What Is Gran Lungo? The Ultimate Guide [Must Read]

Gran Lungo by Nespresso is an answer to the demand for a Lungo substitute. This drink weighs more than 5 ounces, which is more than twice as much as a standard lungo, which weighs 2 ounces. But, how to make Gran Lungo? What does it taste like?

You might be wondering why Nespresso wouldn’t simply produce a Lungo size. The history of Americano coffee may hold the key to the answer.

Because it is less bitter and watery than espresso or even lungo, pour-over coffee has long been a favorite in America. We used to favor larger coffee cups over smaller but better ones.

For a more thorough explanation of what gran lungo is, continue reading.

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Gran Lungo Nespress: What Is It?

Here is a short explanation of what Gran Lungo Nespress is for those who are curious. The Italian word lungo, which means “long,” refers to how long it takes to pull the beverage. Compared to espresso, it contains more caffeine. Before you decide to buy a gran lungo, take into account the following factors. Almost any coffee shop sells this variety of espresso.

Gran Lungo is a little bit more than a regular cup of coffee, despite its name. Because a lungo takes longer to pull, the espresso has more fill. Additionally bitter and with smokier undertones, this coffee type. The long black, on the other hand, is just a shorter shot of espresso with more water. An Americano is made in the opposite order from a long black in Italian, which has its own distinctive style.

The term “lungo” refers to how long it takes to pull the drink and means “long” in Italian. The brew time for a lungo can take up to a minute, whereas a typical espresso shot takes between 18 and 30 seconds. A lungo typically uses twice as much water as a typical shot, so the cup will be much longer.

Like a regular espresso, lungo has a strong flavor. Due to the prolonged extraction process, it is, however, a little less potent and contains more bitter notes. It’s crucial to realize that the two varieties of coffee are distinct from one another even though it might be confusing to those who are unfamiliar with Italian coffee. Although they can even be served in the same glasses, lungo and ristretto taste very different. When making a ristretto, the water is lowered to half, whereas a lungo is made by adding water to the espresso.

A lungo typically tastes bitterer than an espresso when comparing the two. Additionally, the extraction of the coffee grounds takes longer, resulting in three parts per shot. A shot of espresso is longer than a standard shot but contains the same amount of water. The flavor intensity also grows as the extraction time is prolonged. Additionally, the Lungo contains a little bit more caffeine than an ordinary espresso.

Classic lattes and crema are the two beverages that are most frequently made with the Lungo. Latte is a straightforward beverage made by pouring espresso into a cup. Two different types of Arabica coffee are used to make the specialty espresso called lungo. You can use steamed milk in place of the espresso shot to make foam for the beverage. Lungo Grands Crus capsules, however, are designed to fit into a portion of a long coffee cup.

Customers of Nespresso frequently choose the Gran Lungo coffee, which means “long” in Italian. A larger capsule is required for a lungo than for an espresso. While making a lungo is similar to making an espresso, the length of the extraction is different. You can enjoy a lengthy, rich cup of coffee in this way.

The History Behind Gran Lungo

Because of where they were produced, an espresso and a lungo differ from one another. The origin of espresso can be traced to Italy, where in the 19th century, drinking strong coffee was a social norm for upper-class residents. This history is divided into two parts: the origins of espresso drinks and their development.

Prior to the invention of espresso, coffee was first brewed under pressure by pressing hot water and coffee grounds together. Due to the stronger brewing than the drip coffee that we are more accustomed to in America, the finished product had a very similar appearance to a pour-over or Turkish coffee.

Espresso has changed as brewing methods have advanced, giving rise to new variations of the beverage like lattes and cappuccinos with whipped cream and chocolate syrup on top. Italians needed a name for espresso to set it apart from other brews like Americano and macchiatos as it gained popularity in the late 20th century.

Espresso may have its origins in Latin words that meant quickly or forcefully. On the other hand, coffee has long been a part of the morning rituals of the Italians, who frequently enjoy a “lungo” (literally, “long” or “long”) cup before leaving for work. Because the barista brews the hot water for a longer period of time during extraction—up to six minutes for a double shot—lungo has significantly less caffeine than espresso.

