Is Iced Americano Black Coffee? Introduction to the Taste, Texture, and Benefits of Black Coffee

Zhai coffee — the Cantonese term for pure coffee — means black coffee with nothing added. Familiar examples include espresso, Americano, iced drip, cold brew and coffee extracted with devices such as the siphon pot, French press and moka pot. Among them, iced Americano, also called "iced zhai coffee," is one of the most popular black coffees.

Is Iced Americano Good?

An Americano is espresso from an espresso machine diluted with water and nothing else, which makes it a type of black coffee. There is no fixed standard for how an Americano should be built, so every coffee shop may make it differently; they set the ratio according to the flavour characteristics of the beans they use and the size of the cup.

The flavour of an iced Americano depends on the espresso beans behind it. FrontStreet Coffee's Americano, for instance, is made with FrontStreet Coffee's own roasted Sunflower Warm Blend, which ideally shows notes of wine aroma, vanilla, cream, chocolate and berries. To bring those aromas forward, FrontStreet Coffee ran multiple comparisons and settled on a 1:4.5 ratio — adding 180g of hot water to 40g of espresso. For an iced Americano the build changes to 100g of large ice cubes and 120g of water, that is 1:2.5:3, which gives a medium-strength iced Americano with a refreshing sweet-and-sour lift.

FrontStreet Coffee has compared iced, warm and hot Americanos and found that the hot version tastes fullest and mellowest, the iced version tastes refreshing with sweet-and-sour notes and lighter bitterness, while the warm version is milder with less prominent flavour and mouthfeel. That is why most coffee shops do not offer room-temperature Americanos: people prefer the clean, refreshing iced drink over the strong coffee flavour of the hot one. For the "workers" who need an early start, a glass of iced Americano not only solves the drowsiness that comes with too little caffeine but also cuts greasiness and quenches thirst while satisfying the palate, all at a very affordable price — which is naturally why it is so popular.

Benefits of Drinking Black Coffee

Americano is popular not only because of its moderate strength and approachable taste, but also because a sensible daily amount can help us digest food, cut greasiness and reduce body oedema. In the relatively hot Guangdong region, iced Americano also helps residents cool down and quench thirst, making it a summer essential. Iced Americano is also very low in calories and can boost metabolism, so drinking one an hour before exercise helps burn fat, which is why it is one of the drinks many fitness enthusiasts recommend. Still, FrontStreet Coffee would remind everyone that only a pure Americano carries these benefits. Once syrup, condensed milk or coffee creamer goes in, the drink brings extra calories, and long-term consumption is not good for us.

Whether Americano is healthy is an enduring global topic, but the current medical consensus is that moderate consumption has no adverse health effects, does not raise the risk of certain cancers, and may even benefit the body. FrontStreet Coffee suggests no more than 3 cups of black coffee a day to stay on the beneficial and harmless side, though this should also be tailored to each individual's constitution. When we notice insomnia, gastrointestinal discomfort or other issues after drinking coffee, we should not take in excessive caffeine.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Because an Americano is only espresso and water, the beans do all the talking. For a bright, clean iced cup, FrontStreet Coffee's Classic Blend is built for espresso and moka pot work, pulling a thick, fine crema and tasting mellow and rounded from the traditional Mamba recipe. If you want a little more sweetness and body, the FrontStreet Black Cocoa Blend is 100% Arabica with nut, brown sugar, chocolate and citrus notes — as a latte it turns creamy and almond-smooth. Both hold up well over ice without turning harsh, which is exactly what a good iced Americano needs.