The Long Black Versus The Americano: An Age Old Debate

[@sthentic]

I'm from Melbourne. Nothing stopping you from ordering an iced long black. The only rules I have seen is that it should only be espresso and water mix at the correct ratios. With Australian summer heat it's always nice to pour over ice for a refreshing chilled coffee drink with lots of flavour 😊

[@Stan_sprinkle]

I have ordered that for sure when I was working in Sydney over Christmas

[@chikunman133]

American here, i made an iced long black...every. single. morning haha. i also eat vegemite and toast almost every morning as well

[@CraigSavage]

As an American in Melbourne, it's also important to note that an "iced coffee" might not just be coffee with ice. It may come with ice cream!

[@Me4502]

Iced Long Black is basically the only drink I ever order in Brisbane. The only time I have an issue is when the cafe itself doesn't have ice for iced coffees in general (which is oddly semi-common in Brisbane winters, despite it never getting that cold here lol) I do find that a lot of non specialty places make what would be an iced americano based on this video though (fast food coffee, starbucks, etc), but specialty cafes always make drinks that have the correct ratio and feel like an iced long black as opposed to an iced americano.

[@deevus]

@@CraigSavage If you just want espresso, ice and milk, you want to order an iced latte

[@studikatze]

Can you make an episode about caffeine free coffee? I've been watching your videos forever but had to change my meds a while ago, and now I can't have caffeine anymore. I'd love an episode where you explain how caffein free coffee is made and how it could affect the flavor 😊

[@Edwardbear150]

James Hoffmann has a really good video about this topic

[@brianhawthorne7603]

Decaf coffee drinkers are the truest coffee aficionados, looking entirely for flavor instead of both drugs and flavor.

[@studikatze]

@@Edwardbear150 thank you, I'll look into it 🥰

[@alesswonderland]

Isn't there an investigation or something in the US for if decaf is actually good for you? I mean i don't care but I thought I saw something about it recently

[@ingridc0ld]

There's no such thing as caffeine free coffee. There's decaf, but that still has a bit of caffeine in it.

[@GabrielOwen2014]

Espresso with water > water with espresso

[@DavidOakesMusic]

Either of those > Nescafe

[@felisaisnthere]

​@@DavidOakesMusictruly and unequivocally

[@gscott5062]

I'd never heard of a Long Black, but I guess that's what I've been ordering (here in the US). I always ask for an Americano in their smallest cup, 'with room', and then never add cream. So maybe halfway between straight espresso and a normal Americano.

[@LelandJordon-hj3tw]

That sounds like it ends up with a ratio like a moka pot (which is a ratio I like for myself, too).

[@craigice9635]

😄 We have a long black with cream here in Oz. Someone called it a New Yorker. Probably made up.

[@gentryheimerman]

I order the same thing and call it a “halficano.” 😀

[@EthanPoynter]

nz barista here, the way that my cafe operates is that we would extract the espresso directly into the hot water, using a metal stand to get the cup as close to the portafilter as possible, so that there is a thick crema on top of the water.

[@MrSteamDragon]

Ahhh, music to my ears ! Please come to Western Australia and teach our baristas how to make a long black (hats off to the few who actually do a decent job though). 😎🇦🇺

[@ChefWRX]

Agreed, it's not optional. The shot has to be pulled into hot water. I don't know the science behind it, but I'd assume it's similar to the current trend of pulling shots over frozen spheres. The result is either a change or retention of flavor compounds.

[@LukusGamer]

Exactly how I make mine too (Australia)

[@JemMawson]

Bless your sweet soul!! NZ baristas are the best (that's why they're found all over Melbourne)

[@Viniter]

The way I see americano served more and more often is with an espresso in a larger cup and a little jug of hot water on the side. That way you can add as much or as little as you'd like.

[@vintagechique17]

I've only seen this being done in Norway so it could be a regional thing as its not the standard way it would be served in the UK

[@dreysnaps]

I've never seen this served this way, and I wish this would catch on in my country.

[@Moneyalmenial]

That's how long blacks are also served in many cafes in New Zealand.

