Cappuccino vs Americano: They Have This Odd Thing in Common

If you’re a coffee lover, you’ve probably wondered at one point or another what the difference is between a cappuccino and an Americano. 

While both drinks are made with espresso and water, there are some key distinctions that set them apart. In this blog post, we’ll explore the main differences between cappuccinos and Americanos so you can decide which drink is right for you.

Both are espresso-based brews, but cappuccino has a sweeter spin simply because it contains milk which is typically frothed or steamed. On the other hand, americano is a blend of hot water and espresso which makes it taste slightly stronger than a cappuccino. 

They’re both relatively easy to make without needing fancy gear.

What’s really an espresso?

Espresso is one of the most popular coffees and is used as a base for so many coffee types from latte and cappuccino, macchiato to americano and the list goes on. It’s known for its strong taste as it’s high in caffeine; one single shot of espresso has 63mg of caffeine. However, Italians who love espresso have one almost every meal to help them digest better. 

There are two main espresso beans:

• Robusta
• Arabica

They grow mainly in Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the espresso of each region tastes slightly different to others which makes it intriguing to always try new espresso beans. 

There are three popular espresso roasts:

• Blonde
• Medium 
• Dark

Coffee beans fall into one of these categories depending on how long the roasting process lasts. For, example dark roast beans have been roasted longer than blonde. And the longer they have roasted the less caffeine they contain beans extract caffeine during the procedure. 

So, blonde roasts have more caffeine than medium and dark. By the way, you can get top brews with blonde roast coffee beans at Starbucks.

Has espresso more caffeine than americano? 

The answer is: it depends.

As mentioned above a single shot of espresso has about 67mg of caffeine. 

So how much caffeine does an americano have? 

To make an americano, you need one espresso shot and hot water, so practically, a single espresso and an americano have the same caffeine amount. 

But what happens when the americano you order from a coffee bar makes it with two espresso shots? This means that in this means that your coffee has double the amount of caffeine (134). 

And the same applies to a cappuccino. For example, the Grande and Venti size cappuccinos at Starbucks are normally made with two espresso shots, so in this case, the caffeine content will be equal to two espresso shots (134).

But you can always ask the barista for one espresso shot for your cappuccino. It’s wise though to be aware of the right cappuccino ratio.

Does espresso taste like americano? 

I’d say these two taste like each other. 

It’s interesting to know the story of how the americano coffee was invented. When American soldiers in WW2 first tried espresso and found it bitter and bold (they probably thought that espresso is bad for them), they decided to dilute it with water to make it less intense.

This story gives you a better understanding of how these two coffees taste, although they contain the same amount of caffeine. 

Cappuccino, on the other hand, is a slightly sweeter and creamy coffee.

What is a cappuccino? 

Cappuccino is a historical brew.

It first appeared on Austrian coffee house menus in the 18th century and since then it has won over so many coffee lovers that is considered one of the most popular coffees. 

Unlike espresso, its taste isn’t so intense although it contains the same amount of caffeine as espresso. 

It’s made with steamed or frothed milk blended with espresso and cinnamon sprinkled on top. Today, you’ll find many different variations with coffee lovers adding syrups such as vanilla or hazelnut cream. (You can learn how to froth half and half).

Starbucks along with other big coffee chains have their own ready-made cold cappuccinos you can find in the fridges of supermarkets which you can have instantly.

How to make a great cappuccino

The good news is you don’t need expensive gadgets or machines to make a delicious cup of cappuccino at home.

What you’ll need:

• Espresso beans (or ground coffee) enough for an espresso shot (16.5g)
• Grinder 
• Moka pot 
• Frother
• Milk 85ml (full fat is preferred)
• cinnamon)

The execution:

• First off, grind your beans and use the Moka pot to get your espresso ready.
• Use the frother to froth your milk and aim for 55–65°C (139–149°F).
• When your milk gets foamy it means it’s good to go. It’s important to create a fine layer of foam it doesn’t have huge bubbles in it. 
• Pour your espresso into your cup first and then go ahead with the milk.
• Sprinkle some cinnamon to add some extra flavour to your cappuccino.

Top Tip: it’s important to get on with the frothing right after you’re done with brewing your espresso. If you leave your coffee for too long it will get cold and it won’t be blended nicely with the milk. 

What’s a wet cappuccino? 

