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Can You Tell the Difference Between Lungo, Long Black, and Americano?

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, For newcomers to espresso-based coffee drinks, facing Long Black and Lungo—two black coffees with similar-sounding names—can be quite confusing. What exactly are these beverages, and how do they relate to Americano coffee? (From left to right: Lungo)

For those new to espresso-based coffees, when faced with Long Black and Lungo—two black coffees with somewhat similar names—it's natural to feel puzzled. What exactly are they? And how do they relate to Americano coffee?

(From left to right: Lungo, Long Black, Americano)

Long Black ≠ Americano

As you probably know, Espresso + water = Americano. This originated during World War II when American soldiers stationed in Europe found the espresso too strong for their taste, so they diluted it with water to match the concentration they were accustomed to back home. Hence the name Americano.

Long Black is what Australians call their version of diluted espresso. Wait, isn't diluted espresso just an Americano? Why give it another name? And how did it become Australia's signature coffee? (Is this just Australian stubbornness at its finest?)

This is because Australians have higher standards for coffee flavor. Compared to Americano, Long Black is served in smaller cups, making the taste more intense. When espresso is added, the crema floats on the surface, providing a richer drinking experience.

The difference in preparation methods between Long Black and Americano lies in: Americano is made by adding water to espresso for dilution, typically with a liquid-to-water ratio of 1:5 to 1:8. Long Black, however, is made by pouring espresso into a pre-filled cup of hot water, with a ratio typically of 1:3, and it can only be served hot.

(Americano and Long Black, both with 1:3 ratio for more direct crema comparison)

The action of pouring espresso last allows the crema to be preserved to some extent (with Americano, adding water afterward creates agitation that disperses the crema, though few coffee shops deliberately follow this preparation order today). With Long Black, when not stirred, the different densities of espresso and water create varying concentrations in upper and lower layers. This means that with the first sip, you can taste not only the aromatic coffee but also the smooth texture from the crema. The 1:3 dilution ratio allows the coffee flavors to be expressed more clearly.

What is Lungo?

Like Espresso and Ristretto, Lungo is a type of "strong coffee" extracted directly from an espresso machine.

Let me explain what kind of coffee Lungo is. Taking FrontStreet Coffee's extraction of a Warm Sun Blend espresso as an example: using 20g of coffee grounds to extract 40g of coffee liquid in about 30 seconds—this is normal espresso extraction. To make Lungo, we extend the extraction time under normal espresso parameters, increase the water-to-coffee ratio (about 1:5), and extract more coffee liquid (for example, 20g of grounds to extract 100g of coffee liquid in 56 seconds). This can be simply understood as an "over-extracted" espresso—this is Lungo.

In the 1950s, adding water to espresso was seen as cutting corners, so to get a more satisfying drink, people extended the extraction time to increase the serving size. Looking at it from today's perspective, wouldn't this also extract the bitter flavors from the later stages? But in an era when "whether the bitterness was rich enough and the texture was strong enough" was the standard for good coffee, such practices were perfectly acceptable.

How do Lungo and Long Black differ in their concentration adjustment methods?

On the surface, both have a layer of crema, but relatively speaking, the Long Black—where espresso is poured over water—has richer crema, while Lungo has a darker color.

In terms of taste comparison, the Long Black with water added afterward has a lower concentration and doesn't have the full, smooth texture of directly extracted Lungo. However, Lungo has a noticeable light bitterness, though within acceptable range. When allowed to cool and then drunk, Lungo becomes overwhelmingly bitter, putting a painful mask on the barista's face 🤡, while Long Black doesn't change significantly, allowing you to appreciate the rich layers of coffee.