If you are wondering what a Long Black Coffee is, what it has to do with New Zealand and how it compares to an Americano then read on.
What is a long Black Coffee
A long black coffee is an espresso based coffee drink. It is made by first pouring hot water into the cup and then pouring the espresso over the hot water. By doing this the coffee maintains a stronger and longer lasting aroma. Additionally, the crema (the reddish froth on top) tends to last longer with a long black coffee.
What is the difference between a Long Black and an Americano
So, you may be wondering what is the difference between a Long Black Coffee and an Americano.
An Americano is prepared by adding hot water to one or two shots of espresso. In contrast, a Long Black Coffee is made by pouring a shot or two of espresso over hot water.
Therefore the difference between an Americano and a Long Black is the order of the ingredients in the coffee.
Who invented the Long Black Coffee
While the long black coffee is often associated with New Zealand is was actually invented by the Italians.
This isn’t really a surprise as the Italians are masters of the espresso which is the key to a good long black.
The story behind the Long Black Coffee is that the Italians started to make it for visiting Americans who would often order large black coffees and didn’t like the taste of the normal espresso drunk by every Italian.
Therefore, to start to make their American visitors feel welcome the Italian Barristers started making a large, or long (hence the name), espresso where they would fill a cappuccino cup with hot water and then pour over an espresso.
For more information on the fascinating origins of the Long Black Coffee then take a look at these two websites that were helpful to me in writing this post:
What does a Long Black Coffee Taste Like
Recently, I had the pleasure of a Father’s Day breakfast at the South Downs Social in Winchester and here I had my first taste of a Long Black Coffee having spotted it on the drinks menu.
The taste was as expected and delicious. It was a very intense flavour and wonderfully powerful coffee aroma that was maintained from the first sip to the last drop. It was very strong and if you like to really taste your coffee then I would recommend having a Long Black.
Also, if you are ever lucky enough to find yourself in the South Down Social for breakfast then I can also recommend their four rasher bacon sandwich.
Would I recommend a Long Black Coffee
If you like your coffee black and strong then I would recommend trying a long black coffee. However, if you like coffee but prefer a more mild and sweet variation then give it a miss.
Making a long black coffee
If you are looking to make a long black coffee at home then check out these two videos.
The first is a very quick summary of what to do and the second is a very in depth video on how to make a long black coffee.
More Coffee
If you are looking for further travel and food inspiration linked to coffee then check out these coffee related posts.