[@the_Valinor_tourist]

As a Russian, we have crazy all-season flavours of creamy coffees, for example lavander раф (pronounced as rough), it's kinda like latte but creamier. Creamy and "milky" coffees are extremely popular here, so for someone like me (an average espresso and espresso-like enjoyer) to find even an okay americano is quite "rough" :)

[@2NDFLB-CLERK]

▪️ Crazy? 🟥

[@the_Valinor_tourist]

@@2NDFLB-CLERK there are some crazy flavours that not even all Russians understand, but from what I heard, the lavender one is the strangest for non-russians

[@2NDFLB-CLERK]

@@the_Valinor_tourist ▪️ 2ND FLOOR BASEMENT ? 🟥

[@jemyourday]

лавандовый раф на банановом безлактозном молоке, экстра горячее, 5 сахаров. А где кофе здесь?

[@2NDFLB-CLERK]

@@jemyourday ▪️ crazy? 🟥

[@kirstendegarnham4497]

Seen a couple of comments about this already but I'll chuck my thoughts out anyway. Barista in New Zealand, here. I've worked in a cafe in the north and 2 in the south, and I like to visit different cafes all the time. What I've seen is that you get just 1 size of both drinks, Americano is a large drink, often served in the largest mug available. The long black is served in a tulip cup. I have been shown at the 3 different cafes that with an Americano, the shot goes in the bottom of the cup and then fill it up with hot water. The long black is served opposite to that, with the water going into the cup then pulling the shot on top. However, with an "at home" set up when you have more time to be making each individual drink, makes sense to pull the shot into an espresso cup and then add it to the water gently. I think a lot of the cafe work I've done has been a case of just making the drinks as fast as possible while still maintaining a high quality. My go to (because my body can't digest milk) is an Americano with a caramel shot, normally. But sometimes I'll skip the flavour shot and drink it black. Recently, when a sweet craving hits, Americano with chocolate. (Basically a mocha without the milk)

[@dwirandypradhika6752]

The reason I don't put water after the espresso with americanos, is that a lot of machines came with a hot water tap that pours water quite violently into the cup. I don't mind wiping up water splashing out of an empty cup, but cleaning coffee stains all over my workspace is annoying at best. Also, please use your hot water tap instead of a kettle, cycling the water is good for your boiler, and you won't get chalky flavors if your boiler is frequently filled with new water. Don't let minerals precipitate and cause limescale!

[@tegztegz]

I appreciate your respect for NZ and Aus coffee culture. I am a flat white girlie myself

[@squidjam]

When you ask for an Americano in Spain, they put the expresso first and use the same machine to fill the cup up with water. I have never had a coffee place serve me an Americano like you prepare it. Not even specialty shops.

[@GuardTower]

... WHY DID I NOT THINK OF THIS :rofl: when im making americano... i used the steam pipe to dispense the hot water :facepalm: you can already guess that i have been having problems with this one hahaha

[@unknownentity222]

If you are going to call it by the wrong thing, you might as well say it's Nespresso.

[@hannahbd9]

ive worked at 3 cafes in the UK and all advise to put the hot water in first - to stop from ruining the espresso shot

[@Stan_sprinkle]

They do that for convenience. It makes little difference in taste. If you add espresso to water, you at least are taking the care to try to let the crema sit on top which looks nice. Adding water from the machine is kind of a “meh, Americano” approach

[@felisaisnthere]

Oh no no no no it gotta be extremely over extracted unless they use a completely different grinder and recipe

[@bendarel]

Wait, why is noone talking about the biggest travesty of this video ! Where is the slide ? >.< Joke aside, it's nice that a video gets put out about that the subject, it has been the subject of countless coffee circle debate and it will keep happening.

[@definiteIynotkenji]

the new floor probably isn't as slick :(

[@skitzmix2007]

Always love your content Morgan!! as an Australian, a barista and avid drinker of long blacks, i cant say i have ever had or ever made the long black you made. it is always made the Americano way, im now going to run off and try it your way :D

[@AutoReport1]

I have to agree, in Australia a long black is just an Americano without milk. It just displaced the commercial drip filter coffee option (American machines) as everywhere switched to making espresso instead. And U have to say, it's not better than drip filter, especially if you want a larger size, it just gets watered down more.

[@Alicat2911]

Morgan can you make a magic, they're also an Australian (specifically Melbourne) invention

[@Mr_Ghoulie]

I never heard of the Long Black, before watching this video. Thank you for introducing me to it. My usual, every day, pre-work coffee is closer to the Long Black. But, I always just called it a strong Americano. I do a quad shot, into a metal mug (I think it holds 10 ounces,) then add a few dashes of bitters, and fill the mug the rest of the way with cool water.

