Caffè Americano

Also americano, café americano

Espresso lengthened with hot water to filter-coffee strength and volume. Adding the water after extraction keeps the shot's flavour profile while lowering intensity.

EspressoServed hotFrom Italy

Volume
150ml5.1 US fl oz
Espresso
1shot
Caffeine
64mgderived, USDA FDC
Coffee to water
1:4.0

The build

Watch it made, step by step
Mug, 250 ml. Layers in pouring order from the bottom, drawn by volume.
  1. Espresso30 ml20%
  2. Water120 ml80%
Volume
150ml
Caffeine
64mg
Espresso
1shot

Scales every component together, so the ratio holds; caffeine scales with the coffee.

Typically 1 part espresso to 3-5 parts hot water; cafés usually use a double shot for larger cups.

Caffeine

Derived
64mg

in a 150 ml caffè americano

USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy caffeine per 100 g scaled to the coffee volume in components, assuming 1 g per ml. FDC 171891 (Beverages, coffee, brewed, espresso, restaurant-prepared) 212.0 mg/100 g x 30 ml.

USDA FoodData Central record 171891 · read 2026-10-26

A derived figure: the reference food's caffeine per 100 g scaled to the coffee in this build. Real cups vary with the coffee, the dose and the shot.

Variants by country

2
NameCountryHow it differs
long blackAustraliaWater first, espresso poured on top to preserve crema.
iced americanoUnited StatesShots over ice and cold water.

History

Popular account

Wikidata records both Italy and the United States as countries of origin and the United States as the namesake; the popular account ties the drink to Second World War American troops in Italy.

Italian drink; the name points to American soldiers who diluted espresso to resemble filter coffee.

Popular account

Parts of this story are repeated widely but were not confirmed against a source this atlas accepts. They are kept as the story people tell, not as fact.

Related drinks

Espresso Long Black 180 ml · 127 mg

Hot water topped with a double espresso, the reverse of an americano. The crema survives the pour and the drink is stronger because less water is used.

 Espresso Verlängerter 120 ml · 64 mg

Vienna's lengthened espresso, between a lungo and an americano, usually with a jug of milk on the side.

 Espresso Abatanado 90 ml · 64 mg

Portugal's long coffee: an espresso stretched with hot water to a medium cup.

 Espresso Café Allongé 90 ml · 64 mg

A French lengthened espresso, between a lungo and an americano in size. Ordering 'un allongé' gets a milder cup than the default espresso.

 Espresso Caffè Crema 150 ml · 64 mg

A long coffee brewed on an espresso machine with a coarser grind, topped with crema. The everyday café coffee of Switzerland and much of Germany.

 Espresso Colada 120 ml · 254 mg

A shareable cup of several sweetened Cuban espressos handed out in tiny cups. Miami's communal coffee break.