What’s the Right Americano Ratio? The Truth Will Shock You

Ever wondered what’s the right americano ratio? Americano is a great drink; you can have it any time, in the morning to kickstart the day during the day to keep going or in the evening after work. But what is the right ratio for an americano? Stick around, in this article I’m talking about americano, the right ratio and how to make a great one. Let’s dive right into it.

What’s the actual right americano ratio? 

There are versions of americano and the coffee/water ratio varies. For an Italiano Americano, the ratio is 1:1, for a Long Black Americano the ratio is 1:2 while an Iced Americano is 1:4. It’s key to use filtered or bottled water to make a great americano.

What is americano?

Americano is one of the most popular espresso-based coffees.

How was invented? What’s the origin of it? 

It was during WW2 when American soldiers in Italy couldn’t drink espresso because of its bitter taste. So, they just added water to it and hence the name of americano. 

These are the 9 most popular coffees: 

1. Espresso
2. Latte
3. Black Coffee
4. Mocha
5. Americano
6. Cappuccino 
7. Flat White
8. Cafe au Lait
9. Macchiato

How to make a perfect americano

Let’s go over the steps to make a great americano.

Get on with the coffee grinding

This ISN’T an essential step for making americano.

You can simply buy a pack of ground coffee and use it to make espresso. 

But if you do the grinding yourself right before brewing coffee it’s going to make a whole difference – your coffee will have a richer flavour and aroma. 

All you need is a good grinder that grinds your coffee beans evenly; the investment is relatively low as you can find one at $10. 

How to brew a great espresso shot

First things first, in order to make a great americano you simply need to make a great espresso. Luckily, there are a few ways you can go about it. 

Espresso machine: it’s quick and easy to pull an espresso with a coffee machine – it will probably take you no more than 30 seconds. If you want your espresso to taste better, buy whole coffee beans and do the grinding right before your brewing part. I know, it sounds more work as just buying a pack of ground coffee is way more convenient. But grinding your coffee right before brewing is going to make your coffee taste way better. 

Another tip is to keep your espresso machine in boss condition. I know it’s boring but it’s a necessary evil if you really want to brew top-quality espresso. Plus, regular cleaning expands the lifespan of your machine, meaning you won’t fork out cash on a new espresso machine any time soon. 

What about the water for your americano?

If you use bottled or filtered water is going to be so much better.

If you use tap water and the water in your area contains a lot of hard minerals, the odds are this will spoil the flavour of your americano whereas when you use bottled or filtered water the flavour will be purer. 

How to make cold americano?

A cold americano is great on a hot day to cool off.

How can you make it? 

After making your americano, simply fill up an empty glass full of ice cubes, pour over the hot americano and you’re good to go.

You can add a pinch of sugar or a splash of milk to make it sweeter. Personally, I don’t add any of these as I prefer my americano to be pure.

Let’s wrap it up

Since you know now the right ratio, I’m pretty sure you won’t make watery americano again for your partner and it will probably save you an argument which is always good. Plus, it’s always great to know the right ratio. Another good read for you is cappuccino vs. americano.

FAQ 

Do you have a burning question on the topic? In this section, I go over a bunch of questions that often come up when it comes to americano. Let’s take a look. 

Is an Americano 1 or 2 shots?

Typically, to make an americano you need 1 espresso shot but it’s entirely up to you if you want your coffee to be stronger. But keep in mind that high caffeine intake can cause insomnia or anxiety, especially if your body is intolerant to caffeine.

What is the ratio for Starbucks Americano?

The 8 oz americano at Starbucks contains a single shot while the 12 oz is made with two. But you can always customise your drink at Starbucks and ask for an extra shot (this might cost you a little bit more).

How much water do you put in a double Americano?

Let’s do some maths.

A single espresso is 30ml, so since you’re planning to brew a double Americano you’ll need 60 ml of espresso. If you go for a 1:2 ratio this means you’ll need: 

60ml x 2 = 120ml of water.

Let’s summarise the portions in a double americano:

• 60ml espresso 
• 120ml water