Americano vs Coffee: Not The Same! (6 Differences Explained)

You may have heard this called by the names drip brewed coffee, filtered coffee, or ground coffee.

This method of making brewed coffee can be traced back to 1908, as that is when the Melitta Benz Company invented paper filters.

They are still used today, and you might have them in your home or office. Drip coffee machines came to replace percolators in the 1970s, as percolators are known to over - extract coffee and make it bitter.  

While this coffee brew method is popular around the world, it is appreciated in Japan, being a central part of coffee culture.

To make a great Americano, you must pull an espresso shot, and have a mug ready. 3 ounces is a good starting point, but you will want more if you would like a stronger Americano.

The espresso is pulled by the espresso maker, and following this, 3 to 5 ounces of hot water is put into a mug and the drink is ready for consumption. Coffee connoisseurs experiment and try different amounts of espresso and hot water until they find the correct blend for their Americano. 

You might consider adding cinnamon, sugar or honey, although many prefer it as is.

A great drip coffee can be brewed using the manual pour-over method, or an auto-drip coffee machine.

For the manual pour-over, hot water is poured over grounds. Gravity takes over and pulls the hot water down through the grounds, and you get a delicious cup of coffee.  The grounds remain inside the vessel the hot water was poured into. It is advised that you grind coffee beans before brewing the coffee to ensure the freshest flavor. 

You can brew drip coffee in a variety of ways: by using a filter, French press, or a percolator. This method can be done using  paper filters or with a reusable filter made of fine wire mesh. Or you can purchase automatic coffee brewers or manual coffee machines that help you control the flavor.

The way in which you grind your coffee beans will affect the flavor of your brewed coffee, so it is important to follow the right methods to get maximum taste and enjoyment.

We recommend to invest in a burr grinder for a better taste from consistent sized granules.

You can find a variety of burr grinders at all price points, and it will be worth it.

You may be curious why grind size matters. It all comes down to flavor. 

To make an Americano, you will need an espresso machine. There exist several types of espresso machines.

There are lots of excellent coffee machines available in the market for home coffee lovers.

Some of these are fancy, you might say, and include things like a conical burr grinder, big bean hopper, a steaming wand to froth your milk, and a frothing pitcher.

The machines and equipment included come at all price points.  You can find some features like precision dosing for perfect taste, and digital temperature control for a consistent extraction. Some even feature cleaning kits like the Breville BES870XL, which will preserve the taste of your coffee.

If you prefer another espresso brewing technique use a stovetop espresso maker.

You can purchase these espresso coffee makers in multiple cup sizes, making it great for those of us with families that come over or friends that like to linger.

To make a brewed coffee, you will need a quality drip coffee maker. 

No matter which one you choose, you must have the right grind consistency.

After you pick up the drip coffee maker of your choice, make sure to get a nice burr grinder. It should be noted that some machines come with a grinder. Be sure to check before buying an extra item.

You can choose drip coffee machines that turn on auto according to a timer, so that way your coffee can be ready to go upon waking up. You can pick from a variety of brew sizes for your drip coffee, some pots will hold 12 cups of coffee, for instance.

And some even feature brew strength control, and brew pause, meaning you can pour a cup of coffee for yourself and resume brewing the rest as you go.

Let’s see how the Americano and the brewed coffee compare when it comes to caffeine.

Caffeine enters the brew by way of the hot water acting as a solvent.

Other factors include saturation - all grinds have to be saturated for all available caffeine to be extracted.

Water temp can affect the brewed coffee. Most suggest 95-105 degrees is optimal. And as discussed, the grind size plays a role too.

Smaller grinds mean caffeine is extracted faster.

You may have noticed the Americano coffee has a thin white layer of foam on top of the liquid.

You wondered what is that? In short, it is the mark of a great coffee brew.

It is called the crema, and this comes from the oils forced out of the coffee beans during the coffee brewing process.

These oils are important in the sense that they are packed with flavors that make what you’re drinking great.

As the coffee is brewed, fat and oils are emulsified and suspended in tiny air bubbles.

After coffee undergoes the roasting process, it lets out C02 for 24 - 72 hours. Coffee that was roasted and used for brewing will emit C02 as part of the extraction process. 

The presence of crema means that the bean’s natural fat and oil content is higher, and that it is roasted recently enough that C02 is still being unleashed from the bean.

Espresso lovers take a great interest in the appearance of crema, because it means quality, and freshness. Yet crema tastes sour as a result of the C02. Crema may look nice, but it is not everything.

Shots with no crema can be pulled due to roasting methods at the plantation, and some espresso coffee makers aerate coffee during extraction so that it looks like crema is present, but the sour flavor is not.

The folks at Seattle Coffee Gear point out the following factors.