Can An Espresso Machine Make an Americano?

The Americano, also known as a caffeè Americano or just an American, is a very popular drink around the world these days. According to Blue Coffee Box, the black American is the second most popular drink in the UK, with 22% of people drinking it. (This is behind the top drink: flat white, with 22.3%.) But can an espresso machine make an Americano?

Let’s see if your coffee machine is really up to the challenge…

Can An Espresso Machine Make an Americano?

Yes, an espresso machine can make an Americano.

In fact, this hot beverage is one of many that an espresso machine can whip up. The humble espresso is the base of many a coffee-based drink, after all.

Cappuccinos, lattes, macchiatos… they’re all espresso based. You can make them all with an espresso machine or maker.

But for right now, we should take a closer look at the Americano.

What Is an Americano?

An Americano coffee is, quite literally, an espresso with added hot water.

Much simpler than you thought, right?

The drink was thought to have been created during World War II, with American soldiers in Italy adding a little extra water to their Italian espresso to make it last longer and go further. It diluted the taste a little, but not enough to ruin the drink.

Italian espresso was considered to be a lot stronger than American coffee, so the diluted version was probably more to the American soldiers’ tastes.

There are other supposed origins, with some documents showing a similar version of the beverage in the UK as far back as the 1920s. However, the name ‘Americano’ literally translates to ‘American’ in three different languages: Portuguese, Spanish, and also Italian (as you may have guessed).

You need an espresso machine or maker to make the espresso to add water to! (You can also make Americano and other drinks with instant coffee, but that’s another question for another day.)

How to Make an Americano with an Espresso Machine

First of all, make your espresso as you usually would if you were making a cappuccino or similar other espresso-based drink.

Add the shot of espresso to your favourite cup or mug, then top it up with a little hot water. Add sugar to your taste, then give it a good stir. Ta-dah! You have your Americano.

There is no definitive amount of water that should be added to this coffee drink. You can add as much or as little as you like.

The drink can contain either one, two, or three shots of espresso, again, depending on taste. If you’re going to opt for the double or triple, you might want to pour your drink into a slightly larger cup or mug, then add slightly more hot water. It will, obviously, be a lot stronger than a single shot.

Americano: Espresso or Water First?

The answer to this question seems to depend on who you ask. Breville (US), for example, has a guide to making an Americano that tells you to pour the water into the cup first, then add the espresso second.

Other people would tell you to add espresso to the cup first, then add the water.

In all fairness, once you’ve mixed it all up, it likely doesn’t matter that much. It’ll matter even less if you’re going to add sugar, because you’re going to need to stir it; or milk, for the same reason.

Americano at Costa Coffee

If you head to Costa Coffee and order an Americano, you’ll get the option of ordering a small, medium, or large. These are 260ml, 340ml, and 450ml respectively.

It is safe to assume that the small contains one shot of espresso, the medium contains two shots of espresso, and the large contains three shots of espresso.

This is what they say about the drink:

“Espresso combined with hot water for a smooth black coffee – enjoyed black or with a splash of milk.”

Costa Coffee

It is traditional to drink it without milk, but as Costa suggests, there’s nothing to stop you from adding a splash, if that’s your preference.

Americano Side Note

If you add equal amounts of water and espresso, some people would refer to the drink as an Italiano rather than an Americano.

The Americano ratio usually leans towards a larger amount of espresso than water.

I hope I’ve answered your Americano questions today. You can always ask me a question (anonymously) right here. In fact, I’d love that!

Enjoy your coffee. I hope the rest of your day is nice and easy!