It’s basically cappuccino with more steamed milk and less foam, so practically that means you need to froth your milk less time. On the other hand, a ‘dry cappuccino’ has more foam and less steamed milk which makes it more velvety, meaning that you’ll need some more milk to create richer foam. I personally prefer wet cappuccino to dry as steamed milk goes so well with espresso. 

What’s an americano? 

Americano is one of the most simple coffees to make as it contains just hot water and espresso. Today, you can find it ready on supermarket shelves or you can even order one from an automatic coffee machine you often come across at a car park or other public places.

How to make a great americano? 

Similar to cappuccino, americano can be made without any fancy gear.

What you’ll need: 

• Espresso beans (or ground coffee) enough for an espresso shot (16.5g)
• Grinder 
• Moka pot
• Kettle and hot water

The execution:

• Kick off with grinding your coffee and using the Moka pot to prepare your espresso
• While your espresso is about to get done, turn the kettle on.
• Pour the espresso shot into your mug, then fill it up with hot water and you’re done.

Top tip: it’s key to turn the kettle on while you’re still brewing so the temperature of the espresso and water are close enough – your americano WILL taste better.

What are the main differences between americano and cappuccino?

Let’s go over the main differences between americano and cappuccino

Ingredients: while americano is made with espresso and water a cappuccino has either steamed or frothed milk and this makes a whole difference to what ingredients you’ll need to prepare and of course the process.

Brewing: as you might have guessed it takes less time to prepare and americano. You just brew your espresso, boil water and put these two together. On the other hand, making a cappuccino involves frothing milk and this is an art you need to master in order to make a cappuccino that tastes great.

Taste & Texture: cappuccino is creamy and slightly sweet as it contains milk whilst americano is looser and more intense and bold. Personally, I like both simply because they are espresso-based coffees. 

Calories: an 8-oz of cappuccino has 80 calories while the same amount of americano coffee contains only 5. As you might have guessed milk adds more calories to cappuccino.

Serving: a cappuccino is served in a cup with a saucer whereas an americano is typically served in a mug.

Is americano stronger than cappuccino?

How many espresso shots have been used for each drink? 

If was used only one shot for each, it means they contain the same amount of caffeine. If more shots were used to make cappuccino then this is going to be stronger than an americano (and vice versa).

You get the idea.

Is cappuccino sweeter than americano?

Yes, it is sweeter as it contains milk. But it also depends on how you take your coffee.

Do you take it with sugar? Do you only add sugar to your americano? Then chances are an americano will be sweeter than a cappuccino.

But if you take both of them with no sugar then YES cappuccino is the

sweeter brew between the two.

It will satisfy your sweet tooth.

What is the main difference between americano and latte? 

Latte is coffee with milk.

Similar to a cappuccino latte is a milky coffee that contains slightly more milk than a cappuccino. 

The process of preparing a latte is pretty similar to a cappuccino. On the other hand, americano doesn’t contain any milk unless you ask the barista to add some milk to it. 

Some add milk to their americano so it cools down faster so they can sip it.

It’s a simple yet practical trick.

What are the main differences between americano and regular coffee

Many can’t tell the difference.

I don’t blame them, since they look like each other.

But the brewing process for americano is different from regular coffee. For regular coffee, a drip machine is used while the grind is coarser, and of course, the time coffee is brewed lasts longer than it the time needed for making espresso. 

Also, the temperature is slightly different:

Coffee	Temperature
Espresso	200 °F (93 °C)
Regular coffee	195-205°F (90.5-96.1°C)

Does americano taste stronger than regular coffee? 

It depends on how you take your coffee. 

If you take your americano with two shots it means that your brew will contain about (2×67) 134mg of caffeine. Considering that an 8-oz cup of regular coffee contains on average 95mg it means your regular brew has less caffeine.

But if you just have americano with one shot (67mg) then your americano will be lower in caffeine.

Another option to consider if you’re trying to reduce your caffeine intake is 

decaf coffee which has very little caffeine (about 5mg per cup) 

It tastes pretty good.

Let’s wrap it up

Both drinks have their own unique set of pros and cons, so it ultimately comes down to personal preference. If you’re looking for a rich, creamy coffee with a strong chocolate flavour, go for a cappuccino. But if you prefer a lighter drink with less foam and more bitterness, then an Americano is the way to go.