Not double espresso. What is Lungo’s coffee and where does this drink come from

The difference between espresso, ristretto and lungo depends on the ratio of water and ground coffee, so each drink has different volume and taste. If you were also wondering, “What is Lungo?” When reading the coffee shop menu, that’s what you need to know.

What is Lungo?

It is a portion of espresso that contains more water than a standard portion of espresso. Its name comes from the Italian word “long” (that seems appropriate). The same amount of ground coffee beans is used to prepare Lungo espresso as for traditional. However, hot water is consumed twice as much.

In the process of coffee extraction, fruit acids are first extracted, then sugar and, finally, bitter components. As a result of longer extraction and use of more water, the final product is a softer drink than usual espresso. Although the taste of Lungo Shoto is softer, it also tends to be bitter. Increased bitterness occurs after a long time of extraction. Lungo shots also have less foam than a standard epresso.

The origin of Lungo

Although you can meet Lungo in some specialized cafes in the United States, it comes from Italy. When Italian cafes were experimented with new ways of cooking espresso, many tried to make larger portions and use more water than in traditional espresso cups. The exact origin of Lungo is not quite known but somewhere along the way someone tried “It is a long time to praise what Lungo began. Some coffee enthusiasts believe that Lungo appeared in the mid-20th century as a way to increase a limited coffee supply during a shortage.

Double espresso vs. Lungo

The standard serving of espresso is approximately 30 ml, but a portion of Lungo – 60 ml because of a large amount of water used. The larger Lungo size can force many coffee lovers to confuse lungo with a double serving of espresso. From the point of view of appearance it is possible. However, these two drinks are not the same and will have completely different taste.

As we have mentioned, Lungo has a softer, slightly bitter taste than espresso, because it is prepared with a longer time of extraction, which allows to penetrate more water. Alternatively, double espresso is just two portions of ordinary espresso. This way, you can expect a double espresso will have a stronger and brighter taste.

Lungo can also be confused with American, other drink containing water and espresso. Americano, however, is prepared from ordinary portions of espresso and then diluted with water. Lungo has a much bitter taste and is a much smaller drink than American.

What is the difference between Lungo, Ristretto and Espresso?

Part of understanding “What is Lungo? ” Needs an understanding of its opposite: ristretto. It is the opposite of luno, prepared with less water than the traditional portion of espresso. The ratio of water and coffee in Lungo is 1: 3 or 1: 4, while the ristretto is prepared with the ratio of water 1: 1.

If you think about the main differences between ristretto, espresso and lungo, then it is the volume and strength of drinks. They vary from very strong and small, like rthine, to weaker and larger, Lungo and espresso are somewhere in the middle. The easiest way to determine the strength is the brewing factor, which is the ratio between the amount of the coffee grounds we use and the amount of liquid we get in the cup.

Do you add milk to Lungo?

Lungo is not served with milk, but it can be strengthened. While Lungo Shot is traditionally made black, adding milk can improve its taste and create a softer, creamy drink. Lungo shots can be used in some drinks on espresso. However, they are often not the best choice for creamy drinks such as latte or cappuccino. The diluted and mild taste of the lungroots is not strong enough to withstand a lot of milk or cream. For this reason, traditional shots or rhestrettoes are used in milk espresso.