How to distinguish between Italian coffee and American coffee?

Coffee culture has a long history. People often ask how to distinguish between American and Italian coffee. Today, let's talk about the difference between them.

What is the difference between Italian and American coffee?

Traditional Italian coffee is actually espresso. Italian coffee requires less water when brewed by hand using an espresso machine. The brewing method is complicated, the coffee tastes bitter, and the flavor is relatively pure and mellow.

Americano is a common coffee brewed with a coffee machine. It is easy to brew and not as strong as espresso. As a pure coffee, its coffee concentration (which can be simply understood as bitterness for most consumers) is suitable for the general public, and it retains the unique deep roasted aroma and bitter-sweet taste of espresso, which is refreshing and comfortable. After a big meal, a cup of Americano can help to clear your mouth.

Another important factor is that American coffee is very cost-effective. Usually, the amount of American coffee is larger, and the price is only slightly higher than espresso, or about the same price as cappuccino. If you meet a good-tempered store owner, you can even get a free refill!

The difference between a standard coffee machine and an espresso machine

The difference between a coffee machine and an espresso machine is that an espresso machine uses pressure to force hot water through the coffee, while an American coffee machine, without pressure, only produces black coffee (American coffee), whereas an espresso machine can use pressure to make ESPRESSO coffee with a fairly thick coffee oil.

Italian coffee machine uses high pressure extraction

American coffee machine uses normal pressure extraction

The difference between espresso and traditional American coffee

Espresso is much stronger than traditional Americano, which contains a high concentration of coffee beans and no added milk or sugar. Americano is more watered down.

What is the difference between coffee and cappuccino?

The difference between coffee and cappuccino is the way the coffee is brewed. Cappuccino is more like espresso with warm and frothy milk on top, coffee is brewed, black, with cream, whipped cream, and sugar.

How is Americano coffee made?

There are two common ways to make American coffee, regardless of whether it is reasonable or not. The first is direct extraction, that is, placing the American coffee cup under the brewing head of the espresso machine until enough coffee liquid flows out of the brewing head. The difference between different stores may be that they choose to use a double espresso or a single espresso to make a cup of American coffee. The second is espresso, diluted with hot water. The difference between different stores may be in the order of adding espresso and hot water and the dilution multiple.

Advantages and disadvantages of American coffee machines and Italian coffee machines

American coffee machine

Advantages: easy to operate and large supply.

Disadvantages: long extraction time, easy to over-extract, high caffeine content, and easy to oxidize if stored for too long after brewing.

Italian coffee machine

Advantages: stable, steam supply, fast and continuous supply of coffee, low caffeine, and ability to brew coffee oil.

Disadvantages: large size, need for a dedicated grinder, need for professional water softening equipment, and need for professional training.

Standard Coffee Machine Prices vs. Espresso Machine Prices

The price range of American coffee is stable, generally within a thousand yuan, while the price range of Italian coffee machines is quite large, ranging from several hundred to more than one hundred thousand yuan.

In fact, the beans needed for brewing Italian coffee and American coffee are also different. The coffee beans required for Italian coffee are finely ground and deeply roasted, so that the squeezed coffee will be fragrant and rich, so in many cases it is better to choose commercial blended or Italian blended beans; American coffee uses an American drip machine, which uses hot water for drip extraction, which can better highlight the original flavor and aroma of the coffee beans, and the grinding degree is also coarser than the beans required for Italian coffee.

Disclaimer: Some of the pictures in this article are from the Internet. For some of the content on the website, such as pictures, we will respect the copyright of the original work and indicate the source, but due to the large number of pictures, some pictures and texts may not be indicated in time, please forgive me. If the original author has any disputes, please contact the website to deal with it. Once verified, we will correct it immediately. It is edited by "Coffee Workshop". Please indicate the source when reprinting. This article is intended to spread coffee culture. If there is any infringement, please inform us to delete it. Thank you~!