The Americano, which is simply espresso diluted with hot water, is a popular coffee shop order that’s also very easy to make at home. With just two components, it’s also a great type of coffee for customizing to suit your personal tastes. We suggest you experiment with single or double shots of espresso and different volumes of hot water until you figure out how to make the perfect Americano for you.
One factor that you should never toy with, however, is the extraction. To make an Americano, many coffee drinkers make the mistake of pressing the espresso, or even the lungo button twice instead of adding plain hot water. Doing so pushes additional water through an already spent coffee capsule, resulting in over-extracted coffee. Make an Americano this way and it will have bitter and astringent flavours that ruin the drink. In contrast, an Americano comprising one or two shots of perfectly extracted espresso topped up with plain hot water will be sweet, bold and complex, with just a hint of bitterness and acidity in perfect balance.
HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT AMERICANO
Brewing the perfect Americano at home is easy – as long as you resist the temptation to press the button twice! Start by brewing a single espresso. For a stronger, or longer Americano, replace the first capsule with a new one and brew a second espresso shot. Remove the spent capsule and top up the cup with hot water until you have a drink of the volume and strength you desire.
If you prefer, you can also instead add hot water to your cup first, then top it up with one or two espresso shots. This version is technically called a Long Black. It’s almost identical to an Americano, although usually has a more noticeable crema on top. When you stir a Long Black, which we always recommend, it’s exactly the same as an Americano. Choose whichever method you prefer.
Note that our Nespresso compatible pods are designed to use 30 ml for the perfect extraction. If you haven’t already calibrated your machine to brew a 30 ml shot, please do so.
Our entire line of Difference Coffee capsules makes excellent Americanos. Please browse our coffee shop page to learn more about our world-class coffees.