[@brendansmith]

yeah, it's really just a regional term difference and preference for smaller sizes...but you're fine calling it the way you do

[@BrilliantWhenYouGlow]

We spent 2.5 weeks in Italy and after several days I definitely was craving my American coffee! I think it had to do with the volume of coffee. A cappuccino doesn’t last as long as a couple cups I get from my French press! I actually really enjoyed the coffee in New Zealand a lot! The flat whites were amazing each day!

[@wraggal]

I worked in a chain coffee place and I 100% never heard of americano being water first. The long black was a wild and new thing to hear about specifically because it was water first

[@micknikki138]

how different can it be really

[@JustJimWillDo]

Thank you for this explanation. As an Aussie I am used to drinking Long Blacks at cafés and, having also heard the WW2 story about the Americano, I thought they might be the same drink. Good to learn that my Melbournian Barista brothers and sisters have got the real thing down to a fine art and… well, let's leave it at that in accordance with Morgan's instructions at the beginning of the video, eh? 😁😁

[@andrewzach1921]

Congrats on the new studio space Morgan,thanks for the video

[@russellswan8394]

As an Aussie who lived overseas for years I got good at explaining a long black to barristas "a short, double shot Americano" would usually get me there or "a strong Americano with half the usual water" very occasionally someone would respond "You mean a long black?" and my day would be made. 😊 I noticed there is a subtle difference between Australia and New Zealand though. In Australia you will almost never see the word "Americano" on a café menu but if you order a large long black that's basically what you get. Whereas in NZ a long black is one size only, the bigger one is called an Americano.

[@nintendonut100]

Yeah, here in New Zealand if you ask for a long black and the person behind the counter asks "what size?" then that's a sign that you should run away 😂

[@Hangingofgiants]

Kiwi here. From my experiences working 10+ years in a variety of high end cafes, thats a prety long long black. And a tulip or ceramic cup is preferred (as you experienced). Sometimes folk want a filter with milk. I'll steer those people towards the americano mostly.

[@emmawilks4524]

Aussie Barista here, at our cafe we do Long Blacks but you can get them regular size (double shot), a large (a triple shot) and Iced which follows same shot ratio to the size chosen. We always offer milk and any extras if desired. I did have some Canadians come in the other day asking for an americano and because we dont have it on our menu and havent been taught about it, this video is extremely helpful so next time i get someone asking i can actually make it for them knowing i know what im doing, cause i was very nervous to ask them and explain to them how we do 'our version' so i gave them a long black hoping for the best. lesson learned :) thank you

[@Shirumoon]

I really love to see baristas or anyone really in the food and drink industry willing to learn! I'm from Germany and we're not known to have the best customer service so if I were to order something at a café that's not on their menu, there's a 99% chance they'd straight up decline and give me a weird look even. I would appreciate it so much to either be asked about the beverage I'm ordering or to notice that the barista took the time to learn about it by the time I came around again.

[@checco715]

That history of the Americano has absolutely no historical backing. It's a nice story but definitely isn't true.

[@MauroDelCore]

As a person that worked in italian restaurants, I can tell you that in Italy when a customer ask for americano we usually pour the espresso on the cup and on top we add the hot water.... We call it "watery coffee" or "coffee soup". As an italian that live in UK i started to drink and appreciate the americano coffee, something that I never imagined I could enjoy. Never tried the long black, but if I had to compare the two I will say that the americano it probably remains more drinkable while getting cold, while the long black, that has a more stronger taste (like an espresso) it might become to bitter and so is ay best hot or at least warm. At least this is how I imagine... but I might be totally wrong. Something that I am sure of is that every coffee is good, with milk or black, with syrup or ice it just perfect 👌. Ps nice video looking forward for more 👌

[@petra9784]

i live in aus at the moment, was born in nz. at my work our way of making an americano is espresso then hot water and the long black the opposite way around. ive had to explain the difference to a few of my coworkers as they dont realise theres a stronger taste with the long black due to the crema. iced long blacks are a summer favourite so you can ice both types. long blacks are very VERY common probably the second most i get daily. i prefer espresso with milk, thats just my way of having coffee

[@TRIBECHIEFTAIN]

I agree 100%

[@Django44]

Another really well done presentation Morgan - thank you. You do a superb job explaining the basics of your craft, let alone some of the more complicated issues. The key reason I pull my shots directly into the hot water is that all of the shot pours in, with none of the essential oils, crema and other trace elements left behind (in a separate vessel). Personal preference is all that is, but I 'grimace' when I see those glistening, chestnut-colored flavorful ingredients left behind in your stainless cups.

