Long Black Coffee Decoded: Is It an Espresso or Americano?

Are you a coffeeholic?! Are you adamant about the proportions of ingredients in your coffee? Well, we’ve decoded everything about one of the most popular coffees – long black coffee! Read on to know more!

Hey there! Coffee is life! Well, most coffee lovers agree to the fact that there’s nothing that can ever replace coffee. However, with so many types of coffee cultures, we almost tend to get confused how one type of coffee is different from another. But well, here’s the good news, we have decoded everything about different types of black coffees along with long black coffee. Let’s check out!

What is a Long Black Coffee?

A long black coffee is made by a single or double shot of espresso poured over hot water. It is commonly had in Australia and New Zealand. Basically, it’s an espresso-based black coffee.

How to Make Long Black Coffee?

A long black coffee can be prepared right at home if you have an espresso machine. Well, at least a coffee connoisseur certainly needs the machine to make the real long black coffee. 😉 However, you can have them at cafes, too, but most of them don’t provide the exact flavor of the long black coffee. So, perhaps you can be very much specific and tell them or choose a cafe that uses your favorite beans. So, let’s check out how to make long black coffee at home!

First, boil half to one cup of water and transfer it to a cup. And add a small amount of cold water to bring down the temperature. Usually, a long black coffee shouldn’t be too hot. Ideally, it should be around 70-degree celsius. And then add a shot of espresso over it. The ratio of water to espresso will vary according to preference. Most cafes the common ratio is 80ml of water to a double shot of espresso, which is 60ml of coffee. Make sure to add the espresso last, don’t pour water over espresso.

Long Black Coffee Calories

Long black coffee without milk has about 3 calories per serve.

How Much Caffeine is in a Long Black Coffee?

One shot of espresso (30ml) has around 60-80mg of caffeine. So, for a long black coffee, it’s the same or doubled if two shots of espresso are used and that is 120-160mg of caffeine.

Long Black vs Americano vs Small Black vs Espresso

Black coffee has so many avatars, all with slight differences! So, here’s the ultimate guide to all types of black coffee. From differences to the factors what make them unique, here’s everything about long black coffee and more:

Long Black vs Americano

A long black coffee is made by pouring espresso over hot water. First hot water then the espresso, always! While an Americano is made by mixing hot water with espresso. In this case, hot water is poured over espresso shot. The order of mixing differentiates the two. Both Americano and long black coffee can be made with either single or double shot espresso.

Espresso or Small Black Coffee

The short black coffee is just – an espresso coffee by itself. The term short refers to an espresso shot without extra water added to it.

Is Espresso Black Coffee?

Espresso is a type of preparation of coffee. Espresso is a small amount of very concentrated strong coffee that’s prepared with strong, dark roast coffee beans. It’s usually measured in shots.

There are many types of coffees and different types of roasts. Any of these coffees can be taken black. Black coffee is just caffeine based drink that is consumed without milk or cream (sometimes without sweetener, too). So technically yes, espresso is black coffee but the term, black coffee, may also refer to diluted espresso.

Americano vs Espresso

So, by now you know that Americano is prepared with the same ingredients as espresso. But the only difference being the way they’re put together is really what makes the Americano stand out.

Espresso is made by forcing steam through coffee grinds. One can prepare an espresso shot much faster than a regular coffee since the water is being forced faster through the coffee grounds. Also, the coffee is ground much finer for an espresso than for normal coffee.

Since an Americano is prepared by adding water on an espresso, the end result is pretty much a diluted espresso. The preparation method is different and shouldn’t be confused with a regular drip coffee. In a few countries, an Americano is served as a black coffee.

What’s in an Americano Coffee?

Americano was invented by American soldiers when they were stationed in Italy during WWII. They added more water to espresso as the full-bodied rich flavors were too strong. So, an Americano is the diluted version of espresso. Hot water is poured over a shot of espresso. Sometimes, two shots of espresso are also used, according to drinker’s preference.

How to Make an Americano at Home?

For preparing Americano at home, you’ll need an espresso maker. Prepare an espresso shot. You can either use a single or double shot according to your taste. Pour hot water that’s around 160-170 degrees fahrenheit. Pour the water over the espresso shot and enjoy!

How to Make Black Coffee?

So, usually, black coffee can be prepared with any type of coffee beans. The traditional way of drinking a black coffee is without adding sugar, dairy or cream. Usually, a black coffee is made in a pot and allows the brewer to focus on the freshly roasted coffee beans.

1. Buy freshly roasted whole coffee beans from the roaster directly within a week of it being roasted. And grind the coffee on your own or grind in the store.

2. Place unbleached coffee filters in your coffee maker or use a funnel. Put approximately 3 tablespoons of ground coffee in the filter.

3. Warm your coffee maker in automatic settings or heat water in a kettle for 30 seconds and pour in the funnel.

4. For the best taste, consume the black coffee right away.

So, that was all about long black coffee! Are you a caffeine addict just like me? Let us know how much of a coffeeholic you are by tagging us in your coffee love pics @shilpaahujadotcom on Instagram!

Also, read:

– Starbucks vs CCD: A Comparison | The Great Coffee Shop Battle
– Gourmet Coffee: Your Complete Guide to Taste, Selection & Recipes
–Top 10 Coffee Festival & Shows Around the World: Celebrate the Caffeine!
– All About Gourmet Chocolate: Types, Flavors, Brands of Artisan Chocolates
– Kinds of Coffee | Your Go-to Guide to 50 Different Coffee Drinks