Other Names Of This Coffee Beverage

Gran lungo, which combines the Italian words for “grand” and “lungo,” or “long,” is a larger espresso that typically contains more ground coffee. This beverage was developed for people who enjoy the flavor of espresso but prefer a stronger brew. Compared to an espresso, a typical gran lungo is 20% more potent.

Many different drinks can be categorized as either an espresso or a lungo, so you can choose either one if you’re unsure. Typically, you should order an espresso if you want a stronger or heavier coffee drink. A latte is a good choice if you prefer something softer and lighter.

Ways To Make Gran Lungo

Preparation To Make Gran Lungo

• Espresso maker: You’ll need an espresso maker to make true lungo; a Nespresso can be used to make gran lungo.
• You will need to buy a coffee grinder if your espresso machine does not come with one.
• When coffee beans are whole: Get whole coffee beans and grind them just before making the drink for the best results. Any kind of coffee is acceptable to use. Espresso-branded coffee need not only be used in espresso machines.
• The filtered water is: Use only top-notch water to make any coffee beverage.

Process To Make Gran Lungo

• Coffee that has just been ground should be poured into your portafilter halfway, then pressed down.
• Pull 1-2 lungo shots.
• As opposed to making an espresso, let the water run for a longer period of time.

Tips To Make Gran Lungo

• The quickest way to pull a lungo shot is to let your espresso shot last a few seconds longer than usual because it doesn’t call for a specific amount of liquid. The only requirement left is that the lungo be larger than an espresso shot.
• Although a lungo shot can be eyeballed so that the cup has more than one shot of espresso, a scale is typically advised. Consider pulling a shot for 30 to 35 seconds instead of the usual 25 seconds to see what happens.
• If you want the depth of espresso but want something to sip on for more than two sips, a lungo shot is a great compromise between espresso and an Americano.
• A lungo shot can be made into a latte or cappuccino by adding steamed milk.

How Is Gran Lungo?

Texture

Given that you use more water (a shot is pulled with only half the water), the flavor of a gran lungo is noticeably more subdued than that of an espresso or ristretto. The beverage is less potent and more bitter due to the water, though. Some individuals might find that appealing. Others, on the other hand, consider the bitterness of this espresso variety to be their least preferred of the espresso varieties.

This bitterness is caused by the majority of the bitter-causing elements in coffee dissolving later on in the extraction process. In order to give them more time to be incorporated into the brew, the time it takes to draw the shot is lengthened.

Caffeine

On the subject of caffeine content in gran lungos, there is debate. Some people believe a lungo contains more caffeine than a typical espresso shot. However, the amount of caffeine you receive is determined by the beans you use, not by the time and water required to prepare your shot.

Caffeine is one of the first ingredients to enter your coffee, and the amount of grounds in both beverages is the same. There isn’t much of an explanation as to why the lungo contains more caffeine as a result.

Making Time

While a ristretto only needs a few seconds, a standard espresso shot can take up to 30 seconds to brew. A lungo shot takes a little bit longer to execute.

As a result, the ristretto, which weighs about 12 ounces, is the smallest drink. Lungo shots weigh between 12 and 2 ounces, while espresso shots typically weigh around an ounce.

What Size Is The Gran Lungo From Nespresso?

The Vertuoline from Nespresso is a cutting-edge method of serving a cup of delectable capsule coffee. The Vertuoline offers many different sizes of capsules, each of which is appropriate for a different kind of coffee, as opposed to keeping it in one size.

Five sizes are offered, each of which meets the requirements of a different customer.

The size of a single shot of espresso is 1.35 ounces, while a double shot is 2.7 ounces.

The Gran Lungo weighs 5.07 ounces, which is equal to 150 milliliters. When you’re not in a rush, you can sit down and enjoy it.

The last two sizes are a coffee size (7.77 ounces) and an Alto size (14 ounces).