[@JosephKosowski]

TIL I prefer a long black to an americano. For the last 15 years I’ve been asking coffee shops to make “an americano but with like 6 oz. of water and pour the espresso gently over the water please.” 😂 I never knew, I just knew that I liked them more concentrated and with the crema on top.

[@teh-maxh]

IMO, making an americano espresso then water fits its origin story better. I'm not convinced that following that story is actually necessary, though.

[@Viniter]

What is this vertical slide?

[@KellyS_77]

I was concerned she'd fallen and I just missed it.

[@rdaphoto]

My wife and I were recently in China, where third wave coffee is definitely surging in popularity. My wife ordered americano’s, which were on every cafe menu, and we now realize that she received Long Blacks. She would ask for more hot water, and got quizzical stares every time. I guess the proximity of Australia to China has influenced the coffee culture. It was nice being able to get good quality coffee in China, which was not the case when I was last there in the mid-nineties! Thanks for the informative video…. I never really knew what a Long Black is…. Not a common item here in Canada.

[@dwirandypradhika6752]

Also consider the different style of shots that people use for theee drinks! Australian cafes usually dose triple shots, pull a split espresso or even ristretto in the cup, while double shots are more common in the US. This is the most common reason a cafe will only put one of these drinks in their menu. The best I've seen is a skilled barista dialing the shot on-the-fly when I asked for a long black in a cafe where they serve americano. But please don't ask your barista this unless you know them well and they don't mind. Also, don't complain, you asked for it...

[@KathyTrithardt]

I've been traveling in Europe for a couple months now. Thanks for explaining why I've had to switch to ordering Americanos instead of just a cup of black coffee, and for letting me know that if that is not an option, and Long Black will do basically (but not exactly) the same thing.

[@antibot9804]

In Austria, we have the "Verlängerter" ("elongated"), which is more or less the same as the Americano, usually served in a fairly large cup. It's probably a matter of people in different places having the same idea. Originally, it was probably made with mokka, not espresso, but nowadays espresso is the standard here.

[@youViewerify]

Came here to ask if the Verlängerter was the same as Americano, thanks!

[@Astavyastataa]

That's neat. What I usually drink at home is a mocha with hot water added.

[@smirbelbirbel]

The fact that you felt the need to ask for people being cordial in the discussion of two drinks of espresso and water, tells you everything you need to know about the Internet. 😌

[@ever55]

also tells you everything you need to know about coffee people

[@thebitterfig9903]

Iced Americano (decaf) was always my go-to “green mermaid” order back when I was newish to coffee. The reason? I was cheap. Iced Americano with mocha syrup was at least a dollar cheaper than an iced latte, and all I had to do was walk over to the cream pitcher and top it up. That trick doesn’t really work hot, only iced, but I thought the results were tasty. These days… my order is still often the decaf iced americano. Only, I drink it black and unsweetened.

[@jasonscalise5]

I've ordered an americano three times. Once was at a movie theater, and I think they just watered down some Keurig coffee. It was bad. But I had one at a coffee shop, and it tasted just as watery. The third was at Dutch Bros (they didn't serve black coffee normally, so I ordered a double espresso with water.) It was fine. I'm interested to try the long black. At home, I use an aeropress or moka pot and add a little water.

[@stonebear]

I'm likewise with the Aeropress. If I want more than the Aeropress will make natively but I want a cleaner cup than my French presses will make (i.e. I'm not putting cream in, or have a lighter roast, etc.), I go 20g drip-or-slightly-finer grind, 216g water in the 'Press, 2:30, press, then add 144g hot water; this yields about 350g of beverage, which is just about right for my "16oz" mugs... You could probably simulate a Long Black by pressing a James Hoffman fake espresso into (eyeballs the math) 110-120g hot water? (for those as don't grok that, 18g not-quite-espresso-grind, inverted or pressure cap, 90g water, stir _aggressively_, 1:30 steep, press - basically simulates what the Italians would call a "lungo" - 5:1 water to coffee)

[@2NDFLB-CLERK]

▪️ Every morning my fish looks at me like I don't give him enough coffee. Friggin fiend. 🟥

[@cittylin]

I only wanna live in a world where we debate coffee

[@JerryFranklin-hf3gf]

Morgan "teaches" coffee. Tks gurl!♥

[@belindaandjoelvanbergeijk9377]

May I ask how large your espresso shots were for this video?

