Americanos vs Drip Coffee - Barista Exchange2024-03-28T10:31:47Zhttps://www.baristaexchange.com/forum/topics/americanos-vs-drip-coffee?commentId=1688216%3AComment%3A1038361&x=1&feed=yes&xn_auth=noI only serve Americanos in my…tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2011-02-22:1688216:Comment:10383612011-02-22T15:33:38.356ZTodd Lowehttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/ToddLowe854
I only serve Americanos in my shop. When I first opened in November I brewed at least three drip coffees per day and ended up dumping most of it because my customer base wasn't big enough to serve so much coffee and most wanted a latte anyway. Believing that the Americano is a superior cup of coffee in general, I quit brewing the drip and went exclusively to the Americano, which has been a big hit with my customers who come in wanting "Just regular black coffee". I have found that serving…
I only serve Americanos in my shop. When I first opened in November I brewed at least three drip coffees per day and ended up dumping most of it because my customer base wasn't big enough to serve so much coffee and most wanted a latte anyway. Believing that the Americano is a superior cup of coffee in general, I quit brewing the drip and went exclusively to the Americano, which has been a big hit with my customers who come in wanting "Just regular black coffee". I have found that serving Americanos is more efficient and keeps my cost down because I'm buying primarily espresso instead of a wide variety of drip coffees. I'm glad to see someone else has figured this out. Mike,
Although many shops o…tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2011-02-20:1688216:Comment:10369652011-02-20T15:48:51.744ZJohn Phttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/JohnP49
<p>Mike,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Although many shops often pull water for Americano directly off the boiler, it isn't always recommended. Too hot, and if you don't cycle through it regularly, it's sometimes not as "fresh" as other sources.</p>
<p>Machines such as Synesso provide a cold water mix and allow you to adjust the temp of the water, or many places use hot water tower or hot water dispensing pot (Zojirushi for example) to have an always clean supply with an adjustable temp. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Of…</p>
<p>Mike,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Although many shops often pull water for Americano directly off the boiler, it isn't always recommended. Too hot, and if you don't cycle through it regularly, it's sometimes not as "fresh" as other sources.</p>
<p>Machines such as Synesso provide a cold water mix and allow you to adjust the temp of the water, or many places use hot water tower or hot water dispensing pot (Zojirushi for example) to have an always clean supply with an adjustable temp. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Of course you have to start with great espresso, but pulling it into 205F water is not the way to keep it that way. Taste Americanos made with water from different sources and temps, and find what consistently yields the best flavor for you. </p> Mt. Lebanon, 6 miles south of…tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2011-02-20:1688216:Comment:10367032011-02-20T05:03:08.049ZRich Westerfieldhttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/RichWesterfield
Mt. Lebanon, 6 miles south of Pittsburgh.
Mt. Lebanon, 6 miles south of Pittsburgh. Thank you for the detailed re…tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2011-02-20:1688216:Comment:10369252011-02-20T03:47:38.673ZMike Mhttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/MichaelMorand
<p>Thank you for the detailed response Rich! That's really interesting to hear about the evolution of your offerings and figuring out what works when and who you're serving.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>What city is your shop located in?</p>
<p>Thank you for the detailed response Rich! That's really interesting to hear about the evolution of your offerings and figuring out what works when and who you're serving.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>What city is your shop located in?</p> Mike,
All good questions. We'…tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2011-02-20:1688216:Comment:10366912011-02-20T02:08:37.649ZRich Westerfieldhttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/RichWesterfield
<p>Mike,</p>
<p><br></br>All good questions. We've been around 6 years (knock on wood) and think we've finally figured out the dayparts in a way that makes sense to pursue both a pretty good quality model for those who want that as well as a quick in-and-out that's necessary given our location and cost of doing business.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>To give you perspective, we're in the middle of a five block "downtown" in an inner suburb of about 35,000, relatively affluent. Parallel meter parking. A few…</p>
<p>Mike,</p>
<p><br/>All good questions. We've been around 6 years (knock on wood) and think we've finally figured out the dayparts in a way that makes sense to pursue both a pretty good quality model for those who want that as well as a quick in-and-out that's necessary given our location and cost of doing business.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>To give you perspective, we're in the middle of a five block "downtown" in an inner suburb of about 35,000, relatively affluent. Parallel meter parking. A few offices nearby. Most weekday business is foot traffic from within those 5 blocks. On weekends, we draw from a larger base.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It's rare that a weekday morning customer asks for anything other than batch drip. When we used to offer three coffees via batch, we'd have a few who asked what we'd recommend, but 90% of the time it was "whatever is ready" or "whatever is darkest". We had a low success rate of trying to push coffees we really liked over the "safe" blend we offered. After tossing away gallons upon gallons of great single origin coffee, over time we cut back to two batch brews, then just the one, which is now a post-blend of three very good seasonal coffees at three different roast levels and has something for most everyone. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>We brew that blend all day long, so someone who visits both morning and afternoon can still get the drip. There are a handful that opt for Americanos, and they'll do those both in the morning and afternoon.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It's not until the afternoon that we start seeing people ordering press pots and Clevers. And we do a lot of hand brews and a ton of traditional (small) espresso drinks on weekends. We staff accordingly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It's not the kind of coffeehouse that really excites any of us at this point, but in order to do only hand brews and a traditional espresso menu, we'd have to cut the space (and rent) in half and do an extensive remodel of the service area. We have one of the biggest shops in terms of sq ft (1600) and seats (40) of any coffeehouse in the region.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I don't recall exactly what drugs we were on when we thought that was a good idea back in 2004.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hope that answers your questions.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><cite>Mike M said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://www.baristaexchange.com/forum/topics/americanos-vs-drip-coffee?commentId=1688216%3AComment%3A1036504&xg_source=msg_com_forum#1688216Comment1036504"><div><p>Rich, you said you have airpots available in the morning then only americanos in the afternoons?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If that's the case, do you ever get customers who come in in the morning looking for drip, french press, etc. and then come in in the afternoon looking for the sake offering and refuse the americano? Taking the example a step further, do you get customers who try the americano for the first time and then continue purchasing americanos all the time (instead of drip)?</p>
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</blockquote> Brady - Do you recommend doin…tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2011-02-20:1688216:Comment:10367312011-02-20T01:48:46.663ZMike Mhttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/MichaelMorand
Brady - Do you recommend doing anything to alter the espresso, or is it the same shot you'd prepare for every other espresso-based drink?
