Iced Americano Recipe

Preheat and dose

Preheat your espresso machine by running a blank shot (no coffee) for 5–10 seconds, then flush the portafilter and group head. Weigh out 18 g of freshly ground espresso (fine grind, slightly finer than drip).

Tamp and brew

Distribute the ground coffee evenly in the portafilter, tamp with about 15–20 lb (6–9 kg) of pressure to create a level puck. Lock the portafilter into the group head and start the shot. Brew about 36 ml of espresso (double shot) into a small cup. Aim for a 25–30 second extraction; adjust grind if extraction is too fast or slow.

If you don't have an espresso machine, you can use a strong concentrated coffee (moka pot or AeroPress) at roughly equivalent strength: about 36 ml of brewed concentrate.

Prepare glass

Choose a 12–16 oz glass. Add 6 ice cubes to the glass so the drink will chill quickly and maintain dilution control.

Add cold water

Pour 120 ml of cold water over the ice. This is the typical iced Americano ratio (espresso : water ≈ 1:3.3). Adjust to taste if you prefer stronger or weaker.

Pour espresso

Immediately pour the freshly brewed 36 ml espresso over the ice and cold water. Pouring over the ice helps to preserve crema and cool the espresso quickly.

Sweeten (optional)

If you want a sweetened iced Americano, add about 15 ml (1 tbsp) simple syrup or other liquid sweetener now and stir gently to combine. Use less or more to taste. Do not use granulated sugar unless you dissolve it first.

Serve immediately with a straw or stirrer. Taste and adjust — add more cold water for a milder cup or an extra shot of espresso for more strength.