[@KarstenLangPedersen]

An estimate would be 18-20g of beans for a 36-40g double espresso.

[@biankatoth1786]

Hungarian here (working in Austria). Long black here comes usually as it is from the machine. It automatically brews the coffee with more water but I also put one shot of extra hot water in it, or when the guests require then I give and extra shot in a different cup.

[@definiteIynotkenji]

isn't this an Italian "lungo" instead of the Australian long black?

[@jean-michellae9041]

@@definiteIynotkenji I would think Lungo also. Like a 1:3 to 1:5 ratio that one would do with a lighter roast bean. To be honest, I prefer this over a long black that is a bit a too watery in relation to the espresso flavor around it. If I want a longer coffee, then a drip definitely would have better aroma for me. I have to keep doing some long black for the wife though 😊

[@definiteIynotkenji]

@@jean-michellae9041 this is just me but for a high water ratio coffee nothing really beats a pour over. My wife prefers the coffee from her Nespresso :(

[@tarekz9992]

You have such a bubbly personality,which is awesome. Love the videos,keep them coming!

[@alecmanz9021]

Hey Morgan, what type of glass is it you used in your video thumbnail (the one on the right) I've been trying to find a one with the same shape as it. Anyways, cool video!

[@modelcitizenvlad]

NZ barista here. At my place of work we don't actually make a distinction between Americano and Long Black; they're both espresso with water poured onto it. I suppose our small size would closest approximate the proposed style guide in this video but frankly only about one in one hundred customers actually know what kind of coffee they've ordered and how it's different to the others.

[@Christhebearable]

As others have mentioned, you are generally welcome to customise coffee here in Australia as much as you like also. Particularly the Iced long black is a staple of our hot summer it’s standard recipe is: In a standard sized frappe type cup, fill to the absolute top with ice, add cold water leaving just enough room for a double shot of espresso to float on top. This keeps the dilution to a minimum, and still gets you the crema on top

[@nyanuwu4209]

"standard sized frappe type cup" "absolute top" "just enough room" Why say you have a recipe when all you have is vagueness?

[@jeffcarey3045]

who hurt you?

[@Eyeclops_]

My girlfriend hates that I refer to the drink the "Long Black" as the "Blllllaaaaacccckkkkkk".

[@sayanama]

I really really wish there was a combination of both, where the ratio remains the same as the long black but the total volume comes out to be 1 Litre or 32 oz.

[@hannahbd9]

thats alot of caffeine :0

[@KarstenLangPedersen]

@@hannahbd9 Espresso is supposed to have a bit less caffeine than Drip, but .. at the Long Black ratio for a liter of finished beverage, you'd still be looking at about 6 double shots of Espresso. THAT, is too much for me. Almost 100g of beans would go into that. Normally, I'd use 60g of beans to 1 liter of water, for drip coffee.

[@Stan_sprinkle]

Some other fun facts. I lived in both Singapore and Korea for years. In Singapore because of more Aussie influence I suppose, the proper coffee shops typically have long blacks, flat whites, etc in the menu (ignoring Singapore style coffee which is a diff thing). In Korea, Americano is king - anecdotally I noticed that the default drink for adults in korea is an Americano or iced Americano.

[@ryenschimerman2127]

"In early 2024, in an attempt to discuss the comparisons of the Americano and the Long Black, Morgan Eckroth unleashed the Great Coffee Wars. The result is the day old, refrigerated swill we all drink today, to ensure uniform unhappiness."

[@vmitchinson]

I vacationed for a month in Australia and had long blacks that were very strong. When I got back to Canada the drip coffee no longer satisfied, it was just hot water with brown colourering, no flavour. I searched for something like the long black. I finally found it with the Moka pot.

[@mattlox3981]

I wonder if Morgan's Americano is a West Coast thing. I've been to many shops in the East Coast, all pour hot water into the espresso, not the other way around

[@psp4gamer]

Not gonna lie i got scared in the first part (in a good way) because my TV froze for a few seconds

[@FunkyBukkyo]

When I was in Paris and asked for a Long, they served me an Espresso in a regular cup and a pot of hot water. So I pour in the hot water myself to my liking and to add more hot water in as I drink, watering it down. This makes kind of sense, as I am extending my coffee drinking time a bit longer than usual. Truthfully, if the water already poured in ahead of time, I don't think I could even tell the difference between an Americano or a Long Black.

