Long black vs Americano: Battle of espresso drinks

long black vs americano what is the difference?

Are you the one who is always looking for new and unique coffee flavors? Do you want to do some experiments with the existing coffee taste? Anyone interested in solid coffee flavors and wanting a better, more pungent coffee taste will find that long black is even more intense coffee than Americano.

If you think that Americano is a solid drink and no other drink will have the same intensity and taste, then you should think again that the long Black is more intense and creates crema at the top.

Also, check the difference between flat white and americano.

But when you look at long black and Americano, both drinks look similar, but there is a significant difference between them. Even though Espresso is the base of both drinks.

Do they have any different ingredients? No, actually both have similar ingredients, but the difference is in the brewing process, taste and serving size. A long black and Americano are both made with hot water and espresso.

What is long black vs Americano? Check the differences

The first stark difference is that while making an Americano, espresso is prepared, and hot water is poured into the espresso. At the same time, the espresso is poured into a cup of hot water in long black.

Another interesting comparison between Americano and latte.

So then, what’s the difference while pouring water into espresso or espresso poured into hot water? Well! It certainly creates magic. Pouring an espresso into hot water leads to crema.

A long black is also known for its strong taste and aroma. And in Americano, we pour hot water into an espresso; it looks more like black coffee.

Also, when espresso adds to water, it doesn’t dissolve in espresso completely. And robust espresso is still intact. However when drinking more, the strength of coffee will dilute.

I am going to explore these differences more in detail. But first, let’s look into what these drinks are about.

What is Long Black coffee?

The long black is a fantastic coffee prepared in reverse order compared to Americano. Prepare a long black with one or two espresso shots and 120 ml hot water. Also, Long Black uses less water than Americano, making it a much stronger coffee.

If you feel you don’t like americano anymore, here is long black coffee that will enhance the intsity and taste of coffee.

a cup of long black

How to make long black?

You can brew a perfect cup of long black while following the steps. You only need one or two espresso shots and 2/3 hot water to make a long black. Any coffee machine can brew espresso, but the preferable option is the Espresso machine.

  1. First, Brew two espresso shots.
  2. Prepare hot water; it should not be boiling. Pour 2/3 of hot water into a cup.
  3. In the last step, Slowly pour the espresso into the hot water. It will create a thick crema at the top.

A cup of long black with crema is ready to enjoy.

What is Americano coffee?

Americano also originates from Italy. It is considered one of the most robust and bitter coffee flavors. It is specifically designed in Italy for Americans who don’t like the strong flavor of espresso, so the baristas add hot water to reduce the bitterness. But it doesn’t reduce the intensity that much.

Also, check the difference between Americano and Cappuccino.

For anyone who wants less intense coffee than espresso but still a bold flavor, nothing can be compared with Americano. Because other flavors use milk and different syrups to reduce the strong taste of espresso, but many people do not like adding milk or sugar to the coffee.

How to make Americano at home?

  1.  First, brew one or two shots of espresso. Two shots are preferred for Americano.
  2. Now Pour 2/3 of the hot water into the cup of espresso.

The cup of hot Americano is ready to drink. When hot water pours into the espresso cup, it dilutes the intensity. Also, it finishes any crema created at the top of the espresso.

Also, you can make iced Americano with cream.

a cup of Americano

What is the Difference between Americano and long black?

Anyone new to the coffee world may find it difficult to differentiate between the two flavors. But this article will make it easy to understand for anyone who wants to look deep into all the differences.

Why is Long Black stronger than Americano coffee?

Any coffee flavor depends on the coffee beans and the brewing method. Long Black and Americano both use similar coffee beans but, indeed, have some differences in the brewing process.

The long black is a less diluted coffee with a strong flavor and aroma. At the same time, the Americano is more diluted coffee. A long black is a more robust coffee than Americano.

The amount of water in Americano weakens the bitterness, making it less potent. The taste of long black is initially quite bitter, but after every sip, the bitterness subsides.

Why Americano have less crema than long black?

First, if you are a coffee lover, you should know what crema is. Crema is a thick layer created at the top of the espresso. Some coffee flavors have crema; others don’t, so it depends on how you brew.

To be more precise, When espresso is brewed with hot water and high pressure, it extracts compounds from the grounds. These compounds create a layer of foam at the top of the espresso. The foam at the top is called the crema.

The long black extracts the most crema. As I discussed earlier, the espresso shot pours into the hot water, leading to maximum crema. While in Americano, hot water flows into the cup of espresso, which mixes the compound with water. It leads to no crema at the top.

Check the difference between long shot and a a ristretto.

Long Black vs Americano: Difference in Appearance

If you are the one who wants the perfect look for your coffee, you will find a slight difference here. Americano is lighter in color with little crema on the top.

And Americano usually serves in a larger cup due to the excellent amount of water added. In comparison, long black is darker, with a significant amount of crema at the top.

long black and Americano a cup of americano

Americano vs long black: Does serving size matter?

The serving size of these coffee flavors is mostly the same. However, americano serves in larger sizes.

A long black prepares with 150 to 170 ml size. It serves in a five or 6-oz size cup. In contrast, the Americano usually serves in a larger cup. Americano serves in a cup of 8, 12, to 16-oz sizes. It depends on the amount of water added.

Check the difference between Americano and Macchiato.

Americano vs Long Black: Determining the winner in the caffeine race

The espresso shot contains all the caffeine in a cup of coffee. One espresso shot has 68 mg of caffeine.

If you make long black with two espresso shots, it contains 136 mg of caffeine. Also, two shots of espresso in Americano come with the same amount of caffeine. So, both Americano and long black have the same amount of caffeine.

Americano vs long black: picking the right flavor

They are both lower in calories and have more caffeine per cup. Both the long black and the Americano are healthy and strong drinks. So it is up to you to pick a drink.

Americano is evergreen coffee you can consume any time of the day. A long black is an intense drink; you should pick it when prepared for a more robust and bitterer taste. Also, long black will give you that choice if you like crema in coffee.

 a cup of long black

Related topic to read.

Red Eye Vs Black Eye Vs Dead Eye Coffee: What Are The Differences?

Final thoughts

Nothing much difference between these two great coffee flavors. You can pick one for the morning and the other for the evening.

If you want larger glass, Americano should be your choice. And long black is a better option if you want slightly bitter coffee. Also, long black gives you an edge of crema.

Americano or Long Black should be on your list of priorities drinks for the day. You can brew both drinks with simple steps at home.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is Americano just a black coffee?

No, Americano is dissimilar to black coffee. Black coffee brews with instant coffee. And Americano prepares with espresso.

Why do people prefer long black over Americano?

Long black uses less water than an Americano. It has more crema at the top. Also, people prefer long black, due to its robust and bitterer taste than Americano. Americano adds more water to espresso, which makes it less intense than long black.

Can I put milk in long black?

Adding milk to an espresso shot will become a macchiato coffee. The long black only brews with water and espresso.

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Long black vs Americano: Battle of espresso drinks
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Long black vs Americano: Battle of espresso drinks
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A long black and Americano are both made with hot water and espresso. A long black is also known for its strong taste and aroma. In Americano, we pour hot water into an espresso; it looks more like black coffee
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my latte coffee
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