Espresso vs Lungo
HL
HomeBarsLabs Editorial Team
— Espresso Technique & Equipment
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Quick Answer: Espresso uses about 36g of water for an 18g dose, pulled in 25–30 seconds. A lungo ("long" in Italian) uses roughly double the water — 55–70g — from the same dose, pulled over 45–60 seconds. The extra contact time extracts more from the grounds, producing a larger, more diluted, and generally more bitter cup than a standard shot.
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What's in a Standard Espresso
A standard double espresso is built on an 18g dose pulled to roughly 36g of liquid — a 1:2 ratio — in 25 to 30 seconds. That short contact time captures the shot's most concentrated, balanced compounds: the sweet and bright notes that emerge early in extraction, before the later stages introduce more bitterness. The result is a small, intense cup with a thick, syrupy body and pronounced crema.
What's in a Lungo
A lungo starts from the same dose but is pulled to roughly double the water — commonly 55 to 70g — over a longer extraction window, often 45 to 60 seconds. Letting more water pass through the same puck extracts additional compounds, including some of the more bitter, later-stage flavors that a standard shot cuts off before they fully develop. The cup is larger, thinner in body, and generally reads as sharper or more bitter than an equivalent espresso.
Despite the larger volume, a lungo is not simply "more coffee" — it comes from the same 18g dose as the espresso, just diluted further and extracted longer. This is the key distinction from an Americano, which adds hot water to an already-finished espresso shot rather than extracting longer through the puck itself.
| Factor |
Espresso |
Lungo |
| Water volume | ~36g (1:2 ratio) | ~55–70g (1:3+ ratio) |
| Extraction time | 25–30 sec | 45–60 sec |
| Body | Thick, syrupy | Thinner |
| Flavor profile | Balanced, sweet-forward | Sharper, more bitter |
| Crema | Thick and persistent | Thinner, fades faster |
| Dose | Same 18g dose | Same 18g dose |
Not every machine or bean handles a lungo equally well. Beans roasted specifically for shorter, high-concentration shots can turn harsh when stretched to lungo volumes. If a lungo tastes overly bitter, a slightly coarser grind — reducing over-extraction during the extended pull — is usually the first fix to try.
Dialing in a lungo starts with grind size
Our grind size guide covers how to adjust for longer extraction times without tipping a shot into bitterness.
Read the guide →
Which One Should You Choose
If you want the most concentrated, balanced expression of a bean's flavor in a small volume, a standard espresso is the better choice — it's also the base for virtually every classic espresso drink, from cappuccino to cortado. If you want a larger black coffee with more espresso character than an Americano but don't want to dilute a finished shot with hot water, a lungo fills that gap.
Lungo is also worth trying if you're using a super-automatic machine with a dedicated lungo setting — it's a low-effort way to get a bigger cup without brewing drip coffee separately. Just don't expect it to taste like a scaled-up espresso; the extra extraction time changes the flavor profile, not just the volume.
Tools for dialing in longer pulls
Equipment that helps you get lungo right
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between espresso and lungo?
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A standard espresso uses about 36g of water for an 18g dose (a 1:2 ratio), extracted in 25–30 seconds. A lungo uses roughly double the water — 55–70g — pulled from the same dose over a longer time, often 45–60 seconds. The extra water pulls more compounds from the grounds, producing a larger, less concentrated, and generally more bitter cup than a standard shot.
Is lungo stronger than espresso?
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Not in concentration — a lungo is more diluted per ounce than a standard espresso, since the same dose is stretched over more water. However, a lungo can contain slightly more total caffeine than a single espresso shot, because the longer extraction pulls more caffeine out of the grounds even as the overall strength per sip decreases.
Does lungo taste more bitter than espresso?
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Often, yes. The later stages of extraction pull more bitter compounds and fewer of the bright, sweet notes that dominate the first part of the shot. A well-made lungo balances this with a slightly coarser grind to avoid over-extracting, but it typically reads as more bitter and less sweet than a standard espresso from the same beans.
Can I make a lungo on any espresso machine?
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Most machines with a manual or programmable shot volume can pull a lungo — you simply let the extraction run longer or set a higher target yield. Some super-automatic machines include a dedicated lungo button that adjusts water volume automatically. Machines with only fixed single/double buttons may not offer enough range without manual override.
Should I use a different grind size for lungo?
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Many baristas grind slightly coarser for a lungo than for standard espresso, since the longer water contact time would over-extract at a standard fine grind. This isn't a strict rule — some machines and beans handle a lungo fine at the same grind — but if a lungo tastes harsh or bitter, coarsening the grind slightly is the first adjustment to try.