Americano Coffee with Milk: Recipe and Tips

Looking for an Americano coffee with milk recipe to enjoy at home but you have no idea what you need and how to start? Don’t worry, you have just found the right place.

Instead of driving every day to the coffee shop, making your own coffee at home has a lot of advantages as it will save you money, time, and energy. However, sometimes we get confused about what coffee drinks we should make and how to make them, especially with all these different coffee terms that can be in different languages sometimes.

If you are a coffee lover who frequents Starbucks a lot or if you love trying different coffee drinks and recipes every time, then you must have heard of the popular Americano coffee with milk.

In our article, you will find everything you have been wondering about, what is this coffee drink, its origin, nutritional value, and how can you make one at home easily.

What Is Americano Coffee with Milk?

A traditional Americano coffee drink, also called Caffé Americano, is a simple espresso-based drink that is made by mixing espresso and hot water. ‘Caffè Americano’ is an Italian term that means American coffee.

Mixing espresso with water results in a smooth and light coffee drink that can be served hot, or iced. And unlike other espresso-based drinks such as macchiato, white mocha, latte, or cappuccino, original Americano does not contain milk what makes it less heavy.

Americano coffee is originated in the United States, and according to the myth, the first Americano drink ever was invented by two American soldiers during world war II. The two soldiers did not like the taste of Italian strong espresso, so they tried to make it lighter by adding hot water to it, and that how the first Americano drink was made.

Usually, people can’t tell the difference between Americano and drip coffee. but the truth is, Americano is different from drip coffee the same way espresso is different from drip coffee. they are prepared in different ways with different coffee machines and drip or black coffee is a bit stronger than americano. Plus, Americanos contain less caffeine than regular drip coffee drinks.

Americano coffee with milk is similar to a regular Americano but it is prepared with some added frothed milk on top. By adding some milk to your Americano, you will still get that rich watered espresso but with less bitterness.

AMERICANO COFFEE WITH MILK VS LATTE

Many people think that if they add some milk to their Americano drink, they will get a latte, but that is not the case! Both drinks taste good but they are not the same drink.

Lattes have a creamy body and contain a lot of milk with that sometimes you can’t feel the flavor of the coffee. on the other hand, when adding milk to your Americano, you get to choose how much to add according to your preferences.

In addition, the milk you add to your Americano is usually not foamed so you won’t get those bubbles on top of your drink.

In brief, adding a little milk to your Americano won’t turn it into a latte as they don’t taste the same. A latte is quite smooth and a little sweet, even without adding sugar while an Americano with milk has a much more robust flavor with some bitterness.

How to Make Americano Coffee with Milk at Home?

People tend to add milk to their Americanos because they find them very bitter especially without sugar or sweeteners. And since you can choose how much milk to add, an Americano with milk will be stronger than a Latte drink that is mostly milk.

Nothing is wrong with adding some milk to your Americano drink since many people can add a splash of milk or cream to their coffee.

An americano coffee in general is one of the easiest espresso-based drinks to make at home and Americano coffee with milk is just about adding some steamed milk so nothing to worry about, the process is super easy and quick. But before you start making your Americano coffee with milk, there are some factors you need to consider:

First, start by choosing your coffee beans carefully because the right coffee beans can make a huge difference in the quality and taste of your cup, that is why it is recommended to use fresh coffee grounds immediately after grinding.

Next, make sure you have everything you need before you start, for this Americano coffee with milk you will need fresh espresso coffee beans (medium-dark to dark roast), boiling water, a kitchen scale for measuring your coffee beans, a coffee grinder (preferably a burr grinder), an espresso maker, a tamper to pack the coffee grounds, steamed milk, a coffee mug, and sugar.

You can either use an espresso machine or a Nespresso one and use your favorite pod to make coffee easily. You can also grab one or two shots of pre-made espresso from your local coffee shop. And although this Americano drink needs only a few ingredients to make, you can still customize your cup and add your personal touch to it.

