Americano, by and large, is not such an independent type of coffee as just classic espresso, diluted hot water. It owes its appearance (and name) to the desire of Americans to enjoy drinking black coffee without going beyond the limits imposed by the rules of a healthy lifestyle. It is also quite plausible that “Americano” is a disparaging name given by the Italians to the drink into which the Americans turned strong espresso by adding water. But we must admit that today this drink has gained great popularity all over the world. To the question: “Which is stronger, Americano coffee or espresso?” - they usually answer that, of course, it’s American. It is also believed that Americano is healthier for the body, since its caffeine content is reduced. But it should be noted that the last statement is very, very controversial. To draw conclusions, we will take a closer look at the recipe and nuances of preparing the popular drink.
Main types of Americano
Amateurs will say that, by and large, there is no significant difference between existing species There is no Americano, but real gourmets will argue with them and prove that the difference between the Swedish and Italian version is easy to feel during the first sip. In their opinion, the Scandinavian version has an incomparably more delicate and rich taste.
The European type of Americano is not a type at all, but just a way of serving the drink, leaving us complete freedom of choice - how and in what ratio to dilute the espresso with water. Nevertheless, the classification of American coffee into three types is present and widely used, check it out:
- Classic Italian Americano. This recipe implies that a portion of the finished espresso will be diluted with hot water. But if one of the main and mandatory characteristics for the quality of espresso is dense crema (foam), then adding water destroys it and in Italian Americano foam ceases to be an indispensable component.
- Scandinavian Americano (also called “Swedish”). This Americano coffee recipe differs from the classic one in the order of steps - first pour it into a cup hot water, and espresso is added in the second stage. Thus, the crema (foam) is preserved in the drink. In this case, a cup of hot water can be placed directly under the dispensing element of the coffee machine to fill it with ready-made espresso.
- European democratic americano. Water heated to 84-92 degrees with a volume of 120 ml is served separately, and the finished espresso is served separately. This serving method is used today in many bars, restaurants and professional coffee shops.
Many people, due to personal preferences, refuse to drink strong and concentrated classic Italian espresso with an intense taste, choosing a softer Americano recipe or even preferring Americano with milk. Returning to the question of the degree of “usefulness” of this or that type of drink, it should be noted that in none of the preparation options does the caffeine content in one serving change. We can only talk about the degree of its concentration in the cup. An espresso machine is not designed to brew stronger or weaker coffee, so you can prepare an analogue of American filter coffee only by diluting the result with water. So to the question: “What is the difference between an Americano and an espresso?” - there is a clear answer - only in the amount of water and in the concentration of caffeine.
How to cook Americano
The technology for preparing Americano is extremely simple; it is a much less labor-intensive task than, for example, preparing coffee in capsules or brewing coffee in a Turk in a sandbox. By and large, all that is required is to have a coffee maker or coffee machine. As for serving the drink on the table, it is customary all over the world to do this in cylindrical mugs with a volume of 150 to 200 ml.
Some consider pure Arabica beans to be the ideal composition for Americano coffee, while others prefer to use a mixture of light and medium roasted Arabica and Robusta beans. This is a matter of taste, so there is no point in arguing. Fine grinding is not suitable for Americano; you need to choose medium or coarse. Trade marks producing coffee for drip coffee makers, usually mark the packaging of their products with a special sign that depicts a filter coffee maker.
As Americano cools down, it largely loses its aroma, so many pour-over coffee makers have a special heater to maintain the finished Americano coffee in a voluminous glass flask at the optimal temperature.
Let us emphasize the features of preparing Americano:
- Do not continue brewing coffee in the coffee machine after 25 seconds have elapsed.
- Coffee should be diluted with water heated to approximately 92 degrees.
- The optimal ratio of water and espresso is one to one.
- For 100-120 ml of water you will need 14-16 grams of coffee.
How can you ruin the taste of Americano?
In Ukraine, in some bars and coffee shops, you may be served a slightly different drink under the guise of a real Americano, prepared by increasing the coffee extraction period, when the pouring lasts not 25, but about 50 seconds. You can tell that the drink is not prepared well enough by its characteristic burnt taste, which also has bitter notes. If the bitterness is felt quite strongly, the taste is not rich, and the aftertaste remains in the form of sourness, your “Americano” is spoiled. And it is not only not tasty enough, but also harmful, due to the content of carcinogens and resins in it. Another sign of low quality of the drink is whitish spots on the coffee foam.
So, the following factors can negatively affect the taste of Americano with or without milk (and simply ruin it):
- Increased extraction time when preparing in a coffee machine.
