Coffee Drink
Long Black Coffee: Recipe, Ratios and Americano Comparison
A long black is espresso poured over hot water, usually served as a compact black coffee. It resembles an Americano, but often uses less dilution. Café recipes overlap, so the espresso amount and water ratio matter more than the name alone.
Drink Snapshot
- Caffeine
- ~75 mg referenceGeneric USDA espresso reference, 36 gGeneric reference for the espresso portion; water adds no caffeine.
- Calories
- About 3 kcal36 g espresso + 90 g (3 US fl oz) waterIngredient estimate for the plain drink; no milk or sweetener.
Serving, sugar and sources
- Serving
- 1 plain long black, about 126 g (4.4 oz) finished drink
- Made with
- 18 g dry coffee → 36 g espresso, plus 90 g (3 US fl oz) water
- Sugar
- About 0 g total. No added sugar in this recipe.
- Preparation
- About 3 minutes with the machine ready
Nutrition estimates use generic prepared espresso. Calories come from the 36 g espresso portion; plain water adds none. See the full calculation or label comparison.
Key Takeaways
- 1Put the water in first. This home recipe adds 36 g espresso to 90 g (3 US fl oz) hot water.
- 2The 1:2.5 serving ratio means brewed espresso to added water, not dry coffee to brewing water.
- 3With the same espresso, more water changes concentration without changing total caffeine.
On This Page11 Sections
Long Black vs. Americano
Both combine espresso with separate hot water. A long black conventionally puts water in the cup first and is often a shorter drink. An Americano can use the same assembly order: Starbucks at Home's Americano recipe also pours espresso into water.
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| What to compare | Long black | Americano |
|---|---|---|
| Usual build | Espresso over hot water | Espresso and water; order varies |
| Dilution | Often a compact serving | Often a longer cup; no universal ratio |
| Crema | A gentle espresso-last pour can leave crema visible | Can also retain crema when made water-first |
| Caffeine | Depends on the espresso used | The same espresso supplies the same total caffeine |
The practical ordering question is “How much espresso and water do you use?” Reversing the pour does not make one drink inherently higher in caffeine or guarantee a better taste. For a larger cup, see the Americano guide.
How to Make a Long Black
Recipe
Long black coffee
- Makes:
- 1 serving
- Time:
- About 3 minutes with the espresso machine ready
Ingredients
- 18 g coffee beans, ground for espresso, to produce 36 g brewed espresso
- 90 g (3 US fl oz) hot drinking water, plus brewing water as required by the machine
Equipment
- Espresso machine and grinder
- suitable double basket and tamper
- scales
- small heatproof pouring vessel
- 180–220 ml (6–7.4 US fl oz) heatproof cup and spoon
Method
- Prepare the water. With the machine heated, warm and empty the serving cup. Tare it on the scale, then add 90 g (3 US fl oz) hot drinking water. 80–85°C (176–185°F) is a home serving-water starting point, not the espresso brewing temperature.
- Brew the espresso. Distribute 18 g finely ground coffee in a suitable double basket and tamp level. Tare a small heatproof vessel and collect 36 g espresso. A roughly 25–35 second extraction is a diagnostic starting point; adjust to your coffee and machine.
- Combine and serve. Pour the espresso gently into the water. Stir lightly for an even sip, let it cool enough to drink, and taste. Next time, adjust the added water while keeping the espresso recipe steady.
Estimated nutrition per serving: 3 calories; total sugar 0 g. Serving: 1 plain long black with 36 g espresso and 90 g (3 US fl oz) hot water.
Recipe notes
This is one home starting point. The 1:2 espresso brewing ratio and 1:2.5 espresso-to-added-water ratio describe different stages. Cup capacity is not drink yield.
Use a basket suited to the dose. The generic caffeine estimate for 36 g espresso is 75 mg. Calories are an estimate without milk or sugar.
Makes: 1 plain coffee, about 126 g (4.4 oz) · Time: about 3 minutes with equipment ready · Cup: 180–220 ml (6–7.4 US fl oz) capacity, with headroom.
For shot setup and extraction, follow the espresso brewing method.
This recipe uses the 18 g to 36 g espresso starting point illustrated by La Marzocco, with our chosen water portion. Machine warm-up is additional time. Keep the entire double-basket extraction; do not lengthen the shot through the grounds to fill the cup.
Long Black Ratio: Choose the Amount of Water
Start with 36 g espresso and 90 g (3 US fl oz) added water, a 1:2.5 serving ratio by mass. Adjust the water to taste.
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| Keep espresso at… | Add hot water | Approximate drink mass | Compared with the middle option |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36 g | 72 g (2.4 US fl oz) | 108 g (3.8 oz) | More concentrated |
| 36 g | 90 g (3 US fl oz) | 126 g (4.4 oz) | Starting point |
| 36 g | 108 g (3.7 US fl oz) | 144 g (5.1 oz) | More diluted |
Keep the espresso fixed while comparing these water amounts.
Two Ratios, Two Different Jobs
- Espresso brewing ratio: 18 g dry coffee to 36 g espresso = 1:2.
- Drink dilution ratio: 36 g brewed espresso to 90 g (3 US fl oz) added water = 1:2.5.
