Caffè Americano

Caffè Americano is a type of coffee drink that originated in Italy. It is made by diluting an espresso with hot water, giving it a similar strength to, but different flavor from, traditionally brewed coffee. The strength of an Americano varies with the number of shots of espresso and the amount of water added.

History

The term "Caffè Americano" specifically is Italian for "American coffee". There is a popular, but unconfirmed, belief that the name has its origins in World War II when American G.I.s in Italy would dilute espresso with hot water to approximate the coffee to which they were accustomed.

Preparation

In the United States, "Americano" is used broadly to mean combining hot water and espresso in either order, but in a narrower definition it refers to adding water to espresso (espresso on the bottom), while adding espresso to water (espresso on the top) is instead referred to as a "long black". The order of preparation, adding espresso to water or water to espresso, has a significant effect on the flavor, with the former resulting in a stronger flavor and the latter resulting in a more subtle one.

Variations

There are various ways in which the Caffè Americano can be served. Some variations include the "Iced Americano", made by combining espresso with cold water instead of hot, and the "Long Black", popular in Australia and New Zealand, which reverses the order of preparation by adding hot water to the espresso shot.

See also

• Coffee culture
• Espresso
• List of coffee drinks