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How do you make the best possible Americano at home?

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Discussions > Coffee > Q and A > How do you make...

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kirahman1
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Joined: 23 Sep 2009
Posts: 9
Location: Seattle
Expertise: I love coffee

Espresso: Starbucks Sirena

Posted Tue Mar 13, 2012, 1:20pm Subject: How do you make the best possible Americano at home?

I have a home espresso machine (starbucks sirena), it pulls decent shots for a home espresso machine, but I wanted to see if there is a way I can create the best possible Americano. At my school on campus, they have super automatic espresso machines using tulleys espresso. I'm sure those machines are well hated here lol, but they make incredible Americanos. However, there is a distinction. If the cafe is busy they will fill up a cup with hot water and pull the shot...The coffee just tastes like drip with this method. If they are not busy, they will push the "Americano" button on the machine and the shot and water are pulled at the same time. I am not sure of the order its made it. Maybe its espresso then water, or water and espresso at the same time....but this method...My god it tastes amazing! The difference is huge. There is creme on top of the Americano that you can just taste and smell. So now I want to figure out how I can do this with my semi automatic espresso machine at home since I wont be going to school forever and wont have continual access to this coffee once I leave the area. Thanks !

yakster
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Joined: 25 Feb 2009
Posts: 1,006
Location: San Jose, CA
Expertise: I live coffee

Espresso: Gaggia Factory / La Peppina...
Grinder: Vario / Kyocera
Vac Pot: Yama 8 + Pyrex Lox-in Rod
Drip: Brazen / Kalita / Chemex /...
Roaster: Behmor

Posted Tue Mar 13, 2012, 1:24pm Subject: Re: How do you make the best possible Americano at home?

Sounds like they're just making a lungo, which is what the super-auto we have here at work does. I typically pull a shot into hot water at home so that the crema stays on top.

-Chris LMWDP # 272

jwoodyu
Senior Member

Joined: 31 Dec 2010
Posts: 704
Location: Michigan
Expertise: I love coffee

Espresso: Allex Duetto II
Grinder: Mazzer Major
Roaster: Poppery

Posted Tue Mar 13, 2012, 5:18pm Subject: Re: How do you make the best possible Americano at home?

Good coffee, right temp, weigh the dose and shot then pour it on top of my hot water. Presto it is a long black.

You know those people that want to tell you how to raise your kids but have none of their own? That is how i feel when someone with a kitchen appliance tells me how the merits or dis-merits of my machine or how to use it.

Cerridwyn
Senior Member

Joined: 6 Jun 2010
Posts: 394
Location: Inland Empire California
Expertise: I live coffee

Posted Tue Mar 13, 2012, 5:53pm Subject: Re: How do you make the best possible Americano at home?

The automatic might actually push all the fluid through the coffee. They generally don't make as nice of a tamp and if you watch them closely, you see the color fade to not quite clear as the last of the water goes through. We have one at work and I buy for it a decent medium roast and it tastes better to me than a classic Americano. It's sort of something in between, so I know what you are getting at.

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kirahman1
Senior Member

Joined: 23 Sep 2009
Posts: 9
Location: Seattle
Expertise: I love coffee

Espresso: Starbucks Sirena

Posted Tue Mar 13, 2012, 10:50pm
Subject: Re: How do you make the best possible Americano at home?

Cerridwyn Said:

The automatic might actually push all the fluid through the coffee. They generally don't make as nice of a tamp and if you watch them closely, you see the color fade to not quite clear as the last of the water goes through.

We have one at work and I buy for it a decent medium roast and it tastes better to me than a classic Americano. It's sort of something in between, so I know what you are getting at.

Posted March 13, 2012 link

I hardly thought of that...The color is a bit off when the machine tops it off with water. I'm definitely going to buy fresh beans, heat up my machine really well, grind and tamp well, pull the long shot, let the water run through and then let you guys know how it goes! thanks! This is definitely going to save me money haha.

glcoffee
Senior Member

Joined: 15 Feb 2012
Posts: 67
Location: Los Angeles, CA & Taiwan
Expertise: Just starting

Espresso: Izzo Alex II
Grinder: Vario
Drip: Hario V60

Posted Wed Mar 14, 2012, 1:12am Subject: Re: How do you make the best possible Americano at home?

Is there a specific ratio of coffee:water or is it according to taste?

“Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.” C.S. Lewis, The World's Last Night ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------ I am Taiwanese.

peterkub
Senior Member

Joined: 1 Aug 2011
Posts: 11
Location: Granger, Indiana, USA
Expertise: I love coffee

Posted Wed Mar 14, 2012, 5:35am Subject: Re: How do you make the best possible Americano at home?

Your taste buds are the ultimate indicator. Just pull a nice espresso and dilute with hot water to your taste. You might pull a lungo while you are at it just to see what the difference in taste is. When I'm in mood for Americano it's a nice ristretto plus 3 to 4 oz of hot water. Usually nice crema layer stays on the top. Still, the bottom line is - good is what tastes good.

kirahman1
Senior Member

Joined: 23 Sep 2009
Posts: 9
Location: Seattle
Expertise: I love coffee

Espresso: Starbucks Sirena

Posted Fri Mar 16, 2012, 3:19pm Subject: Re: How do you make the best possible Americano at home?

So I tried it all out! I used Tulley's espresso blend, but cannot get the same quality of Americano that I get on campus. I know that I tamped too much on one shot, this morning I tamped lighter, but it all came out a bit bitter. I cannot get that same awesome brown reddish creme that they get on campus. At the same time I am using a regular $20 coffee grinder. I'm going to tamp even lighter next time and see what I get. On campus they pull a double shot in a 12 oz cup. I'll try diluting the shot with more water to see if I get a better taste with a different ratio.

yakster
Senior Member

Posted Fri Mar 16, 2012, 3:20pm Subject: Re: How do you make the best possible Americano at home?

The color of the crema has a lot to do with the coffee and not the technique. What coffee do they use on campus?

-Chris LMWDP # 272

kirahman1
Senior Member

Joined: 23 Sep 2009
Posts: 9
Location: Seattle
Expertise: I love coffee

Espresso: Starbucks Sirena

Posted Sun Mar 18, 2012, 4:18pm
Subject: Re: How do you make the best possible Americano at home?

yakster Said:

The color of the crema has a lot to do with the coffee and not the technique. What coffee do they use on campus?

Posted March 16, 2012 link

On campus they use Tulley's coffee for their drip and espresso machine. I imagine that they use Tulley's espresso blend for their machines. I might ask someone just incase because when I use Tulley's espresso on my home espresso machine, the coffee tastes different. Then again, the quality of my machine my not be that great (Starbucks Sirena).

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