Americano Coffee

Ingredients

2 ounces (2 shots) espresso*
4 ounces hot water

Instructions

Make the espresso: Make the espresso using an espresso machine, manual espresso maker, French press, or Moka Pot.
Add hot water: Heat water using your espresso machine or in a tea pot to about 190 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour it into the espresso. Enjoy!

Notes

*If desired, you can adjust the level of boiling water to your tastes. Go up to 6 ounces boiling water for a flavor that’s closer to drip coffee than espresso.

What’s an Americano?

An Americano is an espresso drink made with hot water and espresso, also called a Caffe Americano. The drink can be made with either one or two shots of espresso, and varying ratios of water. Diluting the strong dark espresso roast brings the flavor closer to a drip coffee: which might be where the name originated! The exact origin of the term is murky, but it’s thought to have originated in the 1970’s. “Americano” means American in Italian or Spanish, referring to the coffee’s strength being closer to an American-style drip coffee.

Does an Americano have milk? Never. A true Americano does not include milk like a latte, cappuccino, or macchiato. You can add milk if you like, but then it’s not the true form of this drink.

How much water is an Americano?

Great question, and one that has more than one answer. How much water is an Americano? There are various ratios that are considered acceptable:

The typical Caffe Americano ratio is 2:1. That’s 2 parts hot water to 1 part espresso. This ratio makes the drink still taste dark and bitter, like a lightened form of espresso.
You can customize the water in an American to taste. Every barista and coffee shop makes an Americano differently.
Use 3:1 for a smoother, milder coffee with more volume. This ratio makes the Americano taste like a bitter drip coffee. (If you order an Americano at Starbucks, it will taste like this ratio.)

Next, let’s talk about the espresso!

How to make an Americano? Start with espresso. Simply using strong coffee will not do! This means you’ll need the following:

Espresso roast coffee: This is important to get the right dark, bitter flavor. Espresso roast is simply very, very dark roast coffee.
Espresso machine, espresso maker, or Aeropress: There are several ways to make an espresso! We use an espresso machine, which sits on a countertop. You can use a small manual espresso maker too: it’s cheaper and portable. Or you can use an Aeropress: it’s our least favorite option for flavor, but it’s the cheapest. Go to our Aeropress Espresso recipe.

How to make an Americano

Once you know about the water ratio and espresso technique: there’s not much to know about this coffee drink! Here are the basic steps for how to make an Americano:

Decide on your drink size. A 1-shot Americano can mostly fit in an espresso mug (shown here). A 2-shot drink is best suited in a latte mug.
Make the espresso. Use espresso roast coffee to make espresso using your favorite method: with an automated espresso machine, manual espresso maker, or Aeropress.
Boil the water. Use a regular or electric teapot to boil the water. The standard ratio is 2:1 water to espresso, but you can go up to as much as 3:1.
Mix the two and enjoy! Pour the boiling water into the espresso. Instant Caffe Americano!