You could assume that the term “Americano coffee” is merely a fancy way of saying “black coffee.” Think again! You don’t prepare Americano with the drip coffee maker you have in your kitchen. But that doesn’t mean you can’t make it at home. Want to know how?
In this article, we will show you how to make an Americano that’s at par with the ones you buy at your local coffee shop. But, let’s start with getting to know the drink first.
“Caffè Americano” is the Italian word for American coffee. According to an unproven rumor, American soldiers in Italy during World War II may have ordered espresso shots and added hot water to make it taste more like their type of coffee.
Experts in the coffee industry will agree that Americanos often have a richer flavor and more well-balanced coffee flavor than ordinary brewed drip coffee. However, that is obviously dependent on the beans, roast, and coffee grind.
So, if you want a coffee with rich flavor and well-balanced flavor but would rather less caffeine without switching to decaf, Americanos are an excellent option.
Start to make your own Americano? Now you no longer need to look for “Americano coffee near me” because all you need to make Starbucks-style Americano is an espresso machine, a grinder, hot water, and fresh coffee beans. For instructions on how to make Americano coffee, simply follow our recipe.
What is Americano?
If you frequently visit Starbucks, you are probably already familiar with the hot or iced Starbucks Americano. What, though, exactly is Americano? and from where did it originate?
An Americano is simply espresso with hot water on top. There are numerous Americano varieties available today. However, from the day American soldiers discovered it, the basic method for making Americano has not changed, espresso with hot water on top.
Espresso is diluted with water in order to lessen its intensity, richness, and full-bodiedness.
How to make Americano at home
What you need:
- An espresso machine (can be an automatic or semi-automatic machine)
- Boiling water
- Freshly ground coffee
- An espresso cup
- A mug of your choice
- An Espresso tamper
- A kitchen scale
Instructions:
- Turn on the espresso machine. Wait until the machine heats up.
- Using a kitchen scale, measure the espresso grounds (0.63 to 0.74 ounces will do for a double shot of espresso)
- When your espresso machine is hot and ready to go, pour your grounds into the portafilter. Tamper them with even pressure.
- Set the espresso machine to 30 seconds.
- Then, heat up some water. Typically, the amount of water you need to make an Americano is double the amount of espresso you’ve used.
- To make the Americano, add the espresso to the hot water. It should never be done the other way around.
Caffeine level in Americano
Americanos have the same amount of caffeine per serving because they are made using an espresso base. Americanos therefore contain less caffeine than drip coffee. Compared to a coffee serving with 95 mg of caffeine, an Americano with one espresso serving provides 60 mg of caffeine.
