The Americano - aka "watered down espresso" has been around since World War II. Its namesake is attributed to American soldiers stationed in Italy, who desired a cup of coffee resembling what they drank at home.
Rumor has it that the soldiers didn't like the richness of a traditional espresso, so an Italian barista took an espresso shot, added hot water, and the Americano was born. The coffee drink became very popular among soldiers and it quickly spread across Europe.
Today, Americanos are served in coffee shops all over the world, offering a cup of coffee with more complex flavors than a regular drip coffee.
Americanos Across the Pond
In 2019, my husband and I went to London to visit family. This was such an amazing trip and I look forward to going back again someday! During our visit, we learned that many coffee shops across the pond don't offer regular drip coffee. At first, I didn't know what to order but my brother-in-law suggested an Americano...and so began my love for this specialty coffee drink. I had my first, second, third, and so on during our visit.
No surprise here, when we returned home, I made the switch from a daily dark roast drip coffee to a daily caffe Americano. There's just something about the smoothness and well-rounded flavor of an Americano that I love. Plus, it feels a little fancy, and let's be honest, who doesn't like feeling fancy?
Making an Americano - the Beans, the Machines, and the Method
There are a few steps to making a great Americano - the first is, good beans! Coffee beans come in many varieties. For the best coffee - regardless of how you are preparing it - the most important thing is to start with fresh whole beans. Pro tip - skip the grocery store coffee that has likely been sitting around for months. Instead, find a local coffee shop that sells freshly roasted coffee (or order online). I happen to love Slacktide Coffee Roasters but whatever roaster you buy from, be sure to check the roast date. A roast date of within 7 to 21 days is going to result in the best-tasting coffee.
Next, you are going to need something to brew the espresso with (the method detailed below is specific to an espresso machine). There are many options ranging from $ to $$$$. I've linked some budget-friendly Amazon options below. I'm currently using the espresso machine linked - the Casabrews CM5418. This is a great machine for learning how to make espresso drinks.
Okay, so you have your fresh beans and something to brew the espresso in - now you need to grind those beans up to a fine consistency - think powdered sugar.
Why is grind size important? If your coffee is ground too coarse, the water will go straight through and you'll end up with a watery and not-so-good-tasting shot...you don't want that. Finely ground beans allow the water to distribute evenly, leaving you with a beautiful shot of espresso. Don't worry, If you don't have a grinder, you can always have the beans ground where you buy the coffee - most roasters will be happy to do that for you. That said, I do recommend having a grinder at home. This way you can grind the beans moments before you make your coffee, resulting in the best-tasting cup.
Once ground, place the coffee into the portafilter, distribute and tamp the grinds (a quick note below). Put the portafilter onto the machine and use the double shot option. A double shot of espresso should take about 30 seconds to pull - anything over 35-40 seconds may result in a bitter-tasting shot.
A note on distributing and tamping - It's important to make sure the coffee is evenly distributed in the portafilter. Once you've done that, you need to tamp it, using pressure to create a tightly and evenly compressed puck. There are tools for this - click the link in the above paragraph to take a look.
While your espresso is pulling (aka brewing), heat your water. I love using my Bodum Goose Neck kettle but if you don't have one at home, you can use a regular tea kettle. Once heated to somewhere between 194 to 201° F, you are ready to mix your Americano.
But How Much Water? We are going to do a little math here - don't worry, there's no quiz.
A true Americano is a 1:2 ratio of espresso to water but if you search up how to make an Americano, you will find a range of anywhere between 1:2 to 1:4. Honestly, it just depends on how strong you like your coffee. I like to do anywhere between a 1:3 to a 1:4 ratio. To achieve this, I'll pull a double shot of espresso (18 grams of fresh ground beans will give you about 2 ounces of espresso) and add 6 oz (for a 1:3 ratio) to 8 oz (for a 1:4 ratio) of water.
Combine the espresso shot and your water and VOILA, you just made an Americano. Some will say the Americano is meant to be drunk sans creamer, but I typically add a dash of oat milk...because that's how I like it. Don't feel pressured to conform to what other people say, you do you! Pro tip - add the water to your mug first and then pour your shot - this helps keep the crema of the espresso on top.
That's it! I hope you enjoyed a little coffee history today and feel confident to try making an Americano on your own - or maybe even just ordering one next time you are at a coffee shop. For the Americano recipe, head on over here!
Enjoy your Cup of Amore!
Meghan
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