How Do You Make an Americano With the Right Espresso-to-Water Ratio?

An Americano is espresso diluted with water, and the ratio determines how smooth or bitter the cup tastes. A common starting point is 1:4 coffee liquid to water for a hot Americano, while a 1:8 ratio including the ice is used for the iced version. In practice, adjustments between 1:4 and 1:8 work well.

Two approaches exist: a traditional drip machine, sometimes called an American coffee maker, or the café method of adding water to espresso. The extraction state of the espresso and the flavor profile of the beans both shape the final cup, so a poorly extracted shot stays harsh no matter how much water is added after.

Many people walk into a café for the first time, see Americano listed under the espresso section on the menu, and can't help but wonder: what exactly is the relationship between espresso and Americano? Actually, there are two ways to make Americano—one is brewed with a traditional drip machine, and the other is espresso diluted with water, and the latter is the mainstream method in cafés today. So how much water should you add to espresso to make it smooth without being bitter? Front Street's hot Americano uses a 1:4 ratio of coffee liquid to water, while iced Americano, including the ice, uses a 1:8 ratio. In daily practice, you can adjust flexibly between 1:4 and 1:8. The extraction state of the espresso itself and the flavor profile of the espresso beans used both directly affect the final result of the cup. This article will explain everything clearly in one go—from extraction parameters and blended bean selection to the taste differences between Americano and espresso.

Some customers who don't usually drink coffee often come to Front Street's physical stores and ask the barista: "What kind of coffee is espresso exactly? What's the connection and difference between it and Americano?" That's a good question. At Front Street, the menu is held up by just two small blackboards—one for pour-over coffee and the other for espresso coffee. Under the espresso column, Americano, latte, cappuccino, and mocha are clearly listed. Many people instinctively think that espresso coffee is Italian coffee and Americano is American coffee, so when they see Front Street's bean list, they get confused: how can Americano be categorized under espresso? In this article, Front Street will help clear up this confusion.

Actually, that earlier guess isn't entirely wrong—Americano is indeed American-style coffee. When it comes to Americano, there are two ways to make it: one is brewed with a traditional American drip machine, which many households still use today. Because it's convenient and practical, some people also call it an idiot-proof coffee maker. The operation of this machine is not complicated at all, and the steps are as follows:

Step 1: Put in an appropriate amount of ground coffee

Step 2: Add an appropriate amount of water to the water tank

Step 3: Press the switch button

As for the water-to-coffee ratio for Americano, Front Street thinks you can adjust it entirely to personal preference, but it's recommended to start with 1:20. Usually, brewing a pot of coffee takes about 5 to 8 minutes.

But note that Americano brewed this way is completely different from the kind you buy in cafés now. The common method on the market is to dilute espresso with water. This method dates back to World War II, when American officers in Europe first tasted traditional Italian coffee, which is espresso. But for Americans used to drip coffee, that taste was too strong, so they added water to the espresso to dilute it, ultimately getting a drink with a flavor similar to coffee made by an American drip machine. Europeans disapproved of this practice and, with a teasing tone, called it "Americano."

Regarding the extraction time and amount of coffee liquid for espresso, Front Street adjusts accordingly based on the condition of the coffee beans that day and other conditions. Take today's Front Street espresso extraction parameters as an example: using 19.5 grams of coffee powder, with extraction time controlled at around 28 seconds, ultimately getting 35 grams of coffee liquid.

It can be said that espresso is the foundation of all coffee drinks. Whether a cup of coffee tastes good or not has a lot to do with the espresso. Even abroad, espresso itself is an independent coffee beverage, and people have come up with all kinds of variations. Espresso coffee is also called espresso, and the extraction parameters are usually 7 to 9 grams of coffee powder, extracted under 9 bar of pressure with water at around 92°C, in 25 to 30 seconds, yielding about 14 to 18 grams of coffee liquid. Most of Front Street's coffee drinks use a double shot as the base, so around 20 grams of coffee powder is needed to extract about 35 grams of coffee liquid.

Front Street believes that whether the espresso tastes good is closely related to the espresso beans. Front Street stores currently use their own Warm Sun Blend coffee beans. This espresso blend is composed of Honduras Sherry coffee and Ethiopia Red Cherry coffee beans. The coffee liquid extracted from this blend has a strong fermented feel. Compared to ordinary blends with lower acidity and prominent nutty flavors, Warm Sun Blend has higher and livelier acidity. The chocolate flavor is clear, and the mouthfeel is quite heavy and full-bodied. Many customers are drawn to this bean and have bought Warm Sun Blend coffee beans at Front Street, planning to take them home to make their own espresso drinks. Customers also often wonder about the blending method for espresso beans: why mix two kinds of coffee beans together?

Front Street will briefly explain here. Long ago, the overall quality of espresso coffee was not high, so some high-quality coffee was blended in to make it less noticeable—this was a business strategy. The second reason is to cater to complex taste preferences, mixing coffees from different regions to achieve a one-plus-one-greater-than-two effect. The third reason is for the stability of the coffee beans. You know, coffee is ultimately a crop, and this year's flavor and mouthfeel characteristics may differ from next year's. Through blending, the coffee output can meet the required standards. By mixing two kinds of coffee and adjusting the ratio, you can ensure a balanced taste.

Following the method of diluting espresso with water, Front Street's hot Americano uses a 1:4 ratio of coffee liquid to water, while iced Americano uses a 1:8 ratio of coffee liquid to water (including 100 grams of ice). As for how much water to add to espresso to make Americano, Front Street thinks it's fine to first control the coffee liquid to water ratio between 1:4 and 1:8, though of course you can adjust it further to your own taste. So which tastes better, Americano or espresso? Front Street thinks there's no standard answer to this question. If you don't like black coffee, you'll naturally prefer espresso drinks other than Americano; but if you can accept black coffee, then I'd suggest drinking Americano, because you can taste the flavor and mouthfeel characteristics of various coffee beans from it.

Milk coffee among espresso drinks is a good choice for many coffee novices, because the bitterness in the coffee liquid is neutralized by the sweetness of the milk. And with good milk coffee, the milk and coffee blend perfectly—rich, smooth, and leaving a lingering fragrance on the lips and teeth, with a soft mouthfeel. Of course, more and more cafés nowadays are choosing to offer the popular SOE coffee on the market, so what exactly is SOE coffee?

It's actually single-origin espresso, and the purpose is to highlight and amplify the flavor characteristics of a single origin. But considering various factors, Front Street does not offer SOE coffee drinks. Of course, not all SOE coffee beans perform well. Front Street has also tried some SOE milk coffees where the heavy milk flavor had already masked the coffee's original flavor, losing the original intention of making SOE coffee.

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