Not sure if this should go in Tips or Brewing....as it's regarding making an espresso...take make coffee.

I'm curious if any/many brew a shot of espresso to make a mug of coffee to go?

I'd been using a french press to make my 'to go' coffee. Been getting tired of the slightly muddy taste. I'd ordered an EsPRO, but shipped the wrong size and returned it. Have not reordered.

So when I leave for work, I brew a double shot of espresso, pour it in my vacuum mug, add 10-12 oz of hot water to make a coffee to go.

It's good...better than the press coffee. Not 'great'.

Any others do this and if so any tips?

Espresso + hot water = Americano. Very common type of cup of coffee. A great Americano takes great coffee, great shot and good water.

My typical routine is making a double for a large cappuccino to go, get out of bed, flip the switch and grab a shower, by the time I'm ready the temp of the faemina is ok.

I guess my first drink of the morning is maybe more of a traditional Americano?...a double shot + about the same volume of hot water. Maybe it is the newcomer in me just needing to dilute my shot a bit for my taste.

When I fix the 2nd (or 3rd...bzzz) double for my travel mug, I'm adding a lot more water...10-12 oz.

An extremely similar drink is the long black. Instead of adding the water to the espresso, drop the espresso into the water. I find it preserves the aroma and texture of the crema, at least for a while. I prefer it to the Americano though, like I mentioned, they're very similar. I make these all the time... A triple espresso and as much water as I feel like (probably 7 oz or so).

I like Americanos, not as a substitute for brewed coffee, because, well its not.. but simply as another drink to enjoy from the coffee bean. What I mean about the substitute is, when I want a brewed cup, thats what I want. Probably down to the coffee I drink as brewed and as espresso. If I want brewed, I want a lot of sweet fruit and plenty of acidity. But in espresso, I want heavy body, a thick rich molten goop of chocolate/caramel/spice etc, maybe a little fruit. So an Americano in my world, is a thinner but longer lasting, chocolately heavy bodied extravaganza.


I personally always make mine by pulling the espresso into the cup of hot water. Thats how I read Mark Prince describe how to make an Americano in my very early days of learning about espresso, so, to ME.. THAT is Americano.

Definitely a tasty drink, and if you drink very similar types of coffee for both brewed and espresso, it might be a worthwhile substitute.