Cafe Americano
Encyclopedia
Caffè Americano, or Americano is a style of coffee prepared by adding hot water
to espresso
, giving a similar strength but different flavor from regular drip coffee. The strength of an Americano varies with the number of shots of espresso and the amount of water added.
In the United States, "Americano" is used broadly to mean combining hot water and espresso in either order, but in a narrower definition it refers to adding water to espresso (espresso on the bottom), while adding espresso to water (espresso on the top) is instead referred to as a long black
.
The name is also spelled with varying capitalization and use of diacritics
: e.g. Café Américano – a hyperforeignism
using the French word for coffee and the Italian word for American, but with an additional incorrect accent - café Americano, cafe americano, etc.
An alternative of the same ingredients is encountered with the Long Black
. The Long Black is the same as an Americano but prepared almost oppositely. An Americano is created specifically by adding the water to an already extracted espresso. This process annihilates the crema. The Long Black is an espresso shot pulled over hot water thus preserving the crema.
Lungo
and Ristretto
instead describe the duration of the pull of the shot (extraction).
Due to the wide variation in volume, it is prudent to inquire before ordering one. The term Italiano is sometimes used in the Western United States, meaning a short Americano, specifically a 1:1 espresso/water ratio. In Europe, interestingly, this drink is sometimes called a Vermonto; perhaps as reference to the small US state of Vermont
. The Vermonto will usually include a small splash of cold milk to stain.
The hot water can be drawn directly from the same espresso machine that is used to brew the espresso, or from a separate water heater or kettle. Using the same heater is convenient, particularly at home, not needing a separate heater, and the water can in fact be drawn directly into the glass, either before or after pulling the shot of espresso. Some espresso machines have a separate hot water spout for this purpose, while others allow the use of the steam wand for dispensing hot water. Using a separate water heater is more practical in a commercial setting, as it reduces the demands on the espresso machine, both not disrupting the temperature of the brew water and allowing an inexpensive water heater to be used for hot water, rather than the substantially more complicated espresso machine.
Although in the UK an Americano is often used as a term for a long black, and can be taken with or without milk.
Americanos – particularly short, long black style Americanos – are also used within artisanal espresso preparation for beans that produce strong espresso. This is particularly used for single origin espresso, where many find that undiluted espresso shots can prove overpowering. This is particularly used of lighter coffees and roasts not generally associated with espresso, such as beans of Ethiopia
n or Sumatra
n origins. For this preparation, generally a ratio of 1:1 espresso to water is used, to prevent excess dilution, with the espresso pulled directly into a cup with existing water to minimize disruption to the crema.
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
to espresso
Espresso
Espresso is a concentrated beverage brewed by forcing a small amount of nearly boiling water under pressure through finely ground coffee. Espresso is widely known throughout the world....
, giving a similar strength but different flavor from regular drip coffee. The strength of an Americano varies with the number of shots of espresso and the amount of water added.
In the United States, "Americano" is used broadly to mean combining hot water and espresso in either order, but in a narrower definition it refers to adding water to espresso (espresso on the bottom), while adding espresso to water (espresso on the top) is instead referred to as a long black
Long black
A long black is a style of coffee, most commonly found in New Zealand and Australia. It is now becoming available in the UK, predominantly in London....
.
The name is also spelled with varying capitalization and use of diacritics
Diacritics
diacritics is a quarterly academic journal established in 1971 at Cornell University and published by the Johns Hopkins University Press. Articles serve to review recent literature in the field of literary criticism, and have covered topics in gender studies, political theory, psychoanalysis, queer...
: e.g. Café Américano – a hyperforeignism
Hyperforeignism
A hyperforeignism is a non-standard language form resulting from an unsuccessful attempt to apply the rules of a foreign language to a loan word , or occasionally to a word believed to be a loan word. The result reflects "neither the .....
using the French word for coffee and the Italian word for American, but with an additional incorrect accent - café Americano, cafe americano, etc.
