What Is a Lungo? The Long Espresso Explained

The extra 15–30 seconds pulls later, harsher compounds into the cup, trading sweetness and body for volume. A ristretto goes the other way: shorter, sweeter, thicker. The standard double it is measured against is a doppio.

A lungo is a long espresso, made with roughly twice as much water as a standard shot. Water keeps flowing after the sweet, balanced part of the shot has finished, so later extraction brings out bitter, drying compounds. That is why a lungo can taste harsher than an espresso, and why it needs a coarser grind to avoid choking.

Because the shot runs longer, the grind is typically set a touch coarser, and a medium or medium-dark roast stands up better than a light roast.

Crema is thinner and fades faster, and the mouthfeel is closer to strong drip than espresso.

Caffeine keeps dissolving as water passes through, so the total is higher even though the lungo tastes milder. Flavor intensity and caffeine are different things. Our caffeine calculator adds up a day of drinks.

Most people who think they want a lungo prefer an americano once they try both. See how to make an americano and americano vs espresso.

A long black is a normal espresso poured on top of hot water, common in Australia and New Zealand. A lungo is a single shot where more water passes through the coffee itself. They can end up a similar size, but they taste different.

Because the long black uses a normal shot, it keeps the sweetness and body of espresso and simply dilutes it, and pouring the shot on top keeps more of the crema. A lungo extracts further, so it picks up more of the drier, more bitter compounds from the later part of the shot.

• Choose a lungo if you want a longer single extraction and enjoy a drier, more bitter edge.
• Choose a long black if you want espresso flavour in a bigger cup with less bitterness.
• Choose an americano if you want a larger drink; it is the same idea as a long black with the water added after the shot.

See how to make an americano and americano vs espresso for the diluted-espresso options.

A lungo and an americano can be similar in size, but they taste different. A lungo runs all the water through the coffee, extracting more of the later, more bitter compounds. An americano adds water after a normal shot, so it tastes smoother. If you find lungos harsh, try an americano instead. Our Americano vs espresso guide explains the difference.

If the lungo tastes thin and the americano flat to you, alternative espresso drinks covers the other options, and espresso vs coffee explains why a long shot never quite tastes like drip.

Capsules made for lungo volumes, such as Fortissio Lungo and Vivalto Lungo (Original) or Gran Lungo (Vertuo), taste better at that volume than espresso capsules. Nespresso Vertuo vs Original explains the two systems. Small Original machines such as the Nespresso Essenza Mini have a dedicated lungo button.

1. 1

   Dose. 17–18g and grind 1–2 steps finer than your standard espresso setting.

2. 2

   Pull. At 93–95°C (199–203°F) and 9 bar.

3. 3

   Stop. At about 60g (roughly 1:3.3) after 45–60 seconds.45–60 seconds

Why finer? At the standard grind, resistance drops after about 30 seconds as channels open, so a long pull comes out sour and thin. Some baristas prefer coarser, so treat this as a starting point.

Whichever way you adjust the grind, change one thing at a time and stop the shot by weight. Simply letting a normal espresso run longer without any change usually over-extracts the coffee and tastes bitter and hollow. Lighter roasts often suit lungos better than dark roasts, which turn bitter quickly when extracted further.

• Use a scale to measure yield, not just time; see how to dial in espresso.
• Coarsen the grind slightly to prevent over-extraction.
• Try an americano or a ratio of 1:3 if the lungo tastes harsh; hot water added after the shot avoids over-extraction. See americano vs espresso.
• Even puck prep, such as WDT and a puck screen, keeps flow uniform, so the long shot does not channel.
• Fresh, medium-dark beans work best; very light roasts taste sour.

A lungo suits people who find espresso too intense and short but still want something made entirely in the espresso machine. It is also common on capsule machines, where a lungo button runs more water through a capsule designed for it. Using a lungo capsule rather than an espresso capsule on the lungo setting gives a better result, because lungo capsules are designed to extract evenly with more water.

If you mostly drink lungos, consider whether a filter brewer would suit you better; pour-over and drip coffee give a larger, cleaner cup without the bitterness of a long espresso extraction.