Long Black Coffee: What It Is, How to Make It, and Why It's Better Than an Americano

Long black coffee is one of the best black coffee drinks most Americans have never heard of. Ask for a long black at any café in Australia or New Zealand and you’ll get something that looks like an Americano but drinks completely differently — with a thick crema layer, a fuller body, and a more concentrated espresso flavor.

The secret is in the pour. Everything else is the same two ingredients: espresso and hot water.

What Is Long Black Coffee?

A long black is a double ristretto or double espresso poured over a small volume of hot water. The water goes in the cup first, then the espresso is pulled directly on top. This preserves the crema — the golden, aromatic layer that forms during extraction — instead of destroying it by pouring espresso into water (which is how an Americano is made).

The result: a 4–5 oz (120–150ml) drink with a rich crema cap, a dense body, and a bold espresso flavor that hasn’t been diluted down to an 8-oz Americano.

Long black is the standard black coffee in Australasian café culture, where it emerged alongside the flat white in the 1980s. While the US went bigger (grande Americanos, 12-oz drip), Australia went more concentrated — and the long black became the benchmark for what a good black coffee should taste like.

Long Black vs. Americano: The Key Difference

The pour order matters more than it seems. Crema is made of CO₂ bubbles and coffee oils — it’s fragile. When you add espresso into water (Americano-style), the force of the pour and the mixing action destroys it. When you pour espresso over water, it floats gently on top. That crema is where a lot of the aromatic complexity lives.

A long black is also significantly smaller. If you’re used to Americanos, the size can feel like a shot glass at first — but you’re getting the same espresso in a smaller volume, so the flavor is more forward.

How to Make a Long Black at Home

You need an espresso machine and a double basket. No machine? See the shortcuts section below.

What you need:

• 60–80ml (2–2.7 oz) hot water, freshly boiled and rested 30 seconds (off-boil, ~93°C / 200°F)
• 18–20g ground coffee for a double shot
• An espresso machine or portafilter

Method:

1. Heat your cup. Pour a small amount of hot water into your cup and swirl — discard this water. A cold cup kills crema fast.
2. Add hot water to the cup. Pour 60–80ml of hot water into the warmed cup. Do this before you pull your shot.
3. Pull a double ristretto or double espresso. Aim for 36–45g of espresso liquid in 25–30 seconds for a double shot, or 30–36g in 20–25 seconds for a double ristretto (more concentrated, sweeter).
4. Pour espresso gently over the water. Hold the portafilter low and let the espresso flow directly into the cup. Don’t pour from height.
5. Don’t stir. Sip through the crema layer. The drink is meant to be drunk as-is — the crema mixes naturally as you drink.

Serve immediately. Crema degrades within 2–3 minutes of pulling the shot.

Long Black Ratio Guide

The ratio affects intensity and body. Most Australasian cafés use a 1:1 ratio of espresso to water, giving a concentrated, bold cup. Home brewers can adjust to taste.

For reference, a standard double espresso is 36–45g (roughly 36–45ml). A double ristretto is 30–36g. Use whichever you prefer — ristretto gives a sweeter, less bitter result.

Grind Size for Long Black

Your grind should be dialed in for espresso: fine, like table salt. The goal is 25–30 seconds for a double espresso extraction pulling 36–45g of liquid.

→ See our full espresso grind size guide for dialing in.

Long Black Variations

Iced Long Black Add ice to your cup, pour 60ml cold (or room temp) water over it, pull a double ristretto directly onto the water and ice. The ice chills the espresso instantly. More crema will melt into the ice, but you’ll still get better flavor than iced Americano from a machine that added water after.

Macchiato-Style Long Black Add a teaspoon of cold or lightly steamed milk on top of the crema. This is the midpoint between long black and a cortado — popular in Sydney’s specialty café scene.

Double Long Black Pull 4 shots (or 2 double ristrettos) into 80–100ml water. Intense, for serious espresso drinkers or very dark days.

Long Black With Milk on the Side A popular café option — you get a long black and a small pitcher of cold milk to add yourself. This lets you control the ratio exactly, and it’s how Australians often order when they want “something between black and white.”

Making a Long Black Without an Espresso Machine

You won’t get true crema without a pressurized extraction, but you can approximate the flavor profile:

Moka pot method: Brew a strong moka pot (use finely ground coffee, fill to the top of the basket, don’t overfill water). Pour hot water into your cup first (about 60ml), then carefully pour the moka pot output over it. The brew is more bitter than espresso but delivers concentration and body.

AeroPress method: Use the inverted AeroPress method with a fine grind and minimal water (1:3 ratio, about 60g water for 20g coffee). Brew for 90 seconds, press slowly. Pour this over 40–50ml of hot water. You’ll get a concentrated, espresso-adjacent result without true crema.

→ See our AeroPress guide for the full recipe.

Where to Order a Long Black in the US

Long black isn’t widely listed at American chains, but specialty coffee shops — especially Australian-inspired ones — often have it. If it’s not on the menu, you can order it by explaining: “A double espresso pulled over hot water — water in the cup first.” Any good barista will know what you mean.

In Australia and New Zealand, it’s on every café menu alongside the flat white and cappuccino. If you ever visit, try the local café version — Australasian espresso culture is world-class.

Long Black vs. Flat White

These are the two standard Australasian café orders — black coffee or coffee with milk:

→ See our flat white guide for the full recipe.

Frequently Asked Questions