Coffee Drink
Iced Long Black: Recipe, Ratio and Americano Differences
An iced long black combines espresso, cold water and ice. A familiar approach adds espresso last, and often uses a modest water portion. Café recipes overlap with iced Americano, so the name alone does not fix its size, strength or caffeine.
Drink Snapshot
- Caffeine
- ~75 mg referenceGeneric USDA reference for 36 g espressoThe espresso supplies the caffeine.
- Calories
- About 3 kcal36 g espresso, water and ice; no additionsGeneric ingredient estimate for the plain drink.
Serving, sugar and sources
- Serving
- 1 plain home drink, 216 g (7.6 oz) total ingredients including ice
- Made with
- 36 g espresso + 60 g (2 US fl oz) water + 120 g (4.2 oz) ice
- Sugar
- 0 g. Plain recipe, without milk or sweetener.
- Preparation
- About 3 minutes with the espresso machine ready
Nutrition uses generic prepared espresso. The 216 g (7.6 oz) ingredient total includes the ice. See the full calculation or label comparison.
Key Takeaways
- 1Our recipe uses 36 g espresso, 60 g (2 US fl oz) cold water and 120 g (4.2 oz) ice, with espresso poured last.
- 2It has less added water than our iced Americano; both use the same espresso and ice.
- 3Crema is a presentation detail, not a measurement of caffeine or a guarantee of taste.
On This Page11 Sections
How to Make an Iced Long Black
Recipe
Measured Iced Long Black
- Makes:
- 1 serving
- Time:
- About 3 minutes with the espresso machine ready
Ingredients
- 18 g finely ground coffee, brewed to 36 g espresso
- 60 g (2 US fl oz) chilled water
- 120 g (4.2 oz) ice cubes
Equipment
- Espresso machine and grinder
- suitable double basket and tamper
- digital scale
- heatproof espresso cup and spoon
- 300 ml (10.1 US fl oz) glass rated for hot and cold drinks
Method
- Prepare the glass. Choose a 300 ml (10.1 US fl oz) glass rated for hot and cold drinks. Put it on the scale, tare, add 60 g (2 US fl oz) chilled water, then tare again and add 120 g (4.2 oz) ice cubes.
- Brew the espresso. Distribute 18 g finely ground coffee in a suitable double basket, tamp level and lock in the portafilter. Tare a heatproof espresso cup on the scale, then collect 36 g espresso, including both streams from a spouted portafilter.
- Pour espresso last. Pour the espresso gently into the glass containing the water and ice.
- Finish and serve. Stir briefly if you want a uniform drink, then serve. Taste before adding more water.
Estimated nutrition per serving: 3 calories; total sugar 0 g. Serving: 1 plain serving, 216 g (7.6 oz) total ingredients including ice.
Recipe notes
The 18 g dry dose produces 36 g espresso; do not count the grounds again in the drink. Total ingredient mass is 216 g (7.6 oz) including solid ice, not 216 ml liquid.
About 3 kcal and 0 g sugar are generic ingredient estimates. About 75 mg caffeine is a USDA reference for 36 g espresso; actual extraction varies.
Machine warm-up time is additional.
For machine setup and extraction technique, use the espresso brewing method.
The 18 g dry dose to 36 g espresso follows the useful 1:2 example in La Marzocco's brew-ratio guide. It describes extraction, not how much cold water you add afterward. Adjust the espresso for your beans as needed.
Iced Long Black Ratio
Swipe to see all columnsScroll to see all columns
| Input | Amount | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Ground coffee | 18 g | Used to brew the espresso; not poured into the drink |
| Prepared espresso | 36 g | The coffee ingredient that reaches the glass |
| Chilled water | 60 g (2 US fl oz) | Controlled dilution |
| Ice | 120 g (4.2 oz) | Cooling and additional water as it melts |
If the drink tastes pleasantly balanced but too concentrated, try 75 g (2.5 US fl oz) water next time, keeping the espresso and ice portions steady. If the espresso itself tastes harsh, work on the shot before repeatedly changing the water.
Iced Long Black vs. Iced Americano
Our iced long black has less added water, not more espresso. Both home recipes use a 36 g espresso made from 18 g dry coffee, plus 120 g (4.2 oz) ice.
Swipe to see all columnsScroll to see all columns
| Home example | Added water | Total ingredient mass, including ice | Assembly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iced long black | 60 g (2 US fl oz) | 216 g (7.6 oz) | Water and ice first; espresso last |
| Iced Americano | 108 g (3.7 US fl oz) | 264 g (9.3 oz) | Mix espresso and water; pour over ice |
With equivalent espresso, the caffeine contribution is the same. Less water initially makes this example more concentrated, but ice melt changes the drink while it sits.
Why Café Definitions Overlap
Breville’s hot long black uses water first, while its iced recipe uses a chilled single espresso and 145 ml (4.9 US fl oz) cold water poured over ice. Ask how the café makes it: the name alone fixes neither portion nor sequence. See long black coffee for the warm version.
What Happens as the Ice Melts?
The recipe starts with 96 g (3.4 oz) liquid ingredients plus 120 g (4.2 oz) ice. The examples below track mass as ice becomes liquid.