[@RevocerGM]

If I have a fancy bag of beans, I'll generally make a long black at first and take some time to enjoy it. But day-to-day I make Americanoes - I just need a big cup of hot bean-juice mostly. I still always pour the shot after the water though - it just looks better for absolutely zero extra effort.

[@BansheeBunny]

When you said to float the coffee over the water, it made me think of my old bartending days. It got me thinking about what would happen if you poured the hot water over the back of a spoon to heat it up, and then pour the espresso immediately over it; how it might effect the crema on a long black.

[@chrisamies2141]

There seems to be a silent community of those who have invented the Long Black separately. A few years ago I used to ask for 'an espresso with hot water - but not as much as an Americano.' Which sounds like the Long Black though I didn't know the term.

[@dununfolette16]

At my café, in France, we serve the espresso in a large cup and the hot water in a small pitcher so the customer can adjust the amont of water in their drink. Nice studio by the way 😊

[@brentroman]

Anecdotally- I’d heard that another differentiation between the two was that the long black typically used “ristretto” shots. Had you heard about that?

[@WeAreBullets]

dear precious Morgan, do you have a video / can you make a video explaining the diff between just a regular drip coffee versus an americano? this question has been in the back of my head for a while now, ever since one time when i got my usual americano at a cafe (cause i preferred that at the time to the drip coffee) and my mom asked "well how is it different than a regular coffee? you're adding water to that espresso, but you cannot add water to a regular coffee cup to warm it up?" (mind you, my mother has never drank coffee, she only drinks black tea with sugar). I said "well because then the regular coffee would be way too watered down, at least with espresso i can water it down but its still tasty and also it lasts a bit longer before it cools all the way down". I'm sure this is some of the basic taste/experience differences, but is there something more to it? is there really any difference between a drip coffee and an espresso that has been watered down to the same thin-ness (for lack of better word) as a drip coffee? isn't there something in the espresso process that pulls different taste out, and also isnt the body thicker and such because its not quite filtered the same as drip?

[@grogvaughan5649]

No matter what coffee type I drink i always ramp up the ratios so i end up with 1000ml because that's the size of my drinking mug.

[@NickiRusin]

good mug

[@grogvaughan5649]

@@NickiRusin I got it from American Science and Surplus. It's a 1000ml beaker with a handle big enough to put my hand in.

[@variaedeventuale]

Here in recent day Italy the americano started out as a way to mimic drip coffee with an espresso machine, usually it is a single shot (7 to 10 grams in) diluted to the volume of a standard cappuccino mug. So something more similar to the long black you brewed, a bit stronger even

[@MissDyna]

For what it's worth, Starbucks standard is shot(s) first, then water for an Americano, regardless of iced or hot

[@aldrea6506]

I absolutely love the fact that there is a spectrum to liking/loving something, in this case coffee. On one side you have the "I love it so much I'll gatekeep it" where if you do one teeny tiny thing wrong when making the coffee they get upset and combative over it. Then on the other side, you have the "I love it so much I want to share it with the world" where if you do the same teeny tiny thing wrong they are like "omg that's so amazing, how did it taste?? you must tell me every single detail". Both sides love coffee equally but take their love down completely different paths. I am of the latter and love to experiment, I'm currently drinking iced coffee made from the grounds of a Nespresso pod that was transferred to a Keurig reusable pod, added milk, some toasted marshmallow syrup and 3 ice cubes. I give it a 7/10 lol.

[@zulkarnainmahmud7200]

according to sca.. it the same.. just the placebo effect one will taste better than the other. but for cafe.. , long black will look presentable because of the crema. long black invented by Australian.. americano started by american because espresso too strong for them.

[@jamesverhoff1899]

I would think you'd want to put the espresso in first with an Americano. The point is to homogenize the drink, the way a drip coffee would, and that's generally best achieved by mixing the hot water into the "hot water plus other stuff" phase. Otherwise you can get what is essentially a turbidity flow--the espresso can separate due to differences in temperature and density. By adding the hot water to the espresso you generate FAR more turbidity, reducing that possibility. In contrast, a Long Black WANTS that separation, so you put the espresso in second. Probably doesn't matter 99.99% of the time--we had a hell of a time in my Sedimentology class generating turbidity flows, because they're actually fairly tricky to generate--but it's one reason why I can see specifying the order of operations.

