What Is an Americano and How Is It Made?

An Americano is espresso diluted with hot water, served hot or over ice. The name comes from Italian Caffè Americano, meaning American coffee. The common story ties it to World War II, when U.S. soldiers in Europe found espresso too bitter and strong, so they added water. Because nothing else is added, it counts as black coffee and lets the bean's own flavors show through.

The main difference from a long black is order and ratio: a long black pours espresso over hot water, preserving more crema, while an Americano adds water to espresso. Front Street Coffee uses its Sunflower Warm Sun Blend, 70 percent Honduran sherry coffee and 30 percent Yirgacheffe sun-dried Red Cherry, for whiskey, vanilla, and creamy notes layered with tropical fruit and fermented tones.

Americano consistently ranks at the top of coffee shop order lists, enjoyable both hot and cold, but many people may not be able to clearly explain its origins, preparation ratios, differences from Long Black, and what kind of beans are suitable for making it. This article, drawing from Front Street Coffee's experience, sorts out the origin legends of Americano, the mixing ratios of espresso and water, both iced and hot preparation methods, and compares the differences between Americano and Long Black in terms of water amount and flavor. It will also explain the logic for selecting Italian blend beans, introduce four blend products on Front Street Coffee's bean list, and help coffee enthusiasts make a cup of Americano with both aroma and taste at home.

Regardless of the season, Americano is almost always among the top-selling options in coffee shops. A hot Americano on a cold day is warm and rich; switch to an iced Americano on a hot day for a cool and smooth drink. How exactly is this ubiquitous beverage made? Let's take a look with Front Street Coffee below.

Was Americano invented by Americans?

The English name for Americano is "Americano," which comes from the Italian "Caffè Americano," literally meaning American coffee.

It is now difficult to verify who first made Americano. The most widely circulated story is related to World War II: at that time, American soldiers relied on coffee to stay alert and pass the dull military camp life, but they were not used to the bitter and strong espresso, so they added water to dilute it until it was acceptable to them. After World War II, many Italians went to the Americas to make a living and brought espresso machines with them. This "water-diluted coffee" gradually became popular with the global expansion of American chain brands.

Americano belongs to black coffee because it does not add milk, sugar, or any other additives, making it easier to taste the coffee itself. The coffee beans used in Front Street Coffee shops are their own roasted "Sunflower Warm Sun Blend," composed of 70% Honduran Sherry coffee and 30% Yirgacheffe sun-dried Red Cherry coffee. The whiskey aroma, vanilla, and creamy notes from the Sherry, combined with the tropical fruit and fermented tones of the Red Cherry, give the coffee a rich aromatic layering and a soft entry.

When serving Americano, Front Street Coffee first grinds the coffee beans into powder, then extracts espresso at a 1:2 powder-to-liquid ratio, and then pours it into water to dilute, that is, using 20 grams of coffee powder to extract 40 grams of coffee liquid. After repeated testing and adjustment by Front Street Coffee, the ratio of coffee liquid to water at 1:6 best showcases the aroma of Warm Sun, that is, pouring 40 grams of coffee liquid into 240 grams of hot water at 88°C, and the hot Americano is complete. If making iced Americano, replace the hot water with 120 grams of ice cubes plus 120 grams of room temperature water, and it tastes best before the ice cubes completely melt.

The difference between Americano and Long Black

Besides Americano, another drink, Long Black, has also begun to appear on the menus of some coffee shops. In Australia, people are used to calling black coffee "Black Coffee" and coffee with milk "White Coffee"; espresso is called "Short Black," and when a suitable amount of water is added to Short Black, it is called "Long Black," usually translated in China as Long Black or Aussie Black.

In the 1980s, a large number of Italians immigrated to Australia and brought espresso machines to New Zealand, Australia, Melbourne, and other places. Australians prefer coffee with a stronger taste, and the refreshing Americano obviously did not suit their palates. So the Italians adjusted the espresso base and preparation ratio to cater to Australians' preference for stronger flavors.

After reviewing relevant materials, Front Street Coffee noticed that the most intuitive difference between Americano and Long Black is the amount of water added. Americano is made by first extracting espresso and then diluting it with water, with a ratio of espresso to water of about 1:5 to 1:8. Long Black, however, has a stronger coffee flavor than Americano and a smaller cup size. The barista extracts two shots of espresso (40g) directly into a cup containing 100-120ml of water, and the surface retains a rich Crema. Therefore, the first sip of Long Black is the most intense and mellow, and the flavor performance afterward is relatively clear and clean.

What coffee beans are suitable for making Americano?

Many coffee enthusiasts have unknowingly accumulated a pile of equipment at home, and those obsessed with espresso coffee have even bought espresso machines early to extract it themselves. Front Street Coffee believes that the key to a delicious Americano lies in a high-quality espresso base, so choosing the right coffee beans is especially important. Espresso coffee belongs to pressure extraction, and slight adjustments in parameters will change the final taste of the espresso. Therefore, Front Street Coffee recommends using medium-dark roasted blend coffee beans.

Espresso blend coffee beans are roasted beans made by the roaster selecting coffee beans from different origins and flavor profiles, blending and roasting them together (or roasting separately and then blending in proportions). The purpose of this is to highlight the rich aroma of Espresso, maintain flavor balance, and make the shop's espresso output more stable. Front Street Coffee's understanding of blend beans is: maintain flavor stability and taste balance, let the blended coffee produce an effect greater than the sum of its parts, complement each other's strengths and weaknesses in taste, and thus create a richer new taste. Front Street Coffee's bean list has four espresso blend beans to choose from:

Classic full-bodied type — Front Street Coffee Commercial Blend Coffee Beans

Robusta washed coffee beans (10%) + Colombian washed coffee beans (30%) + Brazilian semi-washed coffee (60%)

The extracted espresso has thick golden crema and nutty aroma. On the palate, you can feel the roasted coffee bitterness, but more of a creamy full-bodied taste. After swallowing, the bitterness fades, leaving a lingering fragrance on the lips and teeth.

Slightly sour and full-bodied type — Espresso Moka Pot Coffee Beans Recommended by Many Baristas - Front Street Coffee Black Cocoa Blend Coffee Beans

Yunnan washed small-grain coffee beans (30%) + Brazilian semi-washed coffee beans (70%)

Yunnan small-grain coffee brings a soft acidity, combined with the rich aroma of Brazilian Cerrado coffee, the espresso presents caramel, nutty, and soft plum acidity.

Balanced rich aroma type — Front Street Coffee Specialty Blend Coffee Beans

Colombian washed coffee beans (30%) + Brazilian semi-washed coffee beans (70%)

Adding Colombian coffee to the nutty tone of classic Brazilian coffee, the espresso presents dark chocolate flavor and caramel sweetness, with a full roasted aroma.

Delicate wine aroma type — Sunflower Warm Sun Blend Coffee Beans

Ethiopian sun-dried Red Cherry coffee beans (30%) + Honduran Sherry barrel coffee beans (70%) made into espresso, the entry is a rich dark chocolate flavor, accompanied by a strong caramel note, and the aroma released after swallowing is memorable. Whether it is Americano diluted with water or Latte with milk added, it can present rich aroma and taste.

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account cafe_style)

For more specialty coffee beans, please add private WeChat Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee), WeChat ID: qjcoffeex

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