Figuring out the difference between different types of coffee drinks can be a challenge at times especially when they are very similar in the way that they taste.
This post will show you the differences between black coffee and Americano, how they are made, how they taste and what impacts their taste.
So, what is the difference between black coffee and Americano? Black coffee is simply where hot water has been added to coffee. Americano is where hot water is added to espresso. They both taste similar but Americano will normally taste richer and sweeter.
There are actually a number of ways that black coffee and Americano differ in the way that they taste, are made and in the items that you will need to make them.
Difference between black coffee and Americano
Below, I will mention a number of ways that Americano and black coffee differ.
Black Coffee
Black coffee generally refers to brewed coffee.
This is where hot water has been added to coffee so that the coffee can dissolve into it.
There are a number of ways to make coffee two of the main ones are by using the drip method or by using a french press.
The drip method is where ground coffee is put into a paper filter and hot water is added to it. The hot water then filters through the coffee and some of the coffee will dissolve into it. The hot water with the dissolved coffee will then drip down into a glass below the filter leaving you with drip coffee.
You can watch the video below to see how drip coffee is made.
The benefits of making coffee this way are that it is easy to do, drip coffee makers are normally very affordable and the newer ones are often programmable so you can set the time for it to make the coffee.
However, the drip method doesn’t give you much control over the strength of the coffee.
The french press method works by putting water and ground coffee into a pot that contains a plunger. After waiting for a few minutes you push the plunger down so that the ground coffee that hasn’t dissolved into the water goes to the bottom of the pot. After doing that you can pour the coffee into a mug.
The video below shows how to make coffee using a french press.
The advantages of using a french press are that it will extract more of the oil from the coffee, you have more control over how the coffee tastes by timing how long you allow the coffee and water to mix and they are normally cheap to buy.
How it tastes
Compared to Americano, black coffee will normally have a slightly more watery taste, but it is still sweet and it can be made to be more or less sweet depending on how you make it.
If you make it using more finely ground beans it will cause the coffee to have a more bitter taste, while a more coarse grind will cause it to taste more watery.
You can also add milk or cream to the coffee if you want. If you add milk to it then it will cause the coffee to have a creamier taste.
Americano
Americano is where hot water is added to espresso.
Espresso is the liquid that results from hot and pressurized water being pushed through finely ground coffee. It is much more dense, rich and sweet than coffee and it is slightly bitter.
This gives the Americano a sweeter taste than with black coffee. This is because espresso will normally be much sweeter than regular coffee and slightly bitter. By adding hot water to espresso it will reduce the sweetness and bitterness of the espresso but not enough to make it less sweet than a black coffee.
There are two main ways to make an espresso the first is to use a traditional espresso machine and the second is to use a pod-style machine.
To make espresso with a traditional espresso machine it will be necessary for you to buy the coffee beans, grind them, put them into a portafilter which is a small container for the coffee grind and then to put the portafilter into the machine and to turn it on.
The advantage of making espresso this way is that it gives you more control over the way that the espresso tastes since you will have control over all of the factors that go into making the espresso.
The disadvantages of traditional style espresso machines are that it will require more work on your part to get all of the ingredients, make the espresso and to clean the machine and there is also a steep learning curve to making a good espresso.
The espresso machine that I would recommend the most is the DeLonghi Combi Coffee & Espresso Maker on Amazon. It allows you to make both coffee and espresso without compromising on the quality of either of them and it has been well received amongst its users.
To make espresso using a pod-style machine it will just be necessary for you to put a pod into the machine, ensure that the machine has water in it and to press a button then the machine will do the rest for you.
The advantages of doing it this way are that it is much easier to do, there is not a steep learning curve involved and the espresso will be much more consistent.
The disadvantage is that you will have less control over the way that the espresso tastes since you won’t have as much control over the factors that go into making it. However, there are many different pod flavors that you can choose from so it would be unlikely that you wouldn’t like any of them.
The pod-style espresso machine that I would recommend the most is the Keurig K-Cafe.
What impacts its taste
There are a number of factors that will impact the way the Americano tastes.
If the beans used to make the espresso are sourced from a single origin or they have a light roast then it will normally cause the espresso to have a slightly more sour taste. This will cause the Americano to also taste slightly sourer.
If the grind used to make the espresso is very fine then it will normally make it taste slightly more bitter since the water will pick up more of the coffee as it passes through it. Beans with a dark roast will also normally cause the espresso to have a more bitter taste.
If you want to have more of a creamier taste then you could also add some milk to the water as well. However, if you’re going to do that then I would recommend making either a cappuccino or latte instead. I have talked about what they are in the past here.
Americano vs long black
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Related
How is Americano different to regular coffee? Americano is made by adding espresso to hot water. Regular coffee is made by adding hot water to ground coffee. Americano will normally have a slightly more sweet and bitter taste.
How many shots of espresso are in an Americano? Normally, two shots are used. However, if you want a less sweet tasting Americano then you could use one instead.
Is Americano an espresso? No. Americano is where espresso is added to hot water. Espresso is the mixture that results from pushing hot and pressurized water through finely ground coffee.
