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Ingredients
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Espresso
Hot Water
Optional
Method
Preparation
Warm equipment
Turn on the espresso machine so it reaches operating temperature (typically 10–20 minutes). While the machine heats, bring the extra filtered water (500 ml) to near boiling in a kettle; this will be used to top up the hot-water reservoir if needed and to warm the serving cup.
Preheat cup
Pour about 60–90 ml of the near-boiling water into your serving cup to warm it. Swirl and discard the water just before pouring the drink.
Pulling the Espresso
Grind beans
Grind 18 g of espresso beans to a fine espresso grind (slightly finer than table salt). Aim for a consistent grind for even extraction.
Dose and tamp
Place the 18 g ground coffee into a clean, dry portafilter. Distribute grounds evenly, then tamp with firm, even pressure to create a level puck.
Brew
Lock the portafilter into the machine. Brew a double espresso shot (approximately 36–50 ml) using about 25–30 seconds of extraction time, depending on your machine and grind. Target yield ~40 ml for balanced flavor.
Assembling the Americano
Measure 120 ml of hot water (around 85–95°C). The classic ratio is roughly 1 part espresso to 2–3 parts water; this recipe uses ~40 ml espresso + 120 ml water for a 1:3 ratio.
Pour the brewed espresso into the warmed serving cup.
Slowly add the 120 ml hot water to the espresso. For an authentic crema-preserving method, either (a) pour water into the cup before the espresso (reverse Americano) or (b) pour espresso into water. Both are acceptable; pouring hot water over espresso will slightly break the crema but is traditional. Stir gently once if desired.
Serving & Cleanup
Serve immediately while hot. Rinse and wipe down the portafilter and steam wand (if used). Backflush the espresso machine as recommended by the manufacturer at the end of service.