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What is a Café Americano?
Everything you need to know about the Café Americano
Published February 2, 2022
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Tanya Nanetti
Coffee experts@The Coffee Lab
A Cafè Americano (or more simply just “Americano”) is an espresso drink that can be quite easy to prepare because it is made just of two ingredients: an espresso shot (usually a double shot, but it can also be a single one, depending on preferences) and water. The result is something that, at first sight, can resemble a drip coffee but that in reality is quite different in the flavor profile due to the way it’s brewed. This drink is a staple on many café menus and is a great drink to make when you’re in a rush or if you prefer black coffee in general.
Basically, it has all to do with the espresso that is used as the base of the Americano: the espresso is strong and bold, and it has a typical intense flavor, thanks to the hot high-pressurized water used to produce it: this is why for someone it can be too strong to be enjoyed, and this is why, basically, the idea of this drink exists.
Where did the Americano come from?
As many other coffee beverages, the “invention” of the Americano stays somewhere between legend and reality.
As the story goes, the Americano was born in Italy during WWII, when soldiers from the US Army stationed in Italy struggled to enjoy the local coffee shop favorite, the espresso. It was too bitter and intense compared to the classic drip coffee, and someone came up with the idea of adding some hot water to the espresso to make it more “drinkable” (for the US standards) and more similar to the drip coffee.
The easy brewing method and potential for experimentation made this drink popular in both smaller coffee shops and large chain cafés. Also, since it’s just espresso and water, this is one of the most ‘healthy’ types of coffee if you want to avoid excess sugar, milk, or other common additions.
Cafè Americano Vs. Drip Coffee
As we said before, this espresso drink is quite different from a classic drip coffee. Even if the content of caffeine for a cup of drip coffee and one of Americano is usually pretty much the same, otherwise the two coffees don’t have so much in common. The drip coffee (or filter coffee) is usually brewed using a paper filter, which gives the coffee a lighter body and a smoother flavor in comparison with the espresso. The espresso, instead, is brewed with a metal filter that (thanks to its retention of oils and sediments) gives a cup bolder flavor.
There is a big difference in terms of flavors: due to the differences in brewing, the filter is usually “gentler”, with more delicate and floral flavors that can develop in the long extraction time of the Filter.
On the other hand, the espresso is way more intense: due to the high pressure and temperature during the extraction, it usually doesn’t contain the lighter flavors typical of filters, but it can be rich in earthy flavors like chocolate, cane sugar, or nuts.
These intense flavors help to give the Cafè Americano, its rich and intense flavor, but at the same time the dilution with water gives it a body closer to that of a Filter Coffee.
Iced Americano Vs. Cold Brew
The Cafè Americano can also be made iced, using usually room temperature water and ice. The result is a beverage that looks similar to a regular cold brew, but that is actually quite different.
Cold brew (brewed in room temperature water for up to 18 hours) has a sweet and smooth taste, low in acidity and high in caffeine, while the iced Americano has the same kind of flavors to the hot one.
How to prepare a Café Americano
Having just two ingredients, it’s quite interesting to realize that the proper “recipe” for a Café Americano is often a subject of discussion. There are two main theories regarding the perfect recipe: first filling the cup with the desired amount of hot water and then pull the shot in it, or the other way around.
It may seem like a small detail, but it all has to do with the idea of espresso, and its crema. Traditionally, crema (the thin layer that forms on top the espresso shot due to the pressure of the espresso machine) was the way to determine the correct extraction of the espresso shot. The reason behind it is the unique array of flavors associated with the crema: it contains a majority of the oils and carbon dioxide that the beans released during the extraction, and that’s what gives the crema its flavors, and subsequently help define these flavors as typical of the Espresso.
So, if the espresso is pulled before the water, the crema can mix into the drink, adding its unique flavor: in this case the Americano will have a mellower flavor, that will be quite similar to a drip coffee.
On the other hand, if the water is added before the shot, the crema won’t form and its flavors won’t be added to the taste of the drink: here the coffee will have a taste more clean, more similar to the one extracted with infusion methods such as the French Press. This method is the one traditionally used in New Zealand to brew the Long Black, the local version of the Cafè Americano: no crema and usually a little bit less water.
You can experiment with the water to coffee ratio to create variations on this basic formula. If you mix water and espresso in equal proportions, you’ll create a ‘Short American’. The iced version is also very popular and you can play around with different additions like tonic water or a dash of lemon to add new flavor notes to your coffee.
How to brew your Cafè Americano
As we already said, the Cafè Americano is one of the easiest espresso drinks to make. Once you decide which kind of flavor you’re looking for in the cup, the rest is really easy to achieve.
- If you’re looking for a drink more similar to drip coffee, start weighing your coffee. Proceed as you would do with your normal double espresso, putting something like 18g of freshly ground espresso beans in your portafilter.
- Help spread the ground coffee in the filter with the help of a distributor, then tamp the coffee grounds with your tamper.
- Brew the double espresso in a big cup, following your favorite recipe.
- Add hot water.
If you’re looking for something more similar to French Press, simply add the water in the cup first, and then do all the rest. If you’re making this iced, then wait for the espresso to cool down a little before adding cold water and ice cubes. A hint of lemon juice or the fizziness of tonic water can really elevate this drink for hot summer days.
Since the espresso is the star of this drink, always pick freshly roasted beans, grind your beans at home or get it freshly ground, and use clean equipment whenever you want to brew. Enjoy!
About the author
Tanya Nanetti
I'm Tanya, originally from Italy but citizen of the world. I'm a specialty coffee barista (based in Portugal, at the moment) and a freelance writer (check out my articles on Barista Magazine!). Plus, I'm half of the team behind Coffee Insurrection, a website about specialty coffee with a focus on the community: I'm co-creator, SMM and content writer. I'm available for coffee consulting (both online and in house) and for writing work.
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