[@SirDragonClaw]

In all my time drinking coffee in Australia, I have never seen someone do a Long Black like that.

[@michaelarighi5268]

I guess my question would be: "why would you ruin a perfectly good shot of espresso by adding water?" When I'm making a "6 [demitasse] cup" Moka pot brew, I'll definitely add roughly the equivalent of a shot (30-35 ml) of water, since it's such a large amount of a rather astringent brew that I find it more pleasant that way. But espresso? Nah.

[@kencoleman5686]

I naturally make a long black, and like you about 125 grams of water, but never knew the official name. I always call it a microcana. I also like to add a bit of half and half to it which makes it really creamy. Also, sometimes I make a lungo espresso with 19-20 grams in and 60 out and then add 150-175 grams of water just to make a bigger drink.

[@andyvanhout]

Morgan, I love the content and all your videos! A minor nit-pick: the story of the Americano as being served to American GIs during WW2 is a fairly dubious one and is probably a myth or at least not exclusively true. An alternative origin is in Central American Spanish the word was a derogatory term for "weak coffee" dating from the 1950s and 60s.

[@nyanuwu4209]

I'm not here to watch the video. I'm just here to tap the 0 key over and over, playing that first moment on a loop forever. That is simply a perfect intro. Meme-worthy, even. In fact, it's now a gif saved on my hard drive for reaction and meme purposes. (And obviously I _am_ here to watch the video but still...)

[@trystanjames2687]

Thanks Morgan! Very informative!! As a proud Aussie, my morning go-to at home is a long black. I'm not great at steaming milk, so when I'm out I'll spoil myself and get a magic 🙂.

[@o2centre697]

Interesting. I'm in America and usually order my Americano with less water. Guess I've basically been ordering a Long Black this whole time...

[@Pekz00r]

My wife is from Spain so I spend quite a lot of time there. In Spain an Americano is typically just an espresso where you put a lot more water though the puck,. They have typically 4 buttons on the espresso machine. Single short, double short, single long, or double long. For an americano you make a double dose and then press double long to get a pretty big drink. Drip coffee doesn't exist there more or less.

[@slukas1375]

Perhaps I missed it, what temperature is the water for both the Long Black and the Americano? Boiled? Would you pull the water from the steam wand of one's machine? Thanks!

[@derred723]

I've always found Americano super watered down. When they offer it instead of filtered coffee I just can't. I did not know there was such a thing as the long black though. I'm still just a plain coffee guy.

[@RobertFHarrison]

Long black...but mostly I just drink espresso or pour over. Every so often I'll do something different.

[@nawalismail8025]

Thank you for explaining this. I thought these drink is interchangeable (pardon my ignorance). No wonder all this while I think the cafe is not consistent, apparently I ordered wrongly. Thus, it come to light that I enjoy long black more than americano😂

[@Wreenz]

Almost no customers cares about any of this. They just want to say double shot something og trippel shot something and any big brand coffee shop will shovel random amount of espresso in a cup with random amount of milk or alternative to milk. This is also why long black and Americano in many situations becomes the same thing. Because customers will order what ever name they think sounds cool and with any ratio because they are always right. A bitter comment I know. But is it wrong? Has customization in large scale broken the idea that almost all coffee drinks are name different because it does tell you both the size and strength of the drink. Cappucino is supposed to be nice foamy milk with a kick is it really still that in a 500ml cup? Or is that size too large to really be a cappucino for more than 8 seconds befor the size actually kills the cappucino foam.

[@OliChristenDrew]

When did espresso become a big thing in Italy, was this really already in war times?

[@jonkwin9620]

Going to cafes in the south island of New Zealand, it is quite common/usual to be served a long black in a cup around 1/2 to 3/4 full of just espresso, then get a small stainless jug with the hot water to add to your taste. This seems the best way to my partner who will always drinks long blacks.

[@yogatriathlete]

Is a café allongé that we drink in France the same as a Long Black? Café allongé literally translates to elongated coffee and I believe it's 1 part espresso and 2 parts water. I think I just answered my own question

[@Discobiscut]

An Ozzie here and my order for a long black is 3/4 and I top it with cold sparking/mineral water. this gives it a sparkly mouth feel and also takes the just-boiled water edge so you can drink straighaway

[@jjg19631]

Why why why is everybody saying different things? My ‘regular’ Americano is about 90-100 ml with a single shot on top of it.

[@petermartin9494]

THANK YOU! I truly learned something useful from your video and that does not happen every day.

