Lungo

Lungo means “long” in Italian. It is an espresso pulled to a larger yield by letting more water pass through the same dose, producing a bigger, more diluted cup. Where a standard shot is roughly a 1:2 ratio, a lungo runs longer, often around 1:3 to 1:4, so a 18 g dose might yield 50 to 70 g of liquid.

Why it matters: extending the shot pulls more from the puck, including the later compounds that tend toward bitterness and astringency. A lungo therefore tastes lighter in body but can also taste more bitter or hollow than a normal shot if the grind is not adjusted. The thinner crema reflects the extra water.

A lungo is not the same as an americano. The lungo runs water through the coffee for the whole pull, so the extra liquid is extracted; an americano is a normal shot diluted afterward with hot water. Its short, concentrated opposite is the ristretto. Lungos are common from capsule machines, where the long pull masks a fixed grind.