Yesterday I posted a question on Twitter that has plagued me for a while: why would someone who enjoys strong, black coffee order an Americano? I got some interesting responses, but nothing quite as good as the email I received from Joshua Longbrake, who happens to hail from Seattle — where else? — and has spent much time learning the fine art of the barista.
He replied via Twitter and informed me that it is the crema that makes espresso so good — and therefore an Americano. I asked if the foam at the top of a french press is similar. Which prompted the following via email:
Espresso crema is far different from the crema from french press beans. Espresso beans and drip beans are a different roast, different flavors, different textures. The crema from can vary in flavor based on the type of bean, the region it comes from, and how it was roasted. A good coffee shop w/ good baristas uses a portafilter to pull their shots of espresso, and they should pull the shots straight into the hot water for an americano, as opposed to pulling the shots into shot glasses and then pouring the espresso shots into the americano.
If the shots have a long pull (that is, if water is pushed through the espresso grounds in the portafilter for longer than 17-20ish seconds), then you’ll get more of a bitter flavor, which some people prefer. They’ll ask for long pulls for either their americanos or, if they’re a true espresso lover, they’ll simply get two shots of espresso (called a doppio) straight in a demitasse cup. Legit. A short pull will give a sweeter flavor (short pull being water passing through the grounds in the filter for maybe 13-16 seconds). A good barista can feel and see when the shot is right.
French press has its place. I drink either french press or mellita drip every morning. Likewise, legit.
Also, americanos have less caffeine than french presses. So, there’s that.
To summarize the randomeness, americanos are good because of the crema/espresso used. Very different from drip beans, such as french press.
To each their own.
Straight from the source, and elegant as always. As GI Joe was wont to say, “Knowing is half the battle.”
