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In the espresso family, Americano, Latte, and Cappuccino are considered the "heavyweights of espresso." In recent years, Lungo and Long Black have gradually emerged in the espresso family, often confused with Americano... What are they exactly? What's their relationship with Americano?

What is Americano?

I believe most people are familiar with this, so FrontStreet Coffee won't detail its origins this time. Simply put, Americano is made by adding an appropriate amount of water to dilute normally extracted espresso (using a 1:2 coffee-to-liquid ratio). This not only reduces the concentration but also allows different flavor molecules to express their "charm" at different temperatures.

What is Lungo Coffee?

Lungo means "long/extended" in Italian, which we can understand as "longer" in English. The extraction principle is to extend the extraction time on top of normal espresso to obtain more espresso liquid. Currently, there is no precise extraction ratio, and different coffee shops use different parameters for extracting Lungo. Generally, the recommended coffee-to-liquid ratio for making Lungo is around 1:5, such as extracting 100g of coffee liquid from 20g of coffee grounds. While the extraction ratio increases, the extraction time also doubles, taking about 56 seconds.

After the extended espresso extraction is complete, it doesn't need additional water dilution and can be consumed directly. Theoretically, it's completely different from Americano, as Lungo is a derivative of espresso.

What is Long Black Coffee?

Long Black, also known as Australian Black, has another nickname "short black," which is how Australians refer to this diluted espresso coffee. Wait, isn't diluted espresso just Americano! Why call it Australian Black? No, no, these two coffees are different—this is the Australian people's dedication to this coffee!

Americano is made by first extracting espresso, then adding water for dilution, with an espresso-to-water ratio of 1:5 to 1:8. When water is added, the crema of the espresso gets dispersed, so from the first sip to the last, each sip of coffee has a similar concentration.

Long Black, on the other hand, is made by adding water to the cup first, then pouring in the extracted espresso. This preserves the crema of the espresso, with an espresso-to-water ratio of 1:3. Due to the different densities of espresso and water, without stirring, a cup of coffee shows a gradual concentration change. Therefore, Long Black is most rich and mellow at the first sip, with a smooth texture from the crema, while the subsequent flavor expressions are clearer and cleaner.

Using the Same Coffee Bean for Production

Different Flavor Expressions of Americano, Lungo, and Long Black

FrontStreet Coffee's daily espresso extraction uses Sunflower Warm Blend coffee beans, with extraction parameters of 20g of coffee grounds to extract 40g of coffee liquid, taking 28 seconds. The espresso flavor presents as: sherry wine aroma, soft berry acidity, vanilla cream-like mouthfeel, and a finish of hazelnut chocolate.

Lungo extracted at a 1:5 ratio presents the following flavor profile: full of bitterness, with distinct wine aroma and chocolate notes, while other flavors are somewhat lacking.

Hot Americano made at a 1:6 coffee-to-water ratio presents the following flavor profile: noticeable and active sherry wine aroma, berry acidity is not prominent, with a finish of hazelnut and vanilla chocolate.

Long Black made at a 1:3 coffee-to-water ratio presents the following flavor profile: creamy smoothness at first sip and strong sherry wine aroma, with clear caramel and chocolate finish—rich at entry, clean in the aftertaste.

Important Notice :

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FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473