An Americano coffee is espresso mixed with hot water. The strength will vary depending on the coffee to water ratio.
One of the questions that was asked the most was at the coffee shop was what t is an Americano coffee? and then quickly follow with how is it different from Drip coffee? or what is the difference between an Americano and a Long Black?
Now, lets go over in more detail what an Americano coffee is, how to make one and what makes it different from both the Long Black and Drip Coffee.
If you want to learn how to make an Americano coffee, take a look at this article for all the details
Who Invented The Americano Coffee?
The Americano, which comes from the Italian word for – a person from the United States, came about at an interesting time in history.
The story has it that During World War 2 the American soldiers who were stationed or passing through Italy at this time, thought the coffee that was served to them was too strong compared to the black coffee they were used to drinking.
Therefore, since they were not used to such strong tasting coffee, they asked if there was any way to make it taste less strong.
So what did the Italians do? They did what was logical and easy to make it less strong tasting and that was simply to add hot water to the espresso.
And that’s it! The Americano was born!
Whether you are making the espresso at home or if your getting one at a coffee shop, the whole brewing process takes about 30 seconds (I have a whole article on espresso if you are interested in learning more) and translates into a stronger tasting coffee then the drip method.
When drinking an Americano coffee, the flavor of the beans are more pronounced due to the espresso brewing method and you get a little more oiliness since there is no filter paper.
What is the Difference between an Americano Vs Long Black?
When people would come into my shop and ask for an Americano, I would sometimes ask them if they want an Americano or a Long Black. Naturally, they would ask what is the difference.. I would go on to explain that its basically the same drink the only difference being the order in which the espresso is poured into the cup.
With an Americano the espresso is poured first and then the water is added, whereas with a long black, which, by the way was created in Australia, is just the opposite. The water is poured first and then the espresso is added.
What is the reason for this? Well, the theory goes by adding the espresso second the crema stays on top of the drink and you therefore avoid burning the taste of the espresso. Personally, I cannot tell the difference between the two even when I did a side by side taste test but hey what do I know?
What is the Difference between an Americano Vs Drip Coffee
Since an Americano is made using espresso and drip coffee uses a filter, they are two substantially different drinks. They vary greatly in not only both taste and texture but in other ways as well.
Here are 6 key differences between an Americano and Drip Coffee:
- Grind size
- Flavor
- Amount of Caffeine
- Crema
- Water to coffee ratio
- How long it takes each to brew
Drip coffee, (not to be confused with pour over methods such as the Chemex and V60), will give you a lighter tasting coffee with no crema. Whereas an Americano will give you less coffee that has more intense flavors and if fresh roasted coffee is used, more crema.
Final Thoughts
If you have come this far, I hope you now have a better understanding on what an Americano coffee is and how it is different from similar types coffee drinks like Drip Coffee and the Long Black. In the end you just have to try all 3, and figure out which one tastes better to you.
If you have anything to add or have a preference for any one of these methods, let me and others. know!
