Don’t be confused by the term because an espresso lungo Nespresso machine is just about any Nespresso espresso coffee machine that’s also equipped to brew lungo coffee.Īs far as gran lungo is concerned though, the difference is only in the size of lungo coffee servings. Now we are getting into very specific categories as you will only find the term gran lungo if you are using an espresso lungo Nespresso machine.

Brewing lungo takes roughly double the time and water, as compared to espresso shots. This longer extraction method for lungo is also described by expert baristas as the long-pull process which is also the main difference between lungo coffee and espresso shots. As the amount of water required to properly brew a batch of lungo coffee is significantly more than it would take to brew espresso, brewing lungo takes longer. However, length in this case has very little to do with the actual size of Lungo coffee, and more to do with how long it takes to brew it. Lungo means long in Italian, so lungo coffee can be literally translated to long coffee. Espressos take about half the time and water to be brewed, as compared to lungo coffee. In fact, those two differences are what separates lungo from espresso during the brewing process.

A lot depends on how much water is used for the process, as well as the amount of time the hot water is allowed to percolate for. The water must be allowed to percolate for a specific amount of time before extraction. Before we get to the differences, let us clarify the core process shared by both espresso and lungo.Įspresso and lungo coffee are both made by forcing hot water through coffee beans/grounds at high pressure. Espresso shots are prepared via almost the same process as lungo coffee, with only a few key differences separating them. To better explain those differences, let’s get started by defining the two first.īefore any confusion ensues regarding the difference between an espresso shot and espresso in general, let us assure you that they are one and the same thing. Although they are similar, lungo and espresso are not the same.

An excellent example of this would have to be the differences that separate espresso from lungo coffee. Even if we were to just name the different types of popular coffees served in specialty cafes, the list would have to include cappuccino, latte, lungo, espresso, macchiato, affogato, mocha, Frappuccino, and mazagran to name only a few!ĭespite the complexity, the differences between the various coffee types are often minimal and subtle. It is easy to get lost in terminology if you are new to the world of coffee because it’s quite a lot for sure.

Nespresso corto lungo or espresso