An Americano coffee is a type of coffee made by diluting an espresso shot with hot water, resulting in a black coffee with a slightly different flavor profile compared to regular drip coffee. It’s named after American soldiers in Italy during World War II who would add water to their espresso shots to make it more similar to the coffee they were used to back home.
If you make a properly brewed Americano, the end result will be a coffee full of flavor and nuances that give you that espresso taste but at the same time, it won’t have that heavy taste as a espresso type coffee that is made with milk, like a latte or cappuccino.
How To Make An Americano Coffee
What You’ll Need
- Fresh Roasted Coffee Beans
- Water Heated Between 195 – 205 or 30 seconds off boil
- Espresso Machine
- Scale
- Burr Grinder (If not combined with espresso machine)
The 5 Step Process
Step 1. Heat Your Water
Grab your kettle, put some water in it and put it on the stove. Turn the burner onto high. Although you may get variety of different opinions on this, I have found that ideally, you want your water temperature to be between 195 – 205F or if you don’t have a temperature gauge, then wait 30 seconds after it boils
Step 2. Brew The Espresso
Depending on how strong you want your Americano have your espresso machine make a Single (1oz) or double (2oz) shot. If you use an alternative espresso maker, then measure out the correct amount for brewing this amount.
The important part here is too use fresh roasted coffee and the correct grind size. If you use old coffee or the improper grind size, your Americano will not taste as good as it could(or should)
Step 3. Put The Espresso Into A Coffee Mug
Once you have made the espresso, then grab your favorite coffee mug and pour in the 1 or 2 oz’s of espresso into it. If you add the water first and then the espresso, you have what is called a Long Black which is a slightly different coffee drink.
Step 4. Add The Hot Water
Now, slowly pour in the correct quantity of water for the amount of espresso. For a 1oz espresso shot, you’ll put in 2oz of water and for 2oz of espresso you’ll use 4oz of water ( 1:2 coffee to water ratio)
If you find the coffee too strong just add more water. (There are no right and wrongs with coffee, just guidelines)
Step 5. Sip and Enjoy!
And now the best part: Just Sit back, take a deep breath and enjoy your Americano!
Although its simple and can be done in 5 easy steps, in order to get the best tasting most flavorful cup, make sure to pay attention to the small details. This would include the correct grind size, the right amount of espresso and right amount of hot water to add to the espresso.
As with any coffee drink you can modify this americano recipe to fit your own tastes. If its too strong, use only 1 shot or simple add more water. If you find the coffee your using not to your taste, then add honey, cinnamon or even salt! The options are almost endless, the most important thing is that it tastes good to you!
Less Volume – Stronger Taste
If you ever hear someone ask for a White Americano, you might be curious to know what that is compared a regular Americano. Most often it is thought of as adding some milk in coffee.
However, a White Americano is simply an Americano coffee that is not filled to the top. In another words, there is some “white space” in-between the coffee and the top of the cup. It makes for slightly stronger tasting coffee due to the espresso being less diluted.
I have had friends, who, when they want a white coffee, order what they call a “minicano” instead, because sometimes when they have ordered a white coffee at a coffee shop, the server puts milk in their coffee.