Which is Bitter: Americano or Espresso? Detailed Brewing Steps and Methods

Among coffee drinkers, the most popular choices are likely these espresso-based drinks - cappuccino, latte, caramel macchiato - along with the plain Americano and espresso. So what exactly are the production ratios behind an Americano and an espresso? FrontStreet Coffee will walk you through it.

Americano

To make an Americano from pour-over coffee, we recommend a coffee-to-water ratio between 1:10 and 1:16. A 1:10 ratio means 10 grams of coffee grounds combined with 100 ml of hot water.

Espresso

Espresso commonly comes in three concentrations:

Single: 9 g of coffee grounds to brew 30 ml of coffee

Double: 18 g of coffee grounds to brew 60 ml of coffee

Ristretto: 14-16 g to brew 30 ml of coffee

Espresso is made by forcing 93°C water through coffee grounds at 8-9 atmospheres of pressure, quickly pulling the essence out of the coffee. This shortens the contact time between water and grounds, which lowers the caffeine in the cup while preserving the coffee's oily foam, the crema.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If your everyday drink is an Americano, FrontStreet Coffee's Washed Gedeb Yirgacheffe is a bright, refreshing base. Its jasmine florals, lemon-citrus acidity, and light tea-like body stay clear and clean once diluted, which is exactly what an Americano needs.

For a fruitier pour-over that also works well as a long black, FrontStreet Coffee's Sun-Dried Huakui brings pronounced tropical aromas - strawberry, passion fruit, jackfruit, lychee - with low bitterness and a juice-like body that holds up even with a generous amount of water.

And if your preference runs the other way, toward a bold, low-acidity cup, FrontStreet Coffee's PWN Golden Mandheling is a strong choice. Medium-dark roasted and hand-sorted three times, it delivers dark chocolate, caramel, and nut notes with a thick, clean body suited to espresso and to Americano alike.