[@nikkorocksalot5254]

The way we made our americanos is 12oz, hot water The espresso content is 2 portafilters with 27 grams each, pulled to ristretto Our espresso was a nice custom blend that had richvchocolate and citrus notes Truly one of the best things to look forward to in Chicago, but ill always prefer my cortado over anything i can get anywhere

[@MrSteamDragon]

Great vid 🙂. You noted that you used 125ml of water for your long black. What was the amount of the shot you added ? Am keen to understand the ratio you applied here. I use a manual lever press espresso machine; it doesn't have a standard portafilter size like most auto machines do. Thanks heaps.

[@kida4star]

I usually make an Americano by pulling my shots into a mug and topping with hot water to fill. Easy, straightforward, and limited washing up after.

[@ryanwilson_canada]

I personally prefer an americano over a long black. But i don't mind a long black, i just would rather have an americano. To each their own. There is no wrong opinion when it comes to coffee (other than certain chain brands, but again that's just my own opinion)

[@Skepsissw]

I thought Long black was just english for café lungo, but clearly it isn't! So how the heck do I order a lungo in english? Is there even a word for it or will they know what a lungo is? 😂

[@CyraNoavek]

I like a luke warm Americano. So delicious. The people that knew me at my coffee place would give me a hot Americano and a cup of ice separate so I could titrate. Not particularly elegant but I enjoyed it.

[@martj.1350]

i've worked as a barista in germany for 7 years: in every place of the three that i worked at water went in first like (anecdotally) in a long black. apart from starbucks an americano in germany (and as far as i can tell in france and italy as well) is a smaller beverage, the way you made your long black. some places make things fancy by serving you an espresso shot in a cappuccino cup and hot water in a little carafe so you can mix your drink at the table.

[@mojoneko8303]

I order Americanos a lot when I go to a coffee shop and add a splash of half and half. I have never heard of a long black before so I will give them a try. I like variety but the next time I walk into a coffee shop I'm tempted to order a Long Black Americano just to see what I get.. 🙂 Thanks for the video.

[@tanishahogan9396]

I love Americanos, so trying a Long Black sounds intriguing. How would making the espresso ristretto or a long shot affect the rations? I really like ristretto espresso shots so just curious

[@midoritea4413]

How interesting! In the US, I have always seen Americanos being coffee first, then hot water, both in specialty shops and brand chains.

[@michaelferrin2688]

I do something kind of like these drinks at home. I don't have an espresso machine, but I do have an Aeropress. So I'll make the largest brew I can with it, put it in my usual travel coffee mug and then top it off with hot water. I've also done cold brew and added hot water to it.

[@michaelvelasquez6910]

Can you please make a video about caffea liberica. This variety has a special place in my heart since it was the variety of coffee being farmed from my mom’s and my wife’s province back in the Philippines.

[@brew.matawan]

From my SCA training the difference is in the ristretto of the LB versus the standard espresso in the americano. The Oder of espresso and water is irrelevant. Also mordant espresso didn’t get popular until around the war so I doubt it grew enough for Americans to try it consistently. It’s a nice story and even I was told it at one point but it’s likely untrue

[@UCCCoffeeAustralia]

The spirit of the two drinks are pretty different and that main difference being the order of the espresso. Forget cup size etc cause that doesn't go to the spirit of the drink. You said it yourself the Americano came from americans pouring hot water over the espresso from the italians. Therefore an Americano is espresso first then hot water over the top. This destroys the crema and creates a more filter like coffee. The long black on the other hand seeks to preserve the crema that the Americans wash out by carefully extracting the espresso over the water. This preserves more of the intense and rich flavours of the espresso and creates a much more luxurious coffee drinking experience. This is a great educational video but I feel that distinction wasn't emphasised enough considering in the end you simply made two long blacks with different amounts of water.

[@VektrumSimulacrum]

Long Black was my go to when in AU. I miss it. Just not the same if Im not drinking it while strolling down the sidewalk in Williamstown or the CBD. 😢

[@myhauntingromance]

I always get a "large" american + 2 shots. So 6 shots and some water. I think I should play around with the ratio to play up the mouthfeel/texturr

[@JamesMarek11]

You get weird looks in Australia if you order an Americano. I got lectured about the difference. I find there's very little difference. That being said... Australian coffee is on another level when it comes to taste and culture.

[@icowrich]

I love an Americano, but I had never heard of a long black until now.