Part I: The Search for The Best Americano In Manhattan KS

What is an americano:

During WW2, Americans took bold Italian espresso, watered it down, and made it our own.

Coffee Cheat Sheet: Americano: Espresso + Water / Latte: Espresso + Milk // Regular Coffee: Ground Coffee Beans + Water that has gone through a filter

Espresso VS Coffee: Espresso = same beans, finer grind + pressure = tiny, intense coffee // Regular coffee = coarser grind + slow drip = bigger, lighter cup. The difference is the way the bean is treated. Espresso is to powerwashing, as regular coffee is a nice little hose down.

Drip coffee, is about time and gravity. The grind is more course, allowing for a more full flavor. It is water and coffee getting to know eachother for a bit. Espresso is a process that is the basis for most of your favorite drinks. Baristas dial in the grind, pressure, and extraction every day, for every drink. That espresso machine you see is packed with very finely ground coffee beans, than ran through high pressured water to give you a coffee concentrate that is the base of all of your favorite drinks, from a PSL, to a caramel macchiato. Therefore, if a coffee shop does not have an espresso machine- keep an eye on how much your spending on that cup of coffee. If at this point you are curious about coldbrew, I have an answer for that. It is refrigerated, regularly ground coffee. Typically it is mixed in a ratio for a stronger concentration of coffee, but sometimes it’s not. In most cases it is coffee that has been sitting for 12-24 hours before serving to allow for a stronger flavor. It is made to mix.

Why an Americano is more important than drip coffee:

1. It is the basis for many of your favorite drinks- repeating this for a THIRD time, because it truly is. From cortados, machiattos, lattes, in most if not all specialty coffees you are going to find espresso.

2. For a second time, an Americano is water with espresso shot. So you can taste the true essence of the coffeehouse espresso, and therefore taste the core of a coffee.

3. Americanos are specialty, and the most basic specialty. If your Americano is amazing, your coffee will be amazing.

RANKING SYSTEM:

Aroma: How does it smell?

Body: How does it feel in your mouth? Should not be too thin or watery.

Balance: The harmony of all of the flavors , sweetness, coffee, the overall cohesion.

Aftertaste: How does it taste after you sip

Appearance + Experience: How cute is the coffee served and how was the experience with the coffee shop as a whole?

Scores will be out of 5.

This November, I will be trying the following chain and local restaurants to give you an opinion on the best Americano in Manhattan, KS. Find out what keeps me going in between sessions.

• Dunkin

• Starbucks

• Brothers coffee (Local)

• Bluestem(Local)

• Radinas (Local)

• Dusty Bookshelf (Local)

• Flight Brothers (Local)

• The Outpouring (Local and Mobile)

• Dearborn Coffee (Local)

• Paramour Coffee (Local)

• Scooters

• 151

Part II, the rankings and scores to be published in two weeks.