An americano is one or two shots of espresso diluted with hot water, while drip coffee uses a different brewing method to produce a longer but less intense cup. They look nearly identical, but an americano has a heavier body, while drip coffee tastes smoother and milder.

Key Takeaways

• Pressure brewing gives an americano a richer mouthfeel, while paper filters give drip coffee a cleaner finish.
• Caffeine depends on the serving size. A large drip coffee can contain more caffeine than an americano.
• Choose an americano if you prefer espresso flavor in a larger cup. Choose drip coffee if you want an easy-drinking coffee for everyday sipping.
• Plain americanos and drip coffees are both very low in calories. Most calories come from milk, cream, sugar, or flavored syrups.

What Is an Americano?

An americano is an espresso-based drink. It’s made with one or two shots of espresso and diluted with hot water. The drink originated in Italy during World War II, when American soldiers added hot water to espresso to create a coffee that tasted more like the drip coffee they were used to.

Here you can learn more about what an americano coffee is, its history, and different variations.

What Is Drip Coffee?

Drip coffee is brewed by pouring hot water over ground coffee. The water passes through the grounds and a paper or metal filter before dripping into a carafe or cup. Unlike an americano, drip coffee doesn’t use espresso as its base.

The slower brewing process produces a smoother cup with more subtle flavors. The exact taste depends on the coffee beans, grind size, filter, and brewing method. Most automatic coffee makers brew drip coffee, but you can also make it by hand with a pour-over brewer.

Read Next: Drip vs Espresso

Americano vs Drip Coffee: The Key Differences

Americano and drip coffee differ in how they’re brewed, how they taste, and the type of coffee drinker they’re best suited for.

 

Aspect	Americano	Drip Coffee
How it’s made	1-2 espresso shots + hot water	Hot water drips through a filter by gravity
Brew time	Under 1 minute	4-6 minutes
Caffeine (typical cup)	63 mg to 126 mg (1 shot / 2 shots)	95-200 mg per 8 oz
Body and texture	Richer and fuller	Lighter and smoother
Taste	Bold, with a strong espresso flavor	Smooth, with more of the coffee beans’ natural flavor
Best for	If you enjoy espresso but want a larger cup	If you prefer an easy-drinking everyday coffee

Does an Americano Taste Like Drip Coffee?

Not exactly. Both are black coffee drinks, and they can look almost identical, but an americano has a richer texture and a more pronounced espresso flavor. Drip coffee, also known as regular coffee, tastes smoother and highlights more of the coffee beans’ natural flavors.

The biggest difference comes from brewing. Espresso is brewed under high pressure, while drip coffee relies on gravity. Pressure extracts more oils from the coffee, so an americano has a fuller body than drip coffee.

An americano also keeps much of the crema and natural oils from the espresso. Paper filters used for most drip coffee trap many of those oils, which gives drip coffee a cleaner, lighter mouthfeel.

The roast also plays a role. Americanos are often made with medium-dark or dark espresso roasts, which bring out chocolatey, nutty, and caramel-like flavors. Drip coffee is available in a much wider range of roast levels, so the flavor can vary from bright and fruity to rich and bold depending on the beans you choose.

Which Has More Caffeine, an Americano or Drip Coffee?

Drip coffee usually has slightly more caffeine than an americano of the same size, but the difference isn’t dramatic.

An 8-ounce cup of drip coffee contains about 96 mg of caffeine. A single shot of espresso contains about 63 mg, so a double-shot americano has around 126 mg. If you compare an 8-ounce drip coffee with a double-shot americano, the americano often has more caffeine. 

However, the caffeine content of drip coffee depends on the beans, blend, and grind size. For that reason, a cup of drip coffee can contain much more caffeine, sometimes up to 200 mg.

What Affects the Caffeine Content of Drip Coffee?

Several factors affect how much caffeine ends up in a cup of drip coffee. The biggest ones are the type of coffee beans, the coffee-to-water ratio, the grind size, and the serving size.

For example, robusta beans naturally contain more caffeine than arabica beans. Using more ground coffee to brew a stronger pot also increases the caffeine content. A larger cup will usually contain more caffeine than a smaller one because more water passes through more coffee grounds.

That’s why one cup of drip coffee may contain around 95 mg of caffeine, while another can have 200 mg or more.

Which One Should You Order?

Choose an americano if you enjoy the bold flavor of espresso but want a larger cup that you can sip a little longer.

Go with drip coffee if you want a smooth, easy-drinking cup for your morning routine or if you like tasting the coffee beans’ natural flavors.

If caffeine is your priority, check the serving size instead of the drink name. A large drip coffee often contains more caffeine than an americano, while a double-shot americano can have more caffeine than a small cup of drip coffee.

FAQ

How many calories are in an americano vs drip coffee?

Both americano and drip coffee should have 0 calories when prepared and served plain. But if you add sugar, milk, cream or flavored syrups, calories will increase accordingly. 

What is drip coffee with steamed milk called?

Drip coffee mixed with steamed milk is called a café au lait. It has a creamier texture than black coffee, but it doesn’t use espresso like a latte. Learn more here about what a café au lait is.

What’s the difference between an americano and a long black?

An americano and a long black use the same ingredients, espresso and hot water. The difference is the order they’re poured. An americano adds hot water after the espresso, while a long black pours espresso over hot water. That helps preserve more of the crema, so a long black often tastes slightly richer and more intense.