The Little Coffee Company: “Awesome Americanos”

When you need a caffeinated wake up call, but you’re not in the comfort of your own home with your Nespresso machine, and you need a more socially acceptable version of slapping yourself in the face, then go for an Americano.

Not only is it the easiest coffee to pronounce, it also has the stimulating benefits of an Espresso but without the stigma, so your cup of black gold won’t look poncey next to your drinking buddy’s Latte.

An Americano and a Long Black are essentially the same thing. It’s all about adding espresso shots to hot water. Imagine an elongated Espresso, and there’s your Americano.

If your Americano arrives without an unbroken crema on top, it’s probably not going to taste very nice. This might happen if the hot water has been added after the espresso shots, which will destroy the crema and result in a burnt flavour. Alternatively, the espresso machine might not have enough pressure to create the crema in the first place. Either way, no crema = no thank you.

If you’d like to add milk, most places will offer you a little jug on the side for you to do the honours yourself. After all, we might not agree as to exactly how much milk constitutes a dash.

Its name is simple, its quality is easy to judge, it’s relatively customisable compared to its milky counterparts and it’s available everywhere … what’s not to like? Venture out of your comfort zone and discover the joys of an Americano in Brighton.

– Philippa Kelly (Director), The Little Coffee Company, Brighton