Can You Add Sugar and Milk to Americano? What's the Difference Between Americano and Espresso?

In the world of coffee, there are numerous professional terms. Although they might sound similar, they actually convey distinctly different meanings. Take terms like Italian coffee, American coffee, and drip coffee for example - despite all ending with "coffee" in some form, some refer to specific coffee drinks, others describe brewing methods, and some represent categories of coffee. Each has its unique significance!

Coffee beginners can easily get confused by these various coffee-related terms. That's why FrontStreet Coffee is here today to share the meanings behind these different names that end with "style" or similar suffixes.

What is Italian Coffee?

Initially, Italian coffee (espresso) referred specifically to concentrated coffee made with semi-automatic espresso machines! Because this type of coffee machine originated in Italy, people called it Italian espresso, and the semi-automatic machine used to make it became known as an Italian coffee machine.

However, since many people couldn't accept this small cup of high-concentration coffee, they began adding various "ingredients" to dilute the bitterness and concentration. From that point on, Italian coffee no longer referred solely to espresso but became a general term! Coffee drinks made with espresso as a base and enhanced with various ingredients can all be called "Italian coffee." Lattes, cappuccinos, flat whites, and similar drinks all belong to the Italian coffee family.

What is American Coffee?

Americano coffee is precisely one of the varieties in the aforementioned Italian coffee family—a coffee made by mixing espresso with water! During World War II, American soldiers first encountered espresso coffee. As you might imagine, espresso is really too strong and too bitter! American soldiers prefer milder flavors, so how could they get used to it? (Double emphasis) So they asked shops to pour the espresso into water for dilution.

Unexpectedly, diluted espresso became extremely popular because it suited the milder taste preferences of American soldiers. Consequently, more and more soldiers began requesting shops to add espresso to water for dilution. For convenience, shops named this coffee "Americano coffee."

The Americano served at FrontStreet Coffee has a special twist—the baristas use their house-roasted Frontsteet Sunflower · Warm Sunshine espresso blend beans. When ideally extracted, it reveals whiskey notes, vanilla, cream, chocolate, berry, and caramel flavors. Not only is it rich in layers, but it's also mellow and pleasant. To highlight these aromas, FrontStreet Coffee conducted multiple comparisons and finally determined a 1:4.5 ratio—that is, adding 180g of hot water to 40g of espresso. For iced Americano, they substitute 100g of large ice cubes and 120g of water, creating a 1:2.5:3 ratio. This results in an iced Americano with moderate concentration, refreshing acidity and coolness, and a persistent sweet aftertaste.

Can American Coffee be Sweetened or Milk Added?

For those who can't accept coffee's bitterness, FrontStreet Coffee usually recommends adding a small amount of sugar or milk to make Americano more approachable while also enriching the layers of a cup of coffee.

A standard Americano often has beautiful golden-brown foam floating on top—this is the crema (Crema). Moderate crema not only provides a pleasant mouthfeel but also offers aromatic compounds to our sense of smell, and it's one of the important indicators of coffee freshness.

To enhance crema richness, many people prioritize using dark-roasted beans (espresso beans) for preparation. These beans inherently have a bitter flavor profile, and if parameters aren't adjusted properly, the coffee can exhibit dry or rough characteristics. Adding a small amount of milk can neutralize the coffee's bitterness, and the creaminess of milk also adds a thicker texture to the entire Americano, enriching the caramel and chocolate aromas.

Typically, each coffee shop has a fixed ratio for their preparations. For example, FrontStreet Coffee uses medium-dark roasted Warm Sunshine blend to make hot Americano, which is served in a 240ml ceramic cup. The coffee generally amounts to 35-40ml, with 180ml of hot water, resulting in approximately a 1:4.5 ratio. This produces a hot Americano with moderate concentration when drunk directly, balanced aromas, and subtle sweetness.

For friends who need additional milk, FrontStreet Coffee adjusts the coffee-to-water ratio to 1:4. They first add 160ml of hot water to the cup, pour 40ml of espresso, and then add fresh milk at a ratio of 15ml per 100ml of black coffee. This means a total of 30ml of fresh milk is added, resulting in excellent effects in terms of concentration, mouthfeel, and aroma.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473