Classic Coffee Drinks
Home-Style Lungo
Quick answer
This recipe uses more water through the coffee bed than the espresso version. Stop near the listed yield rather than allowing the machine to run indefinitely. A longer shot can taste less concentrated, but extending extraction without adjusting the grind may also bring out harsher flavors.
Key takeaways
- This recipe uses more water through the coffee bed than the espresso version.
- If the finish is dry or bitter, try stopping at the recipe ’s yield and adjust the grind gradually on the next attempt.
- A lungo lets more water pass through the coffee puck.
Ingredients
- 18 g finely ground coffee
- enough brewing water to produce approximately 55–60 g coffee.
Method
- Extract a longer shot than espresso, using a grind adjusted for the larger yield; do not simply run an unchanged espresso indefinitely.
- On an automatic machine, use its lungo setting.
Troubleshooting a bitter lungo
If the finish is dry or bitter, try stopping at the recipe’s yield and adjust the grind gradually on the next attempt. If it tastes thin or sharply sour, check the grind and dose before increasing the yield again. Make one change at a time.
An automatic machine’s lungo setting may use a different dose and volume, so follow its instructions and treat the result as its own recipe. Compare the drink with classic espresso or the shorter double ristretto.
How a lungo differs from an Americano
A lungo lets more water pass through the coffee puck. An Americano adds hot water to an espresso after extraction. The recipes can have similar serving sizes, but the brewing path differs and can change the flavor. Do not lengthen a shot indefinitely to fill a mug; use brewed coffee or an Americano if you want a much larger drink.
Pay attention to the finish
A longer extraction can taste more bitter or dry if the coffee and grind are not suited to it. Taste the shot and stop at the listed yield rather than judging by volume in the cup. If an automatic machine’s lungo setting tastes too strong, check whether its instructions let you adjust the water amount.
For the concentrated starting point, make a classic espresso; for a shorter yield, try a double ristretto.
Automatic machines may label a setting “lungo,” but the programmed dose, yield, and stop point vary. Taste the machine’s version before comparing it with a portafilter recipe. If you change a setting, note the new yield so you can return to the cup you preferred.
A tip for serving
Stop at the suggested yield and taste. Running ever more water through the same grounds is not a reliable way to make a smoother, larger cup.