Origin
The name derives its origins from WW2 when American GIs in Europe would pour hot water into espresso to approximate the coffee to which they were accustomed. It was then adapted in the United States by large chains who sought to create a marketable fusion of drip coffee and espresso to sell to a mass market.Preparation
The drink consists of a single or double-shot of espresso combined with between 1 and 16 fluid ounces (30 - 470ml) of hot water.An alternative of the same ingredients is encountered with the Long Black
Long black
A long black is a style of coffee, most commonly found in New Zealand and Australia. It is now becoming available in the UK, predominantly in London....
. The Long Black is the same as an Americano but prepared almost oppositely. An Americano is created specifically by adding the water to an already extracted espresso. This process annihilates the crema. The Long Black is an espresso shot pulled over hot water thus preserving the crema.
Lungo
Lungo
Lungo is Italian for 'long', and refers to the coffee beverage made by using an espresso machine to make an espresso with much more water , resulting in a stretched espresso, a lungo....
and Ristretto
Ristretto
Ristretto is a very "short" shot of espresso coffee. Originally this meant pulling a hand press faster than usual using the same amount of water as a regular shot of espresso. Since the water came in contact with the grinds for a much shorter time the caffeine is extracted in reduced ratio to the...
instead describe the duration of the pull of the shot (extraction).
Due to the wide variation in volume, it is prudent to inquire before ordering one. The term Italiano is sometimes used in the Western United States, meaning a short Americano, specifically a 1:1 espresso/water ratio. In Europe, interestingly, this drink is sometimes called a Vermonto; perhaps as reference to the small US state of Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
. The Vermonto will usually include a small splash of cold milk to stain.
The hot water can be drawn directly from the same espresso machine that is used to brew the espresso, or from a separate water heater or kettle. Using the same heater is convenient, particularly at home, not needing a separate heater, and the water can in fact be drawn directly into the glass, either before or after pulling the shot of espresso. Some espresso machines have a separate hot water spout for this purpose, while others allow the use of the steam wand for dispensing hot water. Using a separate water heater is more practical in a commercial setting, as it reduces the demands on the espresso machine, both not disrupting the temperature of the brew water and allowing an inexpensive water heater to be used for hot water, rather than the substantially more complicated espresso machine.
Uses
Most commonly, an Americano is used when one wishes a conventional brew-coffee sized drink from an espresso bar.Although in the UK an Americano is often used as a term for a long black, and can be taken with or without milk.
Americanos – particularly short, long black style Americanos – are also used within artisanal espresso preparation for beans that produce strong espresso. This is particularly used for single origin espresso, where many find that undiluted espresso shots can prove overpowering. This is particularly used of lighter coffees and roasts not generally associated with espresso, such as beans of Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
n or Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
n origins. For this preparation, generally a ratio of 1:1 espresso to water is used, to prevent excess dilution, with the espresso pulled directly into a cup with existing water to minimize disruption to the crema.
Variations
- The iced americano is made by combining espresso with cold water instead of hot water.
- A lungoLungoLungo is Italian for 'long', and refers to the coffee beverage made by using an espresso machine to make an espresso with much more water , resulting in a stretched espresso, a lungo....
is made by extracting an espresso shot for longer giving more volume, but also extracting some bitter flavours. - A caffè cremaCaffè cremaCaffè crema refers to two different coffee drinks:* An old name for espresso .* A long espresso drink primarily served in southern Switzerland and Austria and northern Italy , along the Italian/Swiss and Italian/Austrian border..As a colorful term it generally means "espresso", while in technical...
is also made by extracting an espresso shot for longer, significantly longer than a lungo. - A red eyeRed eye (drink)A red eye is a fortified coffee drink in which espresso is combined with normal drip brew coffee. It is known by various names, some of which refer to different variants.-Variants:...
is made with drip coffeeDrip brewDrip brewing, or filtered coffee, is a method for brewing coffee which involves pouring water over roasted, ground coffee beans contained in a filter. Water seeps through the coffee, absorbing its oils and essences, solely under gravity, then passes through the bottom of the filter...
instead of hot water, and may be called a shot in the dark.