When you consider Gran Lungo’s size, you’ll see that it expertly crosses the lungo and Americano boundaries, giving American palates the best of both worlds.

Any Vertuoline machine can be used to make the Gran Lungo, which is available in Nespresso’s Vertuoline line.

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With An Espresso Machine, Can You Make A Lungo?

You can make a lungo by allowing your espresso maker’s water to pass through the coffee grounds for a little bit longer. An espresso shot won’t compare to a lungo.

Between an espresso and an Americano, the lungo is a skilled shot. The longer pull time will result in less crema, but it will also be bitterer than a regular espresso.

Although a lungo is larger than an espresso, it still has the same depth of flavor. A lungo is better for when you want to unwind and take it easy for a while because it takes longer to drink than an espresso.

How Does A Gran Lungo Taste?

Lungos taste bitter because water is infused for a longer period of time than espresso. The flavors are more subdued than in a regular espresso due to the higher water ratio, but the overtones of a lungo are smokier and roastier.

The popularity of this drink is due to the fact that many people prefer the bitter flavor. However, a sizable portion of coffee drinkers rank lungo at the bottom of their list due to its bitter flavor.

Espresso VS Gran Lungo

A typical espresso shot weighs one ounce, or 30 ml. A Gran Lungo coffee weighs 5.07 oz, or 150 ml, in comparison. This increases its size to five times that of an espresso shot.

Please note that Nespresso Vertuo machine espresso cup sizes are 35% bigger than the standard-sized espressos brewed by a good old espresso machine. The espresso sizes that Nespresso uses are different from those that you would find in conventional coffee shops.

Gran Lungo Vs Double Espresso

A Gran Lungo is 5.07 oz, or 150 ml, whereas a regular double espresso is 2.oz, or 60 ml. This Nespresso beverage is thus 2.5 times larger than two espresso shots.

As mentioned above: Nespresso machine cup sizes for espresso are 35% bigger than the standard size made by a traditional espresso machine.

Coffee VS Gran Lungo

Gran lungos, or long coffees, have more flavor but less caffeine than espressos. Typically, a lungo contains twice as much water as a typical espresso shot. A Gran Lungo can be made sweeter if desired, just like other types of coffee.

A true gran lungo takes 7–10 seconds to brew, compared to 15-20 for a latte and 30-35 for an Americano. After roasting, it must sit for at least 3 hours before being used to create a new gran lungo for Vertuo. Franck Pourcel, a five-time world champion barista, developed the concoction.

It is made up of four distinct Arabica bean varieties that were individually roasted and then blended for maximum flavor in Central America and Colombia. Due to the Vertuo’s ability to brew two smaller cups at once rather than one large one, the new gran lungo will take only 2 minutes to make instead of 5 minutes and produce less.

Are You A Fan Of Gran Lungo With Milk?

If you enjoy milk-based coffee and lattes, you can do so with this one, so why not? Furthermore, you can add creamer to make it milder if you don’t like the strong flavor. Add about 25 ml of milk, or as much as you like.

Better still if you have an Aeroccino frother. You can froth milk to go with your Gran Lungo while it’s brewing. Use the Barista version milk, which is conveniently offered by your neighborhood grocery stores, for the best results.

What To Expect From A Gran Lungo?

Attributes

Gran Lungo is subtle in comparison to espresso shots, which have a more pronounced flavor. The coffee gets spicier and more acidic as it brews because it uses more water. Others find these qualities to be a major turnoff and avoid the drink entirely, while some people prefer them.

Expect the drink’s flavor notes to be a little bit more roasted and smokier. This is so that complex chemicals can be integrated throughout the process during a longer brewing time. Additionally, water weakens the flavors and gives the beverage a longer-lasting effect.

Brewing Duration

Contrary to a regular espresso shot, which can be brewed in less than 30 seconds, a Gran Lungo may take up to a minute to prepare. It also depends on a variety of other elements, like the model and state of your machine.

