During my time working in a cafe, I had a regular client who asked me if we served an espresso that had a similar taste as drip coffee. Imagine my surprise confronted such a request. I therefore consulted with the customer if he needed a drip coffee rather, but the answer was quite prompt: he wanted an espresso with a taste like the regular drip coffee. I claimed I understood the request and carried on to create an Americano. The customer liked the Americano, but he explained that it was not precisely what he was looking for. The following day 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 option for caffe crema, so I had to prepare it manually, but I had to make an effort. It turned out that this was the drink that my client really wanted.
Learn more about the differences between Caffe Crema, Americano and Long Black here: https://theoatmeal.com/comics/coffee
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.