What Is an Americano Coffee? How to Make One at Home

An Americano coffee is made by combining espresso and hot water. Adding water to espresso creates a larger, less concentrated coffee drink that can resemble drip coffee.

To learn more about where Americano coffee comes from, how it’s made, and what makes it unique, continue reading.

What Is an Americano and Its Origin

Although the origins of the Americano aren’t confirmed, it’s commonly believed to have originated in Europe during World War II when American soldiers stationed there were introduced to espresso. They combined espresso with hot water to create a drink more similar to the coffee they were used to drinking back home.

Today, an Americano stays true to those roots. It’s a simple espresso-based drink that is made by combining espresso with hot water. Although this basic formula still defines an Americano, you may find variations in serving size and some people may incorporate flavorful add-ins, like sugar, syrups, or spices.

What Is in an Americano Coffee

A traditional Americano will only have two ingredients: espresso and water. The espresso provides the concentrated coffee flavor and the water is used to dilute the espresso and increase the volume of the drink.

Adding water to the espresso makes it less concentrated without removing the caffeine in the espresso. This results in less intensity than a straight espresso shot while still maintaining an espresso-forward flavor.

An Americano can be made with one or more shots of espresso depending on the size of the drink and flavor preference. A splash of milk, cream, sugar, and other flavor additives can be mixed into an Americano, but this wouldn’t be considered traditional.

Cafe Americano vs Long Black vs Drip

Cafe Americano, long black, and drip coffee are commonly confused because they are coffee combined with water, but they differ in taste and, in some cases, in method.

Cafe Americano and long black use the same ingredients, so they’re more closely related than drip coffee. The biggest difference between these two is their preparation, with long black typically consisting of espresso poured over water to preserve the crema, while an Americano is often water poured into espresso to dilute it.

Drip coffee is fundamentally different because it’s a brewing method and not an espresso-based drink. It will generally have less intense flavor and can be enjoyed on its own or with add-ins, like milk, cream, or syrups.

How to Make Americano Coffee: Americano Coffee Recipe

Follow this easy recipe to make Americano coffee at home:

Equipment

• Espresso machine
• Mug

Ingredients

• 18 grams of fresh ground coffee
• 4-6 ounces of hot water (~200°F)

Steps

1. Grind your coffee finely for espresso.
2. As you heat up your water, prepare and pull the espresso into your mug.
3. Add hot water to the espresso and taste.
4. Adjust with additional water if desired and serve immediately.

The amount of water you use to dilute your espresso is flexible and can be done to taste. Start with less water than you think so that you can add more and avoid over-diluting your drink.

Americano Water-to-Espresso Ratio

There isn’t a single or standard water-to-espresso ratio you have to use when preparing an Americano. How much water you use depends on how diluted or concentrated you want your espresso to be.

A good starting point is a 1:2 espresso-to-water ratio. This means if you’re using 2 oz of espresso, you would dilute this with 4 oz of hot water. Taste this ratio and decide from there how much water you prefer. It’s recommended that you stick to a ratio from 1:2 to 1:4 to avoid diluting the espresso too much, but, again it’s all personal preference.

Keep in mind that adding more water dilutes the espresso, leading to less intensity in flavor, but it doesn’t change the amount of caffeine in your drink.

Iced Americano and Popular Variations

Traditionally, a cafe Americano is a hot beverage, but it can be made iced. It uses the same basic ingredients, but is prepared with cold water and ice instead of hot water.

To make an iced Americano, fill a glass with ice, pour cold water over the ice, and pour in your freshly brewed espresso. You can stick to the same espresso-to-water ratio you use for a hot Americano, but remember that as your ice melts, it can dilute the drink further. If this is the case, adjust your ratio to reduce the amount of water.

You can also customize your Americano with popular add-ins that add to the flavor or add sweetness to the drink. Popular additions include:

• Milk or cream
• Sugar or sweeteners
• Flavored syrups
• Additional espresso shots