During my days in a coffee shop, I had a regular client that asked me if we served an espresso that tasted like drip coffee. Just imagine my confusion faced with such a question. I consequently consulted with the patron if he needed a drip coffee actually, but the reply was very prompt: No, he really wanted an espresso with a taste like the regular drip coffee. I pretended I understood the request and moved on to brew an Americano. The customer liked the drink, but he shared that it was not exactly what he was actually looking for. The next time when my client came back for the espresso that tasted like a drip coffee, I prepared him a Caffe Crema. My superautomatic did not have an automatic option for caffe crema, so I had to prepare it manually, but I had to try. It turned out that this was the drink that my client desired.
Learn more about the differences between Americano, Long Black, and Caffe Crema here: Long Black vs Americano
How do You Make an Americano?
To make an Americano, first you brew an espresso. An Espresso is made by forcing hot water through finely ground coffee at his pressure.
The art of making an Espresso is a whole other article in itself but essentially with the right recipe (coffee volume, grind size, water pressure and water amount) the brewing process should take around 30 seconds.
After you have your Espresso, you simply add hot (but not boiling) water slowly to it in order not to ruin the crema on top. The amount of water added is up to you, based on preference.
This means that an Americano is less strong and less oily than an Espresso. More about the taste later.
Americano vs. Filter Coffee
So, I hear you ask, just what is the difference between Americano and Filter Coffee? Aren’t they both just black coffee? Two names for the one drink?
Well, I am here to tell you today that the answer to that question is a resounding no! Surprisingly, these two types of coffee are actually completely different drinks, brewed in a completely different ways.
What about Drip Coffee? Americano vs Drip Coffee Compared
Filter coffee, on the other hand, is brewed using only gravity. This means that Filter coffee is much slower to brew. The standard brewing time for Filter coffee is anywhere between three and five minutes.
It also means that we need coarser ground coffee, so that the water can pass through the coffee without the aid of pressure. These different brewing methods produce very different drinks with different flavor profiles.
Early on in my coffee experience I tried to make pourover filter coffee with pre ground, store bought coffee. Pre ground coffee is generally ground much finer so that it is compatible with Espresso machines. Anyway, long story short it took about 6 minutes to brew the Filter coffee and it tasted disgusting. Safe to say I learned my lesson and never did that again!
Americano Appearance and Taste
Americano coffee is typically a darker, stronger tasting drink. This is because the high pressure generally gets rid of any lighter, subtle notes. Therefore, Americano coffee, and Espresso coffee in general is generally paired better with darker roast coffees and darker notes typical in south American coffees.
A well made Americano will also have crema. This is again possible due to the high pressure, which forces the oils in the coffee bean into the drink.
The crema in Espresso coffee is something that coffee aficionados swear by. It serves as a barrier against the outside elements and preserves the taste of the coffee for longer. When it comes into contact with the air this crema starts to dissipate. Therefore, Americano coffee should be drunk quickly.