Have you ever wondered the difference between a latte and a flat white? Do you know the difference between a short and a long coffee? It’s not just you; some of the confusion stems from different countries referring to the same coffee under different names worldwide. The primary distinction between short black and long coffee is that short black is simply an espresso shot with no water added, and long black is created by layering two shots of espresso on top of the water. Short black and long black are excellent choices if you want strong coffee. The amount of water, crema on top, and flavor of short and long coffee vary.

What Is Long Coffee?

What’s A Lungo?

A lungo coffee drink, a long espresso shot, is traditionally made for nearly twice as long as a normal shot. A lungo is brewed for a minute if an average shot of espresso is made for 30 seconds. This might result in an over-extracted, slightly bitter shot when done wrong. To avoid this, we recommend using a slightly coarser grind than espresso. Because the extracted espresso-to-ground coffee ratio is greater, the flavor of a lungo is less intense than that of an espresso – similar to a long black.

What Is Short Black Coffee?

Short black coffee is an espresso shot with no additional water other than the water needed to prepare the coffee. We call it “short” because we don’t add more water; “black” refers to the color of the coffee because no milk is added. Since short black coffee is not diluted, it has a rich golden crema on top and a strong taste. A short black coffee is typically a 25-30ml espresso machine extraction of coffee beans ground finely. You can sip a short black directly from the machine because it is essentially a shot of espresso. They are often served in demitasse cups (half cups with 60-90ml) or small ceramic cups with handles.

Similarities Between Short Black and Long Coffee

Espresso shots are used to make short and long coffee.

These are black coffees with no milk added.

Both have a strong flavor and scent and a thick crema on top.

Difference Between Short Black and Long Coffee

Definition

Short black coffee is merely an espresso shot with no water added, whereas long coffee is a strong-flavored coffee similar to Americano.

Water

While short black coffee contains no extra water other than the water needed to prepare the coffee, long coffee contains 120-180mls of water.

Serving

Short black coffee is often served in a demitasse cup, whereas long coffee is served in larger cups or mugs.

Few people know how to prepare long coffee properly.

The proper way is to prepare regular espresso coffee and serve it in a cup with hot water on the side (or cold, depending on taste). This preserves the drink’s inherent scents and the proper taste and aroma balance. Caffeine content is therefore raised exclusively by increasing the extraction time, not by adding water to the cup. This coffee type is the most extensively eaten worldwide and is regarded as the standard.

How to prepare long or short coffee at home?

These differences pertain to espresso coffee, which is often prepared with professional machines seen in bars, even if this is no longer the case: thanks to espresso lever machines, you can create a great espresso coffee at home, exactly like in a bar. It allows you to experience the best espresso directly at home, for your pleasure or that of your visitors, with a machine that beautifies your kitchen.

Conclusion

The difference between short-black and long-black coffee is determined by the amount of water used, crema on top, and flavor. Short black coffee is merely one espresso shot with no water added, whereas long coffee is prepared by layering two espresso shots on top of the water.