One of the biggest misunderstandings in the world of coffee concerns what is called American coffee.
Although in Italy the terms "American coffee" and "filter coffee" are used synonymously to indicate the longer coffee than Espresso, they actually indicate two different ways of preparing coffee.
American coffee means an Espresso to which boiling water is added. This has historically been the way in which Italian bars, not equipped with suitable machines to prepare filtered coffee, have tried to satisfy the tastes of foreign tourists by dampening the strength of the classic Italian coffee.
Filter coffee is the coffee obtained by percolation and prepared with the special machines that we usually see in films and TV series. The operation is simple: inside the machine, the boiling water passes through the coffee contained in a paper filter, the drink thus extracted is collected thanks to the force of gravity inside a jug below.
The differences between American coffee and filter coffee are substantial. Let's go together into details.
For American coffee, starting from an Espresso basis, a full-bodied and round blend will be needed, therefore a blend of Arabica and Robusta origins. On the contrary, for filter coffee, a 100% Arabica blend must be used. Percolation, in fact, is a method that enhances the fruity and floral notes that characterize pure Arabica.
The roasting will be darker for American coffee, to enhance the classic characteristics of Espresso. On the contrary, for filter coffee based on pure Arabica, a medium-light roast will be required, which enhances the delicate notes of these coffees.
Each extraction method has its own type of grind. The coffee that will be used to prepare the Espresso will have a fine grind, while the one for filter coffee a bigger one, to allow the water to pass through the coffee slowly and extract its finest notes.
As we said before, American coffee is prepared starting from an Espresso and adding boiling water, while filter coffee is prepared using the special automatic machines that use the filter method.
It may happen that on the surface of the American coffee appears a little cream, typical of Espresso, and this retains its strong taste even if dampened by the use of wather. In American coffee, however, there is no cream, the color will be lighter and the drink will look more like an infusion or tea, with a balanced and elegant flavor.
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