- Using low-quality or poorly roasted grain for grinding.
- Excessive amount of water.
- Using coffee powder that is left in the coffee machine after preparing the previous portion.
An Americano prepared in accordance with the technology will have a soft and rich taste, as well as a pleasant, unobtrusive aroma. Violation of cooking methods or use of low-quality ingredients in best case scenario will make the drink thin, watery and tasteless.
How can you improve your Americano recipe?
Dairy lovers coffee drinks They can safely add milk or cream to Americano. In this case, the taste will become even softer and more delicate. The recipe for cold Americano also has its fans, the composition of which in this case will include a portion of not hot, but cold water or an impressive number of ice cubes.
If no honey, no sugar, no cream, no caramel syrups are added to the coffee, the calorie content of the Americano will be extremely low. So, if you're on a diet and carefully counting calories, an Americano with only water and coffee is your drink. But each of additional ingredients(let him cross out Americano from the category dietary products) is able to make its taste and aroma brighter and richer. Continuing to experiment with additives, you can try adding whipped cream and grated chocolate to the recipe, turning Americano into a dessert, liqueurs or other alcohol, turning a coffee drink into a cocktail, as well as spices that radically change familiar taste. Coffee gourmets like to joke that the only thing coffee doesn’t go well with is kefir. So the PapiGutto company recommends that you do not limit your imagination and prepare Americano in accordance with your own taste preferences and mood.
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Coffee is one of the most common drinks in the world. There are many methods for preparing it. The main methods are espresso, Turkish coffee and French press.
Espresso– most quick method making coffee using a special coffee machine. The ground grain is compressed and pressed with a stream of hot water (88-91°C) under a pressure of nine atmospheres.
Coffee in Turkish– one of the most ancient methods of preparing this drink. The ground grain is boiled over low heat in a special vessel - cezve (Turk). The method allows you to add spices and alcohol, which creates an incredible number of variations in the taste of the drink.
French press– an improved method of preparing coffee “Polish style”. Coffee is poured with boiling water in a special vessel. A perforated sieve allows you to separate the grounds from the drink.
Difference between espresso coffee and other types of coffee
The most important indicator of coffee preparation is the grinding of the beans. All three cooking methods have different performance.
French press – coarse grinding (so-called crushing). This prevents grain from leaking through the fine perforation mesh. Coarse grinding is characterized by the lowest degree of extraction and, due to long contact with hot water, - increased content caffeine It has become widespread due to the ease of preparation and the lack of the need for special skills and equipment.
Turkish coffee is finely ground and turns into dust. The method involves brewing coffee for several minutes at a temperature of 80 to 95°C, which allows for maximum extraction. IN finished product This type of coffee has the highest caffeine content. The use of spices and alcohol allows you to expand the range to several thousand types of this drink.
The espresso method is the most common in Europe and America. Medium grinding of grain is used. Coffee is poured into a special horn (holder), after which it is pressed into a “tablet”. Coffee is prepared in 15 to 40 seconds, depending on the type of drink. The relatively low brewing temperature and short period of contact with water do not allow most of the caffeine to be released. Often, coffee machines are equipped with additional equipment (cappuccino maker, steamer), which allows you to different kinds coffee: with milk, alcohol and other additives.
TheDifference.ru determined that the difference between espresso coffee and other types of coffee is as follows:
The grind size for espresso is not typical for other production methods.
The espresso preparation method minimizes the contact of ground beans and hot water, which ensures a low caffeine content.
The espresso preparation method involves the use of special equipment.
Just as there are no two identical diamonds in this world, there are no absolutely similar coffee lovers in their tastes. Some people love espresso, others cannot live without a latte, and still others prefer an Americano in the early morning, and only drink cappuccino in the afternoon. What are the differences between all these drinks? In this article we will try to understand this issue.
The first coffee machines, Italy and Luigi Bezzuru.
The first type of coffee brewed in a coffee machine and subsequently acquired worldwide fame is. Actually, even with the name of this drink due to its method of preparation. It is generally accepted that the first creator of a compact coffee machine is Luigi Bezzuru. It was he who patented his discovery in 1902 and, by concluding a contract with the DesiderioPavoni company, made this drink accessible to everyone. However, in reality it all started in sunny Italy 17 years before the story of Luigi, when back in 1885 Angelo Moriondo created the first experimental version of the coffee machines popular today. But he was not destined to become famous thanks to his invention. And all because the device he created was too large and could not be purchased or transported by most coffee shops and restaurants. That's why Luigi got all the glory.
