![]() Water added to espresso is known in many circles as an “original Americano.” Doing it the opposite way produces what’s called a “Long Black,” a name coined by Australians when Italians introduced the drink Down Under.īut which is “right?” We’re not going to get into the middle of that argument an Americano is great both ways. They claim that method creates more crema and avoids scalding the espresso if the water’s too hot. Others insist that the proper way to make an Americano is by pouring the espresso over the water. Some people believe that hot water should be poured over the espresso, saying that method best preserves the espresso’s body and crema. But which goes first? The answer isn’t clear-cut. We’ve already spoiled the surprise: a Caffè Americano isn’t made by mixing espresso and hot water. (Of course, you use cold water to make an iced Americano.) There’s also a school of thought that the water has to come directly from the espresso machine, but that’s purely optional. Most experts shoot for 185☏, but some believe that water heated to 200☏ makes a better Americano coffee. How hot should the water be? Opinions vary. That ensures a smoother drink and preserves the integrity of the crema. It’s even more important when making an Americano, because the drink is prepared by the pour-over process the two liquids are layered, not combined. Needless to say, clean, fresh water is important when making coffee. To get to that point requires experience – or finding the right coffee shop. The right espresso machine, the proper amount and distribution of grounds, and the right temperature and amount of water used to extract the brew all play huge roles in creating barista-quality espresso. Most important of all is equipment and technique. But Robusta beans are often used, and many aficionados who love a good espresso swear by the powerful product of the Arabica/Robusta combination. Mixing them isn’t required lots of people swear by espresso made from 100% Arabica beans. ![]() Many espresso blends, particularly in America, combine Arabica beans with a small amount of Robusta beans in order to give the coffee more body and more caffeine. Robusta beans aren‘t usually used to make high-quality coffee, because they produce harsher coffee with more bitterness and a lot more caffeine. Most coffee drinkers are aware that Arabica beans produce coffee that’s cleaner, sweeter and softer, with good acidity. That’s because of the oil that builds up on the surface of dark roast beans it’s forced out of the beans by the hot water and steam, forming an oily, rich, creamy layer of foam that rises to the top of a well-made espresso.įinally, the blend. They also create – and this is important – a thicker crema at the top. The end result is a thicker, stronger, dark brown coffee which is produced in a matter of seconds, not minutes.Įspresso is normally made from dark-roasted beans, because they create a fuller body and less acidity. ![]() When espresso is made, though, a small amount of almost-boiling water is forced through the finely-ground coffee at high pressure. The differences are created by the roast, the blend and the brewing process.ĭrip coffee is brewed just as its name describes, with hot water slowly dripped through coffee grounds. You probably know that there’s no such thing as “espresso beans.” Espresso is made from the same coffee beans that are used to make standard drip coffee. To make a great Americano, you must start with great espresso. In reality, though, both the quality of the ingredients, and the way they’re combined, will determine whether an Americano is properly prepared. The name, and the drink itself, stuck and grew more popular over time.Įspresso and hot water sounds like a simple recipe. Understandably, the locals called that drink “caffè Americano.” The Army had to grind, package and ship tons of coffee to the European theater – but often, there still wasn’t enough to go around.Īmerican soldiers stationed in Italy and searching for their coffee fix supposedly hated the local espresso so much that they found a way to make it less bitter and more palatable: they diluted the espresso with hot water to make the taste more familiar. The most credible story describing the creation and naming of caffè Americano, however, dates back to World War II, when coffee was so important (and necessary) to the troops that the average serviceman was going through more than 32 pounds of coffee each year. ![]() In truth, the name may have originated even earlier in the late 1920s, the author Somerset Maugham wrote about characters drinking an “americano,” although he never offered details on how it was made. Most accounts tie the creation of this coffee drink to World War II. ![]()
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