data to adjust from once you taste the finished shot.

The water ratio above is likewise a FrontStreet reference point, and it should be decided by how concentrated your final espresso is. If you're unsure, start at 1:5. If the coffee tastes too strong, add more water; if it's too weak, add less.

If you want to make Americano at home without buying a coffee machine, you can use a moka pot to make your espresso. The flavor won't be as rich as an espresso machine's, but it's still full and mellow.

There are a few things to note with a moka pot. First, when filling the lower chamber, don't go above the pressure relief valve. Second, grind the coffee finely, but not so fine that it passes through the filter basket holes. Third, add grounds level with the basket without tamping — just level them off, no pressing.

Once extraction starts and you see coffee liquid emerging in the upper chamber, turn off the heat and move the pot to a wet towel to cool it quickly. That temperature drop speeds up the release of the coffee liquid and effectively reduces over-extraction caused by prolonged high heat.

Prepare a cup holding 200ml or more, pour in 180ml of warm water, then add the coffee liquid extracted from the moka pot, and your Americano is ready. Stir gently before drinking. If you're not used to the mellow bitterness of black coffee, add a little sugar to balance it, or a small amount of milk, which softens the texture somewhat.

What Coffee Beans to Use for Americano?

FrontStreet Coffee recommends blend beans formulated specifically for espresso. Not only is the cost lower, the flavor expression of a blend is also more stable than that of a single origin.

FrontStreet Coffee currently sells four espresso blends. Choose the one that fits your needs.

"FrontStreet Sunshine Blend Coffee Beans" 78 yuan/227g, suitable for home brewing and specialty coffee shops. Made with Ethiopian natural red cherry coffee beans (30%) + Honduras sherry barrel coffee beans (70%), featuring rich wine aroma, vanilla cream, berry sweetness and acidity, and roasted nut flavors.

"FrontStreet Specialty Blend Coffee Beans" 75 yuan/454g, suitable for home brewing, specialty coffee shops, community coffee shops, and small coffee shops. Made with Colombian washed coffee beans (30%) + Brazilian semi-natural coffee beans (70%), featuring nut, dark chocolate, and caramel flavors.

"FrontStreet Commercial Blend Coffee Beans" 60 yuan/454g, suitable for specialty coffee shops, community coffee shops, small coffee shops, and takeaway coffee shops. Made with Robusta washed coffee beans (10%) + Colombian washed coffee beans (30%) + Brazilian semi-natural coffee (60%), featuring nut, cocoa, and caramel flavors.

"FrontStreet Basic Blend Coffee Beans" 50 yuan/454g, suitable for small coffee shops, milk tea shops, and takeaway coffee shops. Made with Yunnan washed small-bean coffee (30%) + Brazilian semi-natural coffee beans (70%), featuring gentle fruit acidity, caramel, and nut flavors.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

For a home Americano, FrontStreet Coffee's Classic Blend is the go-to. It is built specifically for espresso and moka pot, combining Indonesian Mandheling, Brazilian red Bourbon, and Vietnamese washed beans in a traditional Italian-style recipe. You get the low-acid, full-bodied, herbal and woody depth of Asia alongside the balanced, creamy smoothness of the Americas, extracting butter, nut, spice, and dark chocolate aromas with a generous golden crema — wild character and all.

If you're watching your budget, the FrontStreet Black Cocoa Base Blend pairs Yunnan small-bean coffee with Brazilian Cerrado for a sweet, gentle Americano full of nut, chocolate, and cream, with a ripe plum acidity. And if you've grown tired of deep roasts, try the FrontStreet Strawberry Candy espresso blend: a medium roast of Colombian, Costa Rican, and Ethiopian Arabica that keeps the bitterness low and the fruit high, so your Americano and latte show grape, raisin, sweet orange, and fruit-candy flavors with a rose-like aroma.