Just add water!
Many people, out of ignorance or based on assumptions, for some reason believe that it is espresso diluted with water in a large cup. This is true in principle, although there are some special points here. Let's try to figure it out. First you need to understand that espresso is a drink based on... ground coffee through which hot water is passed under very high pressure. The classic one is indeed served in a small cup (50 ml) with fairly thick walls that will not allow the coffee to cool quickly.
A barista at one of the coffee shops in our city shared an interesting fact with me today. He told us a secret with which you can tell by eye whether the espresso you have received is good. To do this, you just need to look at the foam covering the drink; if it completely covers the coffee, then it is prepared correctly, but if there are holes in it, then you were brought low-quality espresso and you have the right to ask for it to be replaced.
But what then is Americano? If we consider the component part of the drink, then it really consists of espresso and hot water, but everything is not so simple here. There are at least two types of preparation of this drink, such as:
- — Italian version of cooking
- — Swedish version of cooking
The main difference between these technologies is in different ways hot water supply, in the first case, hot water is poured into freshly prepared espresso in a 1:1 ratio. With the Swedish method of cooking, everything happens exactly the opposite. Coffee is poured into hot water, which preserves the tartness and richness of the drink, while making it more delicate. It is this method of preparing the drink that is gaining increasing popularity among coffee lovers.
American soldiers who fought in World War II walked into a coffee shop in Italy and asked for coffee. However, when they saw the volume, they were immediately outraged and demanded the cup size they were used to at home, that is, 200 ml. The barista simply poured the espresso into a large cup and diluted it with water, after which he sarcastically said that the Americano was ready. He didn’t even suspect that this name would be firmly attached to this type of coffee preparation.
Is it true that different types of coffee differ in strength? Let's look at this issue in more detail. A cup of espresso, for example, has 100 mg of caffeine per 50 ml of drink, and an Americano also has 100 mg of caffeine, but per 150 ml of drink, which is why people assume that one drink is stronger than the other. And the difference between them is not at all in strength, but only in volume. Thus, it turns out that in fact, Americano is practically no different from espresso in strength.
Espresso is the founder of all types of coffee.
An interesting fact is that in all various types and subtypes of coffee drinks, included. It is the basis for other types, such as Americano, latte, cappuccino and others. And if we previously got acquainted with the history and technology of preparing Americano, then let's try to figure out what the two remaining types are? Cappuccino, like other types of coffee, is a drink Italian origin, consisting of espresso, hot milk and milk froth in equal proportions. The standard volume of a cup of cappuccino is 150-180 ml, but now many coffee shops increase this volume to 300 ml when it comes to a takeaway drink.
It is not a type of coffee at all, as it is more of a cocktail based on espresso. Even the name latte used to mean hot milk with foam. But one day in a coffee shop in Italy, the bartender added some coffee to it for flavor, and that’s how the drink we’re used to today appeared. A latte consists of one part brewed coffee, one part milk foam and two parts hot milk. Many people mistakenly consider cappuccino and latte to be identical drinks. However, the drinks are completely different. So how is a cappuccino different from a latte? The main thing here is the cooking technology. Cappuccino is characterized by pouring hot milk into coffee and covering it with milk foam on top. And for a latte, on the contrary, adding espresso to already hot milk with foam on top. As you can see, all types of drinks from coffee machines consist of a portion of boiled coffee with various additives, be it milk, milk foam or water.
Americano is black coffee prepared using a shot of espresso or double espresso.
This means that the caffeine content of espresso and Americano is the same. However, the difference is not only in the volume of the drink and in some cases (depending on the preparation method) in the appearance of the cream foam. A major role is played by such a parameter as the body of the drink: espresso is denser, thicker, richer; Americano is much lighter and less rich. It is important that a properly prepared Americano retains the taste and aroma of the espresso base.
Americano and cappuccino
Americano (prepared in Italian) and cappuccino are similar in their preparation method: in both cases, water (Americano) or hot milk with a cap of dense milk foam (cappuccino) is added to the prepared portion of espresso.
However, this is where the similarity ends: in cappuccino, the combination of hot milk and coffee creates a special velvety-tart bouquet; democratic and strict Americano attracts with the organoleptic properties of the coffee itself.
Americano and latte
Latte - coffee with hot milk and a cap of milk foam on top - a drink that is not much more difficult to prepare than an Americano.
