 Caffè americano served inBengaluru | |
| Alternative names | Long black |
|---|---|
| Region or state | |
| Main ingredients | Steaming hot water andespresso |
Caffè americano (Italian:[kafˈfɛameriˈkaːno]; Spanish:café americano;lit. 'American coffee'), also known asamericano orAmerican, is a type ofcoffee drink prepared by diluting anespresso shot with hot water at a 1:3 to 1:4 ratio, resulting in a drink that retains the complex flavors of espresso, but in a lighter way.[1] Its strength varies with the number of shots of espresso and the amount of water added. The name is also spelled with varying capitalization and use ofdiacritics: e.g., "café americano".
It is similar to along black inAustralia andNew Zealand.
Americano as a drink is mentioned in the short story byW. Somerset Maugham "The Hairless Mexican." It was first published on January 1, 1927. The story is set in Italy (Naples) during theFirst World War.[2]
Americano means 'American' inItalian,Spanish, andPortuguese.[3] Some assert the term entered theEnglish language from Italian in the 1970s.[4][5][6][7]Caffè americano specifically is Italian for "American coffee".[8] There is a popular belief that the name has its origins inWorld War II whenAmerican G.I.s in Italy diluted espresso with hot water to approximate the coffee to which they were accustomed.[9] However, theOxford English Dictionary cites the term as a borrowing fromCentral American Spanishcafé americano, a derisive term for mild coffee, dating back to the middle of the 1950s. Its first use in English appears in the Jamaican newspaper, theSunday Gleaner, in 1964. The termcaffè americano entered Italian later than the English or Spanish uses, perhaps as a borrowing from one of the two languages.[10]
In Italy,caffè americano may mean either espresso with hot water or long-filtered coffee, but the latter is more precisely calledcaffè all'americana (lit. 'American-style coffee').[11]
_Wimpy.jpg)
Followingincreased tensions in 2025 between Canada and the United States, many cafes in Canada have begunre-branding the americano as a "canadiano" on their menus.[12][13]
The drink consists of a single shot of espresso mixed with added water. Typically about 120 millilitres (4 imp fl oz; 4 US fl oz)-180 millilitres (6 imp fl oz; 6 US fl oz) of hot water mixed with the espresso.[14]
Long black is anAustralasian drink similar to the americano (in contrast to short black for espresso), with an emphasis being placed on the order of preparation, adding water to the cup first before pouring one or two espresso on top.[15][16] The nameLong Black was coined by Australians when Italians initially introduced the drink.[17]
In the western U.S.,Italiano sometimes refers to a short americano with equal amounts of espresso and water (lungo).[18][19]
The hot water can be drawn directly from the machine used to brew the espresso, as water or steam, or from a separate water heater or kettle.
Media related toCaffè americano at Wikimedia Commons The dictionary definition ofcaffè americano at Wiktionary
Chiefly representing the usage of Italian, Spanish, or Portuguese speakers: a native or inhabitant of the United States.
(from Italian)
Word origin; C20: from Italian (caffè) Americano American (coffee).
Etymology; borrowed from Spanishcafé americano or Italiancaffè americano,lit. 'American coffee'.
An espresso coffee diluted with hot water and containing no milk. An Italian term literally meaning 'American coffee'.
Caffè americano, americano—The Italian answer to American-style drip coffee. An espresso diluted with hot water. It has a similar strength to drip coffee but a different flavor. The drink's origin dates back to World War II when American GIs stationed in Italy added hot water to their espressos to create a drink closer to the type of coffee they were used to back home.
