The americano was believed to be “invented” by American soldiers, who found espresso too strong.
An americano is an espresso-based drink that is made by adding hot water, rather than milk, to espresso. The hot water certainly dilutes the espresso, but it retains the flavor.
If you’ve always wanted to make a cafe-style americano at home, then you’re in the right place. An americano is easy to make at home, and we’ll look at the procedure briefly.
As long as you can make an espresso, then you’re good to go.
Because it sounds so simple to make—it is simply espresso plus water—many people get it wrong.
The Caffe americano, as it is often called, when produced accurately, is a drink you should learn to make, especially if you prefer your espresso without its usual high intensity.
What is an Americano?
Let’s make a distinction between an americano and coffee. An americano is black coffee that is made by brewing espresso and adding hot water.
While an americano is made with shots of espresso and hot water, coffee is brewed with an infusion of ground coffee beans in hot water.
Because an americano is an espresso-based drink, it is more caffeinated than brewed coffee.
You are wrong if you’re expecting a strict set of rules on how much water you should add to espresso to make it an americano.
The moment that espresso is diluted, you have an americano. That means no amount of water is required to form an americano.
However, the common ratio is 2:1, that is, two portions of hot water to one portion of espresso.
Americans are used to enjoying drip coffee. Espressos are a favorite Italian drink that soldiers found too intense during World War II.
They were not very comfortable with espresso, which was very popular in Italy. The American soldiers started diluting the espresso to make it more like what they were used to at home.
This made the espresso last longer, and the soldiers believed this improved their beverage.
Today, an americano is hardly ever made with just a single shot of espresso. A double or triple shot is used, depending on the required caffeine.
An americano has a better flavor and is stronger than brewed coffee.
If you want the crema of your espresso to be better preserved, you should add your espresso to hot water rather than the other way around.
Sometimes, you can use a lower quantity of hot water to give a variant called a “long black”.
It’s best to drink your americano without stirring it. If you stir your drink, it may distort the crema and alter the flavor. So, once you’ve added the espresso to your glass, it’s ready to be enjoyed.
Can milk or cream be added to an americano? Absolutely! You want to know how to make the perfect americano? Let’s dig in.
Making an Americano at Home
If you want to make an americano at home, the process begins with making espresso. Making espresso begins with a machine.
But you can also make espresso without a machine. We’ll look at the two methods, but first, what do you need to make an americano?
First, you’ll need fresh ground coffee beans, which are the best type of beans for making espresso. You’ll need a coffee grinder if you are using whole coffee beans.
You can also use freshly ground coffee of high quality. You’ll need an espresso machine or a Nespresso.
But if you don’t have one, you can use an alternative like a moka pot to make your espresso. Of course, you’ll need hot water.
Making an americano is down to your own preference. You should know the amount of water you need to make the drink the way you love it. But we’ll go with the popular ratio of 2:1.
Coffee Machine
To make an americano in the best way possible, you’ll need an espresso-making machine. Espresso machines provide the most straightforward procedure for making an americano.
First, get your fresh espresso beans. The best coffee beans for espresso are Arabica coffee beans. Robusta coffee can also be used.
The best roast is a dark roast. If you don’t like dark roast coffee, a medium-dark roast will do. You’ll also need a grinder to get the correct consistency.
The flat burr grinders are an ideal espresso option, as they achieve the required consistency.
Once you’ve measured the beans necessary, grind them to a fine consistency and put them in a portafilter, which should then be placed in the machine.
It is advisable to own a decent coffee grinder, as it makes it more interesting to prepare different types of coffee drinks.
You can also buy pre-ground beans if you don’t have a grinder. But the idea is always to use freshly ground beans.
Brew your espresso in the machine. Your water should be heated to a temperature of 165 °F. In a kettle, you should boil water that should then be poured into your mug.
Remember, you can pour hot water into your espresso, but the ideal method is to pour the espresso into hot water. So, get your hot water ready before your espresso is done brewing.
Once your espresso is done brewing, pour it directly into the hot water. When pouring, do it very slowly. The recommended ratio should be 2:1—two parts of hot water to one part espresso.
After pouring, don’t stir your drink before enjoying it. And that’s how easy it is to make an americano.
If you don’t have a standard espresso machine, you can still make an americano. The process is the same. Brew the espresso, get your hot water, and pour the espresso onto the water.
Without an espresso machine, the first thing that comes to mind is a Nespresso. A Nespresso is a mini espresso maker.
Simply brew your coffee in your Nespresso, and separately boil your water. Once your coffee is brewed, add it to your hot water to produce your americano.
One capsule of dark roast coffee will make a shot for an americano.
However, you can still improvise if you have no espresso machine or Nespresso.
No Machine
The most effective means of making espresso without an espresso machine is to use a moka pot. However, if you don’t have a moka pot, you can use an AeroPress or a French press.
The process begins with your beans. If you have a grinder, ensure you grind the beans to a fine consistency. Place the coffee grounds in the basket and ensure that the top is well flattened.
You should fill the bottom chamber of the moka pot up to the required mark before placing it in the coffee grounds.
Place the moka pot on the heat. It should be placed on low to medium heat for about three minutes.
As the pot heats, you will notice a hissing sound as the espresso moves to the upper chamber of the pot.
Once your espresso is done, you will notice a brown foamy texture forming on the pot. You should have your hot water ready. The temperature of your water should be about 165 °F.
Pour your hot water into your mug or glass and gently pour your espresso into your hot water to create a lovely americano.
Should I use Ground or Bean Coffee?
Another question we must address is the type of bean required for an americano. First, the essential bean requirement is that it should be a dark roast.
However, it is best to use freshly ground coffee to make the perfect espresso. The oils and flavors are still easily accessible for the hot water to extract if it’s freshly ground.
If you don’t have a grinder, you can go for already ground coffee, but be sure it is of good quality.
If you have a grinder, you should grind it to a fine consistency. Knowing how to grind coffee beans properly is a requirement for brewing coffee appropriately.
Conclusion
If you can make espresso, then you can make an americano. All you need to add is hot water. Moreover, you can also add milk, cream, or any other alternative to an americano if that’s how you like it.
Although not very popular outside Northern America, americanos are making an impression in many other countries.
Once you know your preference and add the required water, you can always make an americano just how you like it.
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Last Updated on August 31, 2022 by Ashok Parmar
