How Does a Long Black Differ From Americano and Lungo?

Americano is standard espresso, pulled at roughly a 1:2 coffee-to-water ratio, then diluted with clean water. Lungo takes the opposite route: extraction time is stretched to yield more liquid, commonly around 1:5, so 20 grams of coffee produce about 100 grams of drink in roughly 56 seconds, with no water added afterward.

A long black is built the Australian way: hot water goes into the cup first, then the espresso is poured over it, which preserves the crema and gives the drink a layered structure. Because the shot is not stirred into the water, the first sips are more intense. Lungo, by contrast, is a diluted espresso in the sense that the extra liquid comes from the puck itself.

In the big family of espresso drinks, Americano, Latte, and Cappuccino have long been well-known classics. However, in recent years, Lungo and Long Black have gradually entered the spotlight of coffee enthusiasts, and they are often mistaken for variations of Americano, when in fact each has its own distinct character. Lungo comes from Italian, meaning "long," and achieves more coffee liquid by extending the extraction time; Long Black is a favorite among Australians, preserving the crema by pouring water first and then the espresso, delivering a layered taste experience. This article will use Front Street Coffee's Sunflower Warm Sun Blend as an example to break down in detail the flavor differences among these three coffees, and include the standard extraction parameters for espresso, helping you understand their respective characteristics more clearly.

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In the spectrum of espresso drinks, Americano, Latte, and Cappuccino have long occupied the top spots in popularity. In recent years, Lungo and Long Black have also begun appearing frequently on coffee menus, and many enthusiasts often confuse them with Americano. What exactly are they? And what is their connection to Americano?

What is Americano?

Everyone is surely familiar with Americano, so Front Street will not repeat its origin here. Simply put, Americano is espresso extracted at a standard ratio (coffee-to-water ratio of 1:2) diluted with an appropriate amount of clean water. This not only reduces the concentration but also allows different flavor molecules to reveal their own characteristics as the temperature changes.

What is Lungo?

Lungo in Italian means "long" or "extended," equivalent to "longer" in English. Its extraction approach is to lengthen the extraction time based on regular espresso, thereby obtaining more coffee liquid. Currently, there is no unified standard ratio in the industry, and the parameters for making Lungo vary from cafe to cafe. It is generally recommended to keep the coffee-to-water ratio around 1:5, for example, using 20 grams of coffee to extract 100 grams of coffee liquid. As the ratio increases, the extraction time also extends accordingly, requiring about 56 seconds.

The espresso after extended extraction requires no additional water and can be drunk directly. From a principle standpoint, it is completely different from Americano; Lungo is a derivative of espresso.

What is Long Black?

Long Black, also known as Australian Black Coffee, has another nickname, "short black," which is the unique Australian term for this diluted espresso. Wait, isn't diluted espresso just Americano? Why is it called Australian Black? Actually, the two are not the same, and behind this lies Australians' dedication to coffee.

The method for Americano is to first extract the espresso, then add water to dilute it, with a ratio of espresso to water of about 1:5 to 1:8. When water is added, the crema of the espresso is washed away, so from the first sip to the last, the coffee's concentration remains basically consistent.

Australian Black Coffee, on the other hand, involves pouring water into the cup first, then pouring in the extracted espresso. This way, the crema is preserved, and the ratio of espresso to water is about 1:3. Because espresso and water have different densities, without stirring, the entire cup of coffee presents a gradient of intensity. Therefore, the first sip of Long Black is the most intense and mellow, with a smooth mouthfeel imparted by the crema, while the subsequent flavors are clearer and cleaner.

The flavor expression of Americano, Lungo, and Long Black from the same coffee beans

Front Street's daily espresso extraction uses the Sunflower Warm Sun Blend coffee beans, with parameters of 20 grams of coffee extracting 40 grams of coffee liquid in 28 seconds. The espresso's flavor profile is: sherry aroma, soft berry acidity, vanilla cream-like mouthfeel, and a hazelnut chocolate finish.

The Lungo espresso extracted at a 1:5 ratio has a flavor profile of: prominent bitterness, noticeable wine aroma and chocolate notes, but other flavors are somewhat lacking.

A hot Americano made with a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:6 has a flavor profile of: noticeable and lively sherry aroma, weaker berry acidity, with a finish of hazelnut and vanilla chocolate.

A Long Black made with a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:3 has a flavor profile of: creamy smoothness on entry, strong sherry aroma, clear caramel and chocolate finish, rich on entry, clean in the aftertaste.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.