How to Make an Americano: Your Step-by-step Guide

You are not alone if you get confused among many coffees like americano, latte, cappuccino, macchiato, etc. But one of the most popular beverages is an americano. What’s the hype about it? Where did it come from? Among Americano vs coffee, which one is better? And the big question – how to make an americano?

This post answers all your questions! More than that, we’ll share with you all on americano how to make it and its variations! Interested? Then, let’s get to it!

What Is An Americano Coffee? 

An americano coffee drink or long black is a European beverage containing espresso tossed over by water. It is an espresso drink and not a regular, brewed coffee because of the different brewing methods. Americano tastes richer & fuller and has a higher concentration of caffeine. But on the other hand, due to the larger serving size brewed coffee often features more overall caffeine.

Do you like experiment with different tastes? Then let’s compare some types of coffees, their caffeine & calories content: 

Drink Calories Caffeine mg Fl oz Mg/floz
Americano 5 154 12 12.8
Latte 160 154 16 9.6
Espresso 0 77 1.5 51.3
Cappuccino 97 154 12 12.8
Caffe Mocha 239 152 12 12.7
Flat white 170 130 12 10.8

How To Make Americano At Home?            

It’s not very difficult to learn how to make an americano at home! It usually combines two-thirds water with 1/3 espresso to make a great cup of coffee. The standard Americano ratio is 3 to 1 or 2 to 1 for water to espresso. Medium roasted dark-colored coffee beans are the best for making an americano as they have more caffeine than the darker roast.

Equipment And Ingredients Needed             

Here’s a list of americano coffee ingredients you need to make a cafe americano recipe:

  • Grinder
  • Scale
  • 14–18 grams of espresso coffee beans
  • Boiling temperature water
  • Espresso machine
  • Tamper

Step-by-step Guidelines                   

Here are the steps on how to make Americano!

  1. Turn on the espresso machine: Pretty self-explanatory –  turn on the espresso machine and let it heat for a while.
  2. Measure and grind the beans: Measure and take out the beans for a double shot – 14-18 gm. Now grind them until they are fine. Also, don’t forget to use a coffee scale.
  3. Tamp the beans: Place the ground coffee in the portafilter and tap it with evenly applied pressure to get a perfect espresso shot.
  4. Heat the water: Heat the water up to 70-76 degrees Celsius, or 158-168 degrees Fahrenheit. The quantity of water usually depends on the strength of the espresso – usually, it is twice that amount of expresso.
  5. Mix water and coffee: Now add espresso to hot water, and don’t do the opposite. Adding espresso in hot water will give a creamy foam on top and a smoother finish overall.
  6. Jazz up the flavor: A standard americano contains no flavor except water and espresso. So you can improve it with some sprinkling cinnamon or by pouring in some sugar, honey, whipped cream, or milk to get some customized taste!

Common Mistakes And How To Avoid Them   

You can read the instructions and try any americano recipe at home. However, your procedure greatly impacts the flavoring, even if you’re making nespresso americano. Here are the common mistakes you should never make if you want a delightful taste:

  • Not using coffee scale: Making adjustments in a ruined coffee is the worst thing! Do use a coffee scale and make a perfect espresso just as you need.
  • Starting with unfresh coffee: Spending on brand new equipment and using 30-50 days old beans is such a waste! Old beans with no roast date printed on the bag are no good if you look for a tasty cup of coffee!
  • Using hard water: Hard water is a big no when brewing espresso, even if you are going for a long black coffee. It can descale the espresso machine, and will gradually ruin it. The optimum water hardness should be between 35-85 ppm. Plus, you need to test your water every four months to make sure it’s still soft enough.
  • Not following brew ratio: Putting appropriate water to coffee ratio is important in an americano. Have an understanding of your recipe before you mix water and coffee. It should be no other than 2:1 or 3:1 for water and espresso.
  • Putting water in an espresso: This is a rookie mistake we all have made. But you need to understand that water doesn’t mix well with the coffee and leaves a foul taste. Instead, adding espresso in hot water is the right way to go!

How To Make An Iced Americano At Home?    

An iced americano is a chill (no pun intended) version of the regular americano. Plus, it’s perfect when you need something refreshing during hot seasons!

So, how to make an iced americano? Here are the steps to follow:        

  1. Take the ingredients for making a regular americano, ice cubes, and water   
  2. Put the ice cubes inside the glass
  3. Make espresso      
  4. Put espresso in the glass filled with ice. Now pour cold water into the rest of the glass. Mix until you get your desired consistency, and you’re good to go!


This was all you needed to know on how to make an Americano. An americano is always a great way to kick start a Monday morning! Espresso poured over hot water never disappoints, and neither does the Americano with milk. It can compete with a latte, cappuccino, and every other coffee beverage out there. It is okay to go beyond the regulars and try something new for every coffee lover!

So, do you like Americano drink coffee? Have you ever tried to make it at home, or is it the first time you’re trying it?

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