Espresso, lungo, americano, caffè crema: what is the difference?

Espresso, ristretto, lungo, americano, caffè crema: on a menu or a bean-to-cup machine they can look like the same coffee in different cup sizes. They are not. The difference is how much water passes through the coffee, and whether water is added afterwards. That changes strength, bitterness and caffeine in ways that are easy to understand once you see them side by side.

The family at a glance

Drink	How it is made	Typical amount	Taste
Ristretto	Espresso stopped early, less water through the coffee	15–25 ml	Thick, sweet, intense, low bitterness
Espresso	About twice as much liquid as ground coffee, 25–30 s	25–40 ml	Concentrated, syrupy, with crema
Doppio	A double espresso (double dose of coffee)	40–60 ml	Like espresso, more of it
Lungo	Espresso run longer, more water through the same coffee	50–90 ml	Thinner, more bitter, drier
Americano	Espresso topped up with hot water	120–250 ml	Mild, clean, like strong filter coffee
Long black	Hot water first, espresso poured on top (Australia, New Zealand)	100–180 ml	Like an americano, keeps more crema
Caffè crema	Coarser grind, lots of water run through the coffee	120–200 ml	Mild, round, with a fine crema

Espresso

Espresso is made by forcing hot water at about 9 bar through finely ground, tamped coffee. A common starting recipe is 18 g of coffee for 36 to 40 g of espresso in 25 to 30 seconds, a ratio of about 1:2. It is the base of nearly every café drink. How to make one at home: espresso at home. More background: all about espresso.

Ristretto: shorter and sweeter

A ristretto ("restricted") uses the same coffee but stops at about 1:1 to 1:1.5. The first part of an extraction carries most of the sweetness and acidity; the bitter compounds come later, so a ristretto is intense but less bitter. More in ristretto.

Lungo: longer, not milder

A lungo ("long") lets about twice as much water through the same puck, a ratio around 1:3 or more. The extra water pulls out more of the late, bitter and drying compounds, so a lungo is not a "gentler espresso". It has more volume and a little more caffeine, and many people find it harsh. A lungo works best with coffees roasted for it and a slightly coarser grind. More in caffè lungo.

Americano and long black: water added afterwards

An americano is an espresso (often a double) diluted with hot water. Because the water does not pass through the coffee, it adds volume without adding bitterness, which is why an americano usually tastes cleaner than a lungo of the same size. A long black reverses the order, espresso on top of the water, so more crema survives. How to: making a caffè americano.

Caffè crema: the long coffee of bean-to-cup machines

Caffè crema (in Switzerland also called Schümli) is the everyday coffee of Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and the "coffee" button on most bean-to-cup machines. It is brewed like espresso but with a coarser grind and much more water through the coffee, giving a large, mild cup with a fine layer of crema. Many roasters sell beans roasted specifically for it, usually lighter than espresso beans. If you drink caffè crema from a bean-to-cup machine, read which beans to use.

Which has the most caffeine?

Per cup, the drinks made with more coffee have more caffeine: a doppio or an americano made from a double shot has about twice the caffeine of a single espresso. A lungo or caffè crema extracts a little more caffeine than an espresso from the same dose, because more water passes through it. The coffee matters more than the drink: robusta has roughly twice the caffeine of arabica. See caffeine per cup.

Choosing beans

• Espresso, ristretto, doppio: espresso blends or single origins roasted medium to medium-dark.
• Americano and long black: the same espresso beans; a fruity single origin from Ethiopia or Kenya tastes great diluted.
• Caffè crema and lungo: beans roasted for crema, often lighter and milder. Look in beans for bean-to-cup machines and coffee for espresso machines.

Quick answers

Is an americano the same as filter coffee?

No. They can be similar in strength, but an americano is brewed under pressure and diluted, so it has a different body and often a trace of crema. Filter coffee is brewed by gravity through a paper filter and tastes lighter and clearer.

Is a lungo stronger than an espresso?

It is weaker in concentration (more water) but more bitter, and it has slightly more caffeine from the same coffee.