But the serving methods for latte and Americano are different, and the very presence of milk in latte makes this drink unusually delicate in taste, with a pleasant velvety creamy aroma. Despite this obvious difference, lattes and Americanos are excellent options for those coffee lovers who equally love black coffee and coffee with milk, and at the same time prefer large portions drink
Features of Americano coffee
Americano, or American-style coffee, originated in Italy during World War II. It was created for Americans whose usual everyday drink was filter coffee (“regular”), the volume of one serving being 200 ml or more.
Unlike traditional American coffee, which is prepared by pouring water through a paper or fabric filter filled with medium or medium-coarse coffee, Americano is prepared using an espresso machine.
Cooking methods and best recipes
1. Classic Americano:caffèamericano in Italian
The traditional and most common method of preparation is Italian. Italian-style Americano is prepared from one shot of espresso, doppio, or, less commonly, lungo, and then the required amount of hot water is added (from 40 to 400 ml).
The variability of the classic recipe depends on taste and coffee habits and sometimes on the characteristics of the coffee blend used to prepare Americano.
Why should you not spill large amounts of water on your coffee machine?
Hot water, passing under a pressure of 15–20 bar through ground coffee, should not spill for a long time - all espresso connoisseurs agree on this opinion. Already with a serving of 80–100 ml, you can encounter the effect of a “burnt” drink: coffee acquires an unpleasant bitter taste, in most cases the bouquet becomes inexpressive, the aroma is weak, and the aftertaste is unmemorable and short.
2. Americano: Swedish way
Americano, prepared by a Scandinavian barista, differs from the classic one in the sequence of actions: a portion of espresso is added in a thin stream to a portion of hot water.
This method allows you to almost completely preserve not only the flavor and aroma bouquet, but also the cream, which means Swedish Americano looks very impressive.
3. European Americano, “disassembled” Americano
Nowadays there is a new trend of naturalness and simplicity, which has affected the rules for serving Americano in an increasing number of coffee shops.
The client is brought a portion of espresso or doppio and hot water in a separate coffee pot. This way, a visitor to a coffee establishment can “assemble” for himself the ideal drink in terms of volume and method of preparation.
4. Long black (Long black)
When preparing long black coffee, a sequence similar to Swedish Americano is used: a double portion of espresso (doppio) is added to hot water. Traditionally, long black does not require such a careful approach as Swedish coffee, but as a rule, the foam of the cream in long black is practically not destroyed and has a dense texture and a recognizable golden or cinnamon hue.
Long black is popular among residents of Australia and New Zealand.
5. Red eye (Red eye)
This strong North American drink appeared at the intersection of two traditions: classic New England filter coffee and Italian espresso. It’s easy to prepare: just add a shot of espresso or doppio to your regular coffee.
The drink is popular in North America, and the volume of coffee filtered varies depending on the area in which it is prepared (in different US states - from 150 to 400 ml).
Americano-based drinks
Just like espresso is the basis large quantity coffee drinks, cocktails and desserts, Americano can also be prepared using various ingredients, creating new combinations of flavors.
1. Americano with syrup.
Serving cappuccino, latte and other coffee-milk drinks with syrup is a special art: the barista must take into account the acidity of the syrup, its compatibility with the tastes of milk and coffee, the visual effect of the drink...
You can approach the preparation of Americano with syrup much simpler and with more imagination.
There are win-win combinations of coffee with flavors such as cinnamon, vanilla, almond, coconut, amaretto, chocolate (black or white), Irish cream or maple syrup.
You can safely experiment with the flavors of berries and tropical fruits, which are used only to a limited extent in drinks with milk, or you can play on the contrast of flavors and prepare an Americano with syrups such as “Lavender”, “Grenadine”, “ Peppermint"or even "Menthol".
2. Americano with chocolate
Coffee and chocolate are two tastes that go perfectly together and complement each other.
To make Americano with chocolate, just melt a few pieces of dark, milk or white chocolate in a water bath and pour a portion of Americano. Or you can do it even simpler and drink an Americano with chocolate as a bite.
3. Cold Americano with ice
This drink is ideal for hot summer days: it refreshes and tones at the same time.
To prepare a cold Americano, not hot water is added to the espresso shot, but cold water. Ice can be used either in cubes or crushed in a shaker.
4. Americano with spices
There is also a lot of scope for culinary imagination. You can add vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, ground pepper, nutmeg, star anise. As a result, the chosen spice or mixture of spices will introduce new notes to the bouquet and add a pleasant pungency.
5. Americano with whipped cream
A cap of whipped cream is a spectacular decoration for coffee. Before serving, you can interestingly decorate with a cinnamon tube, star anise, coffee beans or grated chocolate.
