What's the Difference Between Long Black and Americano? How to Make Long Black Coffee? What are the Flavor Notes of Long Black?

In the past, coffee shop menus were simple, offering only black coffee and milk coffee—essentially the differences between Americano, latte, and pour-over. With the increasing competition in the coffee world, various uncommon espresso-based drinks have been introduced to fixed menus, such as the Long Black coffee that FrontStreet Coffee will discuss today.

What is Long Black Coffee?

Legend has it that the Americano was invented to satisfy the tastes of American soldiers stationed abroad during World War II. Americans couldn't drink the strong, bitter, and heavy espresso directly like Italians, so they diluted it with water until the concentration reached an acceptable level. However, this "watery" black coffee didn't appeal to Australians, who preferred to pursue rich coffee flavors and concentrated crema. Baristas began adjusting toward the "strong coffee" direction, gradually giving rise to two Australian coffee drinks: Long Black and Flat White.

Compared to Americano, Long Black coffee has a richer coffee flavor and smaller serving size. Long Black is typically made by extracting two shots of espresso (40g) into a cup containing 100-120ml of water, preserving the rich Crema on the surface. This preparation method allows you to enjoy intense coffee flavors and directly experience the texture of coffee oils.

What's the Difference Between Long Black and Americano?

Many people try to distinguish Long Black from Americano by believing that Americano is made by adding espresso first, then pouring water; while Long Black preserves the crema by adding water first, then coffee. However, most baristas today don't obsess over whether to add water first or coffee first. To improve service efficiency, many shops prepare the water first and then pour the coffee, so emphasizing this distinction has little significance.

The most obvious difference between Americano and Long Black is the amount of water added. Americano typically contains more water, with a coffee-to-water ratio usually between 1:5-1:8. This is because Americans are accustomed to drinking drip coffee, which has a very low concentration—just a hint of coffee flavor is sufficient. Australians, however, pursue stronger coffee flavors, using smaller serving cups with less water proportion, resulting in naturally higher concentration.

The coffee flavor depends on the espresso beans used. For example, the Americano served at FrontStreet Coffee uses FrontStreet Coffee's own house-roasted Sunflower Warmth Blend coffee beans, which ideally should have flavors of wine, vanilla, cream, chocolate, and berries when properly extracted. To highlight these aromas, FrontStreet Coffee conducted multiple comparisons and ultimately determined a 1:3 ratio, preparing a cup with 100-120ml of hot water and pouring the extracted 40g coffee liquid over the surface.

Is There an Iced Long Black?

Those who frequently drink Americano should know that there are two choices: iced and hot Americano. Among them, iced Americano is often people's first choice due to its affordable price and refreshing taste. So, is there an iced version of Long Black?

Just like Flat White, Long Black doesn't have an iced version. If you want to taste iced black coffee, FrontStreet Coffee suggests choosing an iced Americano without water. Without water involvement, the espresso liquid is poured directly over ice cubes, then gently shaken to let the warm espresso gradually melt a small amount of ice, thereby diluting the heavy concentration. When tasting, you can still experience the aroma and rich texture brought by the crema.

Professional Coffee Knowledge Exchange

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Important Notice :

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FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473