Swipe to see all columnsScroll to see all columns
| Ice that has melted | Liquid mass | Solid ice remaining |
|---|---|---|
| 0 g, arithmetic starting point | 96 g (3.4 oz) | 120 g (4.2 oz) |
| 30 g (1.06 oz) | 126 g (4.4 oz) | 90 g (3.2 oz) |
| 60 g (2.12 oz) | 156 g (5.5 oz) | 60 g (2.12 oz) |
| All 120 g (4.2 oz) | 216 g (7.6 oz) | 0 g |
Some ice begins melting as soon as the ingredients meet. The zero-melt row is the calculation baseline. With no losses, each row still totals 216 g (7.6 oz).
Use chilled water and drink promptly for a more repeatable balance. Less initial water leaves room for melt dilution. Reducing the ice alone is not a reliable cure for a warm, weak drink.
What Crema Does and Does Not Tell You
Crema is the light foam on espresso, as described in La Marzocco's espresso explanation. Adding espresso last may leave some visible on the surface, especially before stirring.
A thick foam layer does not tell you the caffeine dose or settle whether the drink tastes good. La Marzocco recommends stirring espresso to combine its layers; stirring your iced long black is a reasonable choice when you want a more uniform sip.
Iced Long Black Caffeine and Calories
For one plain serving, about 75 mg caffeine is a generic reference, with about 3 kcal and 0 g sugar estimated from the ingredients. Actual caffeine varies with the beans and extraction.
Swipe to see all columnsScroll to see all columns
| Per plain serving | Reference or estimate | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Caffeine | About 75 mg | Generic espresso reference scaled to 36 g |
| Calories | About 3 kcal | Generic espresso energy scaled to 36 g |
| Total sugar | 0 g | Plain espresso, water and ice |
| Added sugar | 0 g | No sweetener in the recipe |
Use a café’s own published figures when available; its “double shot” may use another recipe.
How the caffeine and calorie estimates are calculated
USDA's prepared-espresso record provides 212 mg caffeine and 9 kcal per 100 g espresso. Multiplying by 36/100 gives 76.3 mg and 3.2 kcal, rounded above. The same espresso mass gives the same reference estimate in our iced Americano.
The record lists 0 g sugar; water and ice add none. The drink’s 216 g (7.6 oz) ingredient total includes solid ice.
Adding water or melting ice lowers concentration without removing caffeine. Milk and sweeteners change calories and sugar; decaffeinated espresso lowers caffeine but is not necessarily caffeine-free.
How to Order and Customize It
I ask how the café's iced long black differs from its iced Americano. If the recipes nearly match, I focus on the cup size and water amount I prefer rather than insist that the names settle it.
- Ristretto: request it only if you want that extraction style.
- Milk: ask for a small amount on the side if you want control. A milk-heavy drink may be closer to an iced latte.
- Sweetener: the plain recipe has none. Syrup or sugar needs its own nutrition calculation.
- Less ice: ask what replaces it. Extra water can make the same espresso more diluted.
An iced espresso has no separately added water in its basic form. Cold brew extracts coffee with cool water over time, rather than starting with espresso.
How to Fix an Iced Long Black
Swipe to see all columnsScroll to see all columns
| Problem | First check | Adjustment |
|---|---|---|
| Too concentrated, otherwise pleasant | Added water | Try 75 g (2.5 US fl oz) instead of 60 g (2 US fl oz) |
| Watery immediately | Espresso and water portions | Return to the measured recipe; taste a separate espresso before changing it |
| Becomes weak while sitting | Melt dilution | Use chilled water and serve promptly |
| Sour and thin | Uneven or unusually fast espresso flow; bean flavor | Improve puck preparation and adjust grind if needed |
| Bitter or drying | Shot recipe, roast and unusually slow flow | Adjust extraction or choose another roast |
| Foam disappears | Surface presentation | Judge the drink by taste; extra crema is not the objective |
Change one variable at a time so the next drink tells you something useful.
Questions About Iced Long Black
Is an Iced Long Black Stronger Than an Iced Americano?
Our version starts with less added water and the same espresso, so it is initially more concentrated. That does not mean more caffeine. Another café may use different coffee portions, water and ice.
Must an Iced Long Black Use Ristretto?
No. This recipe uses a regular 1:2 espresso starting point. A ristretto variation uses a shorter extraction yield.
Should I Stir It?
Stir if you prefer a uniform flavor and temperature. Leaving it unstirred retains the initial presentation for longer.
Why Is My Iced Long Black Watery?
Check the measured water and espresso first. If it tastes fine initially and weaker later, melting ice is adding dilution. Starting with chilled water and serving promptly makes the change easier to manage.
Editor's Take
Sources and Further Reading
5 references
External links open in a new tab
Preparation and comparison
- La Marzocco HomeEspresso dose and yield18 g grounds to 36 g espresso is a 1:2 starting example, separate from water added after brewing.(opens in a new tab)
- BrevilleWater-first long blackPrimary hot-drink recipe documenting water-first assembly and optional stirring.(opens in a new tab)
- Breville Test KitchenIced recipe variationUses a chilled single espresso and 145 ml water, demonstrating that published iced recipes vary.(opens in a new tab)