What is the Difference Between Americano and Latte?

There are many different types of espresso drinks that you can get and understanding the differences between them can be challenging.

This post will show you how Americano and latte differ.

So, what is the difference between Americano and latte? Americano is where water is added to espresso. Americano tastes similar to black coffee and has a sweet taste. Latte is where a lot of steamed milk and a little bit of milk foam is added to espresso. Latte has a creamy taste with a small coffee like taste.

There are actually a number of different ways to make both of the drinks and they can vary a lot in the way that they taste depending on how they were made. There are also a number of other drinks that are very similar to them that you might like.

Differences Between Americano and Latte

Below, I will show you the differences between Americano and latte, drinks that are similar to them and questions people often ask about them.

Latte

Latte is where steamed milk and a small amount of milk foam is added to espresso. It has a creamy taste with a small coffee like taste as well.

Espresso is the mixture that you get when you push hot water through finely ground coffee. It is dense, very rich and it can be slightly bitter. However, the strength of the espresso is reduced when steamed milk and milk foam is added to it when making a latte.

Any type of milk can be used to make latte and the type of milk that is used will have an impact on the way that it tastes. If whole milk is used then it will give it a creamier taste and if low-fat milk is used it will be less creamy.

How latte is made

To make latte you add steamed milk and a small amount of milk foam to espresso.

There are three main ways to make espresso and they are to either use a traditional espresso machine, a pod machine or to use a stovetop espresso maker.

To make espresso using a traditional espresso machine it is necessary to get the coffee beans, grind them, push them into a container, put water into the machine, put the container into the machine and to turn the machine on.

The video below shows you how to make espresso using an espresso machine.

Espresso machines will give you espresso that has the highest quality and they give you full control over the way that the espresso tastes.

However, they can have a steep learning curve, they require the most effort on your part in maintaining and cleaning them and they can be expensive.

The espresso machine that I would recommend the most would be this one on Amazon.

To make espresso using a pod-style machine it is just necessary for you to put water and a pod into the machine and to turn it on.

Pod style machines don’t give you as much control over the way that the espresso tastes. However, they come with a number of different flavors that you can choose from and they require little effort on your part.

The pod-style machine that I would recommend the most would be this one on Amazon.

To make espresso using a stovetop espresso maker you put water into it and then put coffee grind above it and heat the pot up.

The video below shows how to make espresso using a stovetop espresso maker.

Stovetop espresso makers are the cheapest option and they are good to trial with to see if you would get full use out of an actual espresso machine.

However, the espresso that they produce won’t be to the same standard as with traditional espresso machines.

The stovetop espresso maker that I would recommend the most would be this one on Amazon.

What impacts the taste of latte

There are a number of different factors that will impact the way that latte tastes.

If a lot of steamed milk and milk foam is used then it will give it a creamier taste and a smaller coffee taste and the opposite is true for if less is used.

If whole milk is used then it will make it taste more creamy and low fat milk will have a less creamy taste.

The way that the espresso is made will also impact the taste of the latte.

If the grind used to make the espresso is too fine then it can cause the espresso to taste bitter. This is because a fine grind will cause it to be difficult for water to pass through it causing more coffee to mix with the water. Obviously, you want some coffee to mix with the water but if too much mixes then it will cause it to be bitter.

If the beans used are from a single origin or they have a light roast then it can give the espresso a sharper taste but it will often result in it tasting sour. If the beans come from multiple origins then it will give it a more balanced taste.

The type of coffee beans used will also have an impact. Arabica beans tend to be more on the sour side. While robusta beans tend to be more bitter. A blend of both Arabica and Robusta beans tends to be what is recommended.

Drinks that are similar to latte

There are a number of drinks that are similar to latte such as:

Mocha

Mocha is espresso that is topped with chocolate syrup and steamed milk. It has a chocolatey and creamy taste with a small coffee taste as well.

Cappuccino

Cappuccino is where steamed milk and milk foam are added to espresso. It is similar to latte but more steamed milk and less milk foam is used to make latte. Cappuccino has a stronger and less creamy taste compared to latte.

Breve

Breve is where half and half whipped cream and milk are added to espresso. Breve has a very creamy taste due to the fat from the whipped cream.

Flat white

Flat white is where steamed milk is added to espresso. It has a less creamy and stronger coffee taste when compared to latte.

Questions people ask about latte

Is latte sweet? Latte is slightly sweet but it is more creamy with a coffee like taste.

Does latte have coffee? Yes, latte is made by adding steamed milk and milk foam to espresso which contains coffee.

Can you get decaf latte? You can get decaf latte. However, be aware that it won’t be caffeine free it will just have less caffeine compared to a regular latte.

Americano

Americano is where hot water is added to espresso. It has a similar taste to brewed coffee with nothing added to it other than water.

By adding hot water to the espresso and not doing it the other way around it dilutes the Crema on the espresso. The Crema is a foamy substance on the top of an espresso that has a very bitter taste some people like it while others prefer to remove it with a spoon.

There are a number of things that will impact the way the Americano tastes.

If a lot of water is added to the espresso then it will reduce the bitterness of the espresso more but it could cause it to taste watery. Generally, an Americano will be made by adding 90 ml of water to 60 ml of espresso.

The way that the espresso is made, as discussed in the section above, will also impact the way that the Americano tastes.

Questions people ask about Americano

Can Americano be iced? Yes, Americano can be iced.

Can Americano be decaf? Yes, it can be decaf. However, be aware that this doesn’t mean that it will be caffeine free it means that the amount of caffeine in it will be reduced.

Is Americano strong? It does have a strong taste that is similar to black coffee.

Drinks that are similar to Americano

There are a number of drinks that are similar to Americano such as:

Long black

Long black is where espresso is added to hot water. By adding espresso to hot water it preserves the Crema and gives the long black a more bitter taste compared to Americano.

Black coffee

Black coffee is coffee that has been made with nothing other than water being added to it. Black coffee has a similar taste to Americano but Americano tends to be stronger.