After taking all these things into consideration, you are now ready to make your first Americano coffee with milk at home! It is super easy to learn how to make this one, just follow these simple steps below:

STEP 1 : GRIND YOUR COFFEE BEANS EXTRA FINE

Grinding your coffee beans right before brewing will get you the freshest cup possible. Start by measuring out the exact amount of your coffee beans using your kitchen scale. It is up to you to choose the right quantity depending on whether you prefer making a single, double or triple shot of espresso. Then, use your burr grinder to grind your beans until you get a fine powder.

STEP 2 : PREPARE YOUR ESPRESSO SHOTS

If you own an automatic espresso maker, it will be much easier to make your shots, but if not, you will need some manual work. Start by placing your ground coffee into the clean and dry portafilter then use your tamper to pack it gently. Next, pull your espresso shot according to the settings of your machine and pour it into your favorite coffee mug. Just make sure you turn your espresso maker earlier because it might take some time to heat.

STEP 3 : MIX YOUR BOILING WATER AND ESPRESSO SHOTS

Usually, the amount of water we use is double the amount of espresso but it is up to you to decide how much water to add depending on how strong you prefer your Americano coffee.

After heating your water, you can either pour it over your espresso or pour it into another cup and then add your espresso, just make sure you don’t stir to get a smooth cup with a creamy foam on top.

STEP 4 : STREAM YOUR MILK

Grab your fresh milk and heat it to scalding (150°) then place it in a tall cup or container and then submerge your milk frother to the bottom and start moving it up and down for 20 seconds until you get foamy bubbles.

STEP 5 : ADD YOUR MILK AND SWEETEN THINGS UP

Adding hot water t your espresso helps in reducing its bitterness, but for some people, it is still not enough. Therefore, you can always add some steamed milk for a creamier flavor.

You can also add other variations of sweeteners like sugar, cinnamon, caramel, vanilla, honey, syrup, cold coffee creamer, or anything you prefer and enjoy your perfectly brewed Americano with milk.

AMERICANO COFFEE WITH MILK RECIPE

Making your Americano coffee with milk at home is super easy and requires no special skills at all just follow this simple method!

For the ingredients, you will simply need:

Fresh espresso coffee beans.
Boiling water.
Fresh milk.
Your favorite coffee sweetener.

For the equipment, you will need:

Kitchen scale for measuring.
Burr coffee grinder.
Espresso machine.
Milk frother.
A coffee mug.

And for the instructions:

Start by finely grinding your coffee beans for your espresso.
Prepare your espresso shots using your espresso maker.
Combine your boiling water and espresso.
Steam your milk using your milk frother.
Add your milk and your favorite coffee sweetener to your mug.
Enjoy your first homemade Americano coffee with milk ever!

Is Americano Coffee with Milk a Healthy Drink?

An Americano coffee typically is made of a single or double shot of espresso that is watered down with boiling water on top. Instead of the black, burned, and bitter taste of regular espresso, this mixture results in a richer and smoother flavor and texture that is even better if you add some steamed milk and a coffee sweetener.

Generally speaking, coffee is considered as a natural detox that helps cleaning your system and ease digestion as well. In addition, coffee can also lose weight and keep energized and improve your physical performance throughout the day.

Adding milk to your Americano coffee doesn’t only make it creamy and delicious, but it is also beneficial for your health since milk is considered a good source of calcium, protein, and beneficial nutrients that can help you safely gain weight and build strength.

Just make sure you avoid artificial coffee sweeteners because they are harmful to your health and can make you gain weight easily and substitute them with natural sweeteners like cinnamon, honey, or vanilla.

Final Thoughts

To sum up, a regular Americano coffee is a perfect coffee drink to consume every day whether you prefer it first thing in the morning or to help you digest a heavy meal.

And if you don’t like driving to the coffee shop every time, this coffee beverage is also super easy to prepare at home in no time without the need for any special equipment just give it a try.

You also have the chance to play around and customize your homemade Americano by adding some steamed milk for a richer and creamier drink, or you may also add some sweeteners such as sugar, honey, cinnamon, vanilla, or whatever you prefer. You can also enjoy your Americano hot or iced just the way you like it.