BREW GUIDE / Espresso drinks

Hot Americano

Keep espresso extraction and cup dilution separate so you can choose strength without extending the shot.

English edition updated 2026-11-10 · Editorial reference recipe; adjust for your equipment and coffee.

Coffee amount36 g brewed espressoWater / ingredients120 g hot drinking waterTiming referenceMix after extracting the shotGrind starting pointUse the espresso guide

Hot Americano equipment and finished serving

Jump to the steps ↓

Equipment and measurements

Espresso machine, scale, heatproof mug, separate shot cup and kettle.

Amounts marked as brewed espresso describe beverage weight, not dry grounds. Keep water, milk, ice and other additions as separate measurements; final volume varies with the method.

How to make it

Weigh 120 g hot drinking water into a heatproof mug, leaving room for espresso. Choose a safely handled serving temperature rather than insisting on boiling water.
Technique note
Weighing water is more reproducible than running the machine's water outlet for a fixed number of seconds. Outlet temperature and flow may vary.
Extract about 36 g espresso into a separate cup. Assess the shot before expecting dilution to hide a harsh or obviously unbalanced extraction.
Technique note
Adding water reduces intensity but does not remove a burnt taste. Do not keep running water through the puck merely to fill a large mug.
Slowly pour espresso into the water, avoiding splashes near your fingers. Surface crema depends partly on pouring and is not a mandatory quality mark.
Technique note
Water first is a practical starting sequence, not a claim about every cafe's definition. Hold the ingredient amounts fixed when comparing pouring orders.
Mix gently and taste. If too strong, add water in small 10–20 g increments and record it; the diluted cup weight is not the next espresso extraction target.
Technique note
Let an excessively hot cup cool before deciding it needs dilution. A temperature-driven change in perception is not necessarily an extraction problem.

What to adjust first

Weak yet bitter: investigate the espresso instead of adding water again. Strong but balanced: dilute gradually. Inconsistent cups: confirm the actual shot yield and added water first.

An Americano is not an indefinitely extended espresso

Water passing through the puck continues extraction; water added to the finished shot dilutes it. Keeping these actions separate makes troubleshooting clearer and avoids tying shot duration to mug size.

Try this comparison next time

Split one espresso and compare two measured dilution ratios in small cups. Choose your preferred concentration before choosing a larger daily serving size.

What to write down

Record final espresso weight, initial water and extra dilution separately. The inputs total 156 g before additions; that is not a promise about a standard cup's millilitre capacity.

Further reading: source guidance for this method. Our quantities and troubleshooting notes are editorial starting points, not a claim to reproduce a brand recipe or a first-hand test.

Keep learning

Espresso: a starting recipe · Hot latte · Cappuccino

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