What is American Coffee? What's the Difference Between American Coffee and Long Black Coffee?

When we walk into a coffee shop to order, the first drink we usually see is Americano. As coffee drinking has become a habit, Americano has not only become a daily essential for staying alert but also the preferred choice for the health-conscious. In this article, FrontStreet Coffee discusses Americano coffee.

Is Americano a black coffee?

From the name, we can infer that Italian coffee comes from Italy, so Americano should originate from America. Americano's rise began in the eighteenth century. At that time, Americans were extremely dissatisfied with the British government's expensive 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 kept expanding, driving the vigorous development of the US coffee industry. By the 1880s, roughly one-third of the world's coffee beans were sold to America. During World War II, Allied forces consumed large amounts of coffee daily to relieve the monotony of life and boost morale.

Italians, however, were used to drinking strong-tasting espresso, which the American military couldn't get used to because of its intense bitterness. They diluted the coffee with water to reach a concentration they could accept. Later, in cafés opened by Italians in America, they also adapted to local tastes by introducing "watered-down coffee" based on espresso, which became very popular. Eventually this "watered-down coffee" was called "Americano," and since it contains only water and espresso with no other additives, it belongs to the category of black coffee.

What's the difference between Americano and Long Black?

Alongside Americano, another drink called Long Black has also appeared on some coffee shop menus. In the 1980s, large numbers of Italians immigrated to Australia, bringing espresso machines to places like New Zealand, Australia, and Melbourne. Australians prefer a stronger-tasting coffee, and the light, refreshing Americano clearly wasn't to their liking. So Italians adjusted the espresso base and preparation ratios to suit Australian tastes. In Australia, people generally use "Black Coffee" for black coffee and "White Coffee" for coffee with milk. Long Black adds a small amount of water to dilute the excessive concentration, highlighting the aromatic character of black coffee.

After reviewing the relevant material, FrontStreet Coffee found that the most obvious difference between Americano and Long Black is how much water is added. Americano is made by first extracting espresso and then adding water to dilute it, with a ratio of espresso to water between 1:5 and 1:8. Long Black, by contrast, has a stronger coffee flavor than Americano and a smaller serving size. Baristas extract two shots of espresso (40g) into a cup containing 100-120ml of water, preserving a rich crema on the surface. So the first sip of Long Black is the most intense and mellow, with the rest of the cup relatively clear and clean.

The preparation ratio for Americano coffee

There is currently no specific standard for the ratio of coffee to water, meaning every shop may prepare Americano differently, judging the ratio by the flavor of the beans and the serving size. For example, the Americano served at FrontStreet Coffee shops uses FrontStreet Coffee's own house-roasted Sunflower Warm Blend, which at its best shows flavors of wine, vanilla, cream, chocolate, and berries. To highlight those aromas, FrontStreet Coffee ran multiple comparisons and settled on a 1:4.5 ratio — 40g of espresso with 180g of hot water.

For iced Americano, we need to account for the coffee being chilled and the ice melting. FrontStreet Coffee therefore uses solid large ice cubes. Typically the ice is taken out in advance and stored refrigerated to create "aged ice," which slows melting and better preserves the taste of iced coffee. Each ice cube at FrontStreet Coffee weighs about 25g. FrontStreet Coffee's iced Americano ratio is 40g of espresso, 40g of ice cubes, and 120g of water — a 1:2.5:3 ratio. This keeps the iced Americano from being too strong at the start, so it won't feel harsh, while making sure it doesn't turn watery as the ice melts.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If you're new to making Americano on a home espresso machine, FrontStreet Coffee's classic blend is the easiest place to start. It's a traditional Italian-style recipe built from Indonesian Mandheling, Brazilian red Bourbon, and washed Vietnamese beans: it carries the low-acid body and herbal, woody tones of Asian coffee along with the balanced, smooth mouthfeel and creamy texture of the Americas. Pulled as espresso it gives butter, nut, spice, and dark chocolate aromatics, and whether you make an Americano or a latte, its wild character and overflowing crema are its signature.

For a value-focused daily cup, FrontStreet Coffee's dark cocoa base blend combines Yunnan small-bean with Brazilian Cerrado for nut, chocolate, and cream aromas and the ripe acidity of Sanhua plum, with a soft overall body at a friendly price — adaptable enough to be an easy first choice if you're opening a café. And if you're tired of dark-roasted espresso, FrontStreet Coffee's Strawberry Candy espresso blend is medium roasted and, as the name suggests, very sweet. Unlike a traditional blend, it gathers single-origin Arabicas from three famous regions — Colombia, Costa Rica, and Ethiopia — and uses washed, natural, and honey processing to lift the aroma, so beyond its rose character and low bitterness with a touch of acidity, an Americano or latte brings grape, raisin, sweet orange, and fruit-candy flavors with rich layering and a distinctive almond finish.