Americano

Americano

Keyfacts Americano

Americano and Long Black are variations of the same idea. You'll sometimes see them on coffee menus, but you'll also hear them called something else like "coffee crema", "allongé" or just "regular coffee" in different languages. Basically, it is diluted espresso. Many coffee lovers prefer to drink their coffee without milk. If you don't have a filter machine, V60 or similar at home, or are thinking of getting a portafilter machine, you won't be able to avoid a good Americano. Here is our brew recipe for Bloody Good Americano.


Method

  1. Take the portafilter out of the group head of the espresso machine. Place it on a scale and measure the weight.

  2. Rinse the group head thoroughly with hot water.

  3. For a double shot, grind 19g of coffee into the portafilter. Put it back on the scale, put any excess powder in a glass or grind some more. The right grind is crucial for a balanced, delicious espresso. You may need to adjust the fineness a little. In general, the grind should be fine.

  4. Spread the coffee by dragging a finger over it. The most effective way is to alternate sides in 90 degree increments (top to bottom, then left to right, etc.).

  5. Place the portafilter on a clean, flat surface and position the tamper horizontally on the coffee grounds. Apply downward pressure without pressing your palm into the bottom of the tamper (which can cause wrist problems in the long run). You don't have to tamp incredibly hard - just enough to evenly trap the coffee. Turn the tamper slightly. This will smooth or 'polish' the coffee grounds for an even extraction.

  6. Fill a cup with 150ml of approx. 92-94 degree hot water from the machine or kettle.
  7. Place the portafilter in the group head and place the cup underneath. Start the water for the double espresso.

  8. The extraction should start with a slow drip and then develop into a gentle, steady stream. Near the 30-second mark, the extraction ends. The shot thickens and starts to "blonde" or turn yellow (the crema, small bubbles, collects on the surface). Stop the shot as soon as this process starts.

 

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