Physical Appearance

A freshly brewed Gran Lungo has three distinct layers. The thick crema, which is at the top and typically has no flavor and only serves to give the drink a more espresso-like appearance, sits on top.

Following the brown portion, the darker espresso portion takes over for a short period of time, leaving your drink with just two layers, i.e. crema at the top and espresso at the bottom.

Therefore, don’t worry if the three distinct layers don’t stay in your cup for very long. Overall, the appearance is very opulent, and coffee drinkers all over the world prefer the way their beverage looks to how it tastes.

Tips For Drinking Gran Lungos For The First Time

Lungo drinkers who are unfamiliar with the beverage may be perplexed. Although they are very similar to espresso, some people feel that they lack some of the strength. A lungo and an espresso are both made from finely ground dark roast coffee, so there isn’t much of a taste difference between the two. However, the strength does change depending on how you consume it.

You will experience less caffeine if you consume a cafe lungo in 3–4 minutes, but more if you enjoy the flavor and let it linger in your mouth. Despite the fact that these beverages, like an americano or latte, frequently contain milk, you should also be aware that they don’t contain any sugar. For those who want to watch their calorie intake, that is one of the reasons it might be beneficial.

Have Americans Traditionally Preferred Milder Coffee?

You must look to World War II to understand a prevalent American preference for a milder coffee beverage. American soldiers stationed in Italy used to socialize and drink coffee with their Italian counterparts.

The Italian soldiers quickly came to the conclusion that the Americans were incapable of handling a lungo, much less a regular espresso shot. So they created the Americano, a modified version of the espresso for Americans.

By adding hot water to an espresso shot, the Americano was made, giving it a milder flavor suitable for American palates.

This American preference is evidenced by the Gran Lungo’s success.

Does Your Gran Lungo Allow Milk?

You can, and it will also aid in reducing the acidity and bitterness.

But we’d rather not use milk. When drinking coffee in its original form, you can detect and enjoy some very delicate flavors.

Are Lungos And Long Blacks The Same Thing?

When water is added to the espresso shot after it has been prepared, a long black beverage is created. Lungo, on the other hand, is a lengthy espresso. Lungo takes close to twice as long to extract as an espresso, which takes 25–30 seconds.

Common Confusion

Americano & Long Black

Isn’t an Americano simply espresso with additional water? In reality, the barista simply pulls a standard espresso shot and then adds water to make an Americano. Or, for the long black, mixing a shot of espresso with an equal amount of water.

Either way, the barista adds the water after the brewing process. Consequently, the drinks have different flavors even though they are weaker in strength. A lungo will have the smoky notes we discussed earlier, but an Americano, which is more akin to your typical drip coffee, won’t.

Espresso & Ristretto

We’ve already covered the key distinctions between a regular espresso and a lungo. Lungos are still regarded as variations on espresso, but they are made differently and taste very different.

The ristretto is a different type of espresso that we’ve discussed here that people frequently mistake for the lungo. While both of these drinks involve altering the amount of water used to pull a shot of espresso, the ristretto decreases that amount while the lungo increases it.

In order to make things more clear, the coffee to water ratios for the various espresso shots are 1:1 for ristretto, 1:2 for espresso, and 1:4 for lungo.

Latte

Instead of similarities between the drinks themselves, the names are to blame for the confusion. The ingredients for a latte are steamed milk, espresso, and milk. A shot or two of espresso are then topped with the milk foam. A lungo is an espresso variation, meanwhile.

So, even though these are typically two distinct drinks, if you wanted to experiment with a different flavor profile, you could possibly substitute the usual shot with a lungo IN a latte.

FAQs

Conclusion

Does a latte resemble a Gran Lungo? Is a Gran Lungo like a cup of coffee? No, but you can drink this particular variety of coffee as a dessert, a beverage during dinner, or even for breakfast. While a latte has more caffeine than an espresso and offers a sweeter flavor, a long black coffee has less caffeine than an espresso and offers more flavor. Despite the fact that both varieties are mouthwatering on their own, they can be distinguished from one another by a few significant features.

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