Brady - Do you recommend doing anything to alter the espresso, or is it the same shot you'd prepare for every other espresso-based drink? These drinks can be so great,…tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2011-02-20:1688216:Comment:10367262011-02-20T01:43:18.043ZBradyhttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/Brady
<p>These drinks can be so great, and are very much worth the time to perfect. Also agreed that they need not be bitter. However, your shots must be GREAT for them to work... just like you were serving a straight espresso, I suppose. No place to hide - garbage in, garbage out...</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The best one I've had was the "long black" at Octane in ATL during SERBC. They were pulling CCC's Peru SO, and served the shots on top in a 5.5oz tulip capp. Saw one served on my second visit of the…</p>
<p>These drinks can be so great, and are very much worth the time to perfect. Also agreed that they need not be bitter. However, your shots must be GREAT for them to work... just like you were serving a straight espresso, I suppose. No place to hide - garbage in, garbage out...</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The best one I've had was the "long black" at Octane in ATL during SERBC. They were pulling CCC's Peru SO, and served the shots on top in a 5.5oz tulip capp. Saw one served on my second visit of the week and proceeded to start every morning with at least one for the rest of the week. But I digress.</p> @ John - great point. Does th…tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2011-02-20:1688216:Comment:10365122011-02-20T01:34:10.720ZMike Mhttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/MichaelMorand
<p>@ John - great point. Does the temperature recommendation vary by the coffee/espresso? My understanding has always been that to make an americano, the barista should pull the water directly from the espresso machine. Where do you get the water from?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Also, I was wondering if anyone changes anything different with their espresso shots before mixing with water and serving?</p>
<p>@ John - great point. Does the temperature recommendation vary by the coffee/espresso? My understanding has always been that to make an americano, the barista should pull the water directly from the espresso machine. Where do you get the water from?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Also, I was wondering if anyone changes anything different with their espresso shots before mixing with water and serving?</p> Mike,
A properly brewed Ameri…tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2011-02-20:1688216:Comment:10365982011-02-20T01:14:28.822ZJohn Phttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/JohnP49
<p>Mike,</p>
<p>A properly brewed Americano will not be bitter, and will be more flavorful than the majority of drip coffee that you will find. The main problem is that many places brew Americanos into too hot of water and then it is both too hot AND bitter. In my experience, It's often more difficult to find a good Americano than it is to find good espresso. Even some of the great shops do a poor Americano because it's really not their priority and so they don't seek to test what they're…</p>
<p>Mike,</p>
<p>A properly brewed Americano will not be bitter, and will be more flavorful than the majority of drip coffee that you will find. The main problem is that many places brew Americanos into too hot of water and then it is both too hot AND bitter. In my experience, It's often more difficult to find a good Americano than it is to find good espresso. Even some of the great shops do a poor Americano because it's really not their priority and so they don't seek to test what they're doing. They assume "great espresso... great Americano" Not always the case. As anything else, follow the flavor, adjust temp and technique accordingly.</p> Rich, you said you have airpo…tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2011-02-20:1688216:Comment:10365042011-02-20T00:41:57.809ZMike Mhttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/MichaelMorand
<p>Rich, you said you have airpots available in the morning then only americanos in the afternoons?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If that's the case, do you ever get customers who come in in the morning looking for drip, french press, etc. and then come in in the afternoon looking for the sake offering and refuse the americano? Taking the example a step further, do you get customers who try the americano for the first time and then continue purchasing americanos all the time (instead of…</p>
<p>Rich, you said you have airpots available in the morning then only americanos in the afternoons?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If that's the case, do you ever get customers who come in in the morning looking for drip, french press, etc. and then come in in the afternoon looking for the sake offering and refuse the americano? Taking the example a step further, do you get customers who try the americano for the first time and then continue purchasing americanos all the time (instead of drip)?</p>
<p> </p>
<p><cite>Rich Westerfield said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://www.baristaexchange.com/forum/topics/americanos-vs-drip-coffee?xg_source=activity#1688216Comment1026544"><div><p>Don't know what kind of clientele you're figuring on, but will suggest that for us - in a business district in an inner suburb - it's two different audiences (and a third on weekends that's much more relaxed). The weekday morning people are the only ones who seem to have a sensitive for how much time it'll take to get the cup in their hands. We wouldn't worry too much about brew time on the weekends or afternoon dayparts.</p>
<p>For us, doing decaf Americanos in the afternoon was a no-brainer. We stop brewing airpots of decaf around 11am. It's been a problem once in the 2+ years since we started doing that. </p>
<p>However, since we roast our own and specialize in upper-specialty grade beans for drip (albeit still doing airpots in the mornings), the difference in any given coffee in our lineup brewed as drip vs. Americano is huge. The SO Americanos never win out on taste. If we were using coffees that were a bit sketchier or more darkly roasted, the comparisons might be more favorable toward Americanos. So in our opinion, it depends on what kind of coffees you're planning on offering.</p>
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