The espresso ratio calculator helps with the first calculation. This page handles the second. If your basket calls for a different dose, establish a balanced espresso first and then scale the added water to its actual yield.
Water Temperature, Crema and Stirring
Water-first assembly can help leave crema at the surface, but crema is not a quality score. Breville's long black method finishes by stirring, so the old advice that you must never stir a long black is too rigid.
I give the finished long black a gentle stir. It mixes the espresso through the water, so the first sip isn't dominated by the coffee at the surface while later sips taste weaker; an untouched crema pattern matters less to me than that consistency.
Our 80–85°C (176–185°F) added-water starting point gives you a repeatable setting to adjust. The cup, espresso and pouring all affect the final temperature. Let the finished drink cool until comfortable to sip.
What Does a Long Black Taste Like?
Expect the character of the espresso in a less concentrated cup. Chocolate, nut or fruit notes depend on the beans, roast and extraction. With the same espresso, using less water makes those flavors more concentrated. It does not automatically make them sweeter or less bitter.
Choose a coffee you enjoy as espresso, then adjust dilution. If the underlying shot tastes unpleasant, extra water may soften its intensity but will not correct its extraction.
Caffeine and Calories
The plain home recipe has an estimated 3 calories and 75 mg caffeine, using a generic USDA reference for the 36 g espresso portion. The 90 g (3 US fl oz) water adds none.
| Plain 126 g (4.4 oz) home serving | Basis |
|---|---|
| About 3 kcal | Plain espresso and water; no additions |
| About 75 mg caffeine reference | Generic prepared espresso, scaled to 36 g |
| About 0 g sugar | Generic espresso record; no sugar added |
How the caffeine and calorie estimates are calculated
USDA's prepared-espresso reference supplies 9 kcal and 212 mg caffeine per 100 g. For 36 g, that gives 3.24 kcal and 76.32 mg caffeine, rounded here to about 3 kcal and 75 mg. The record lists 0 g sugar. Water changes drink mass without adding these nutrients; the actual caffeine extracted from our 18 g dose remains unmeasured.
Is it stronger than an Americano? It can taste more concentrated when less water is used. Caffeine is a separate question: compare the espresso recipe and quantity, not the cup's name or crema. Use matching coffee portions when comparing numerical references.
Milk, sugar and syrup change the estimate. Use the amount added and its package label. For less caffeine, request decaf or less espresso; adding only water does not reduce the caffeine already in the cup.
Troubleshooting a Long Black
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| Problem | Check first | Useful next change |
|---|---|---|
| Watery after mixing | How much water you added | Try 72 g (2.4 US fl oz) water with the same 36 g espresso |
| Too intense but otherwise pleasant | Dilution | Add water in small, measured increments |
| Sour and thin, with unusually fast espresso flow | The espresso before dilution | Check grind and puck preparation; use the sour espresso guide |
| Dry or harsh, with unusually slow flow | Espresso yield, grind and roast | Try a small grind or yield adjustment; see bitter espresso |
| Uneven first sip | Unmixed coffee and water | Stir gently before judging the ratio |
| Too hot to enjoy | Water temperature and heat retained by the cup | Let it cool; use cooler added water next time |
Bitterness does not prove over-extraction, and disappearing crema does not prove the water was too hot. Diagnose the espresso separately before changing several variables at once.
Long Black, Short Black and Lungo
The name is associated with Australian and New Zealand café menus; Lavazza's guide describes that context. Exact invention stories are less useful than knowing what will arrive in the cup.
| Menu term | What you are ordering |
|---|---|
| Short black / espresso | Espresso without the extra serving water; shot count may vary |
| Long black | Espresso combined with hot water, conventionally water-first |
| Lungo | A longer extraction, with extra brewing water passing through the grounds |
| Filter coffee | Coffee brewed by a different method, rather than espresso diluted afterward |
A lungo and a long black can be similarly sized while following different water paths. Running the espresso machine longer is not the same as adding hot water to a completed shot.
Common Questions
Can You Order a Long Black with Milk?
Yes, ask for the amount you want, preferably on the side if you want to judge the black coffee first. The standard drink here is plain, so milk changes its flavor and nutrition. A café may use a different menu name for the variation.
Can You Make an Iced Long Black?
Yes. Use cold water and ice with freshly brewed espresso, accounting for the water added as the ice melts. The iced long black guide covers that serving; simply adding ice to this full hot recipe produces a different dilution.
Can You Make One Without an Espresso Machine?
You can make a similar black drink by diluting strong moka-pot or AeroPress coffee. Use that brewer's own method, then add water to taste. Its extraction and caffeine are different, so the espresso reference above does not automatically apply.
Editor's Take
Sources and Further Reading
5 references
External links open in a new tab
Preparation and comparison
- BrevilleWater-first long blackPrimary preparation example; includes gentle mixing and variable ratios.(opens in a new tab)
- Starbucks at Home UKWater-first AmericanoShows why pouring order alone does not reliably separate the menu names.(opens in a new tab)
- Lavazza USLong black serving contextAustralian and New Zealand context and an espresso-over-water preparation.(opens in a new tab)
- La Marzocco HomeEspresso brew ratiosMass-based recipe guidance and the 18 g dose to 36 g espresso starting point.(opens in a new tab)