Pouring lungo into two cups

Question

I have a quick question. I know that lungo is less concentrated than a regular shot of espresso, so if I pour a lungo into two cups at the same time, as I guess most machines would let me do, will I get the equivalent of pouring two separate espresso shots, or will I just get a weaker tasting espresso in each cup? Should I instead use a double lungo for this?

Can you clarify 1. (at the start of your question) if you meant splitting a single lungo into two cups? 2. Do you want to have a weaker tasting espresso drink or want to avoid making it weaker? — , Feb 03 '18 at 16:00

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Feb 02 '18 at 14:52

A lungo is an espresso that is pulled for longer and thus more water flows through the grounds. Plainly speaking it's just a bad way to dilute espresso, because you are extracting more of the bitter compounds that you don't actually want to have in the coffee.

If you want to fill two cups at the same time, you'll have to use a double basket (with two spouts), which means that you will also pull a double shot automatically. Using the double basket means that you also need double the amount of coffee as compared to a single basket (with one spout).

So pulling with a double basket will give you two separate lungo shots, one in each cup. If you put a large cup under both spouts you will get a double lungo.

The better way to dilute espresso is to fill the cup with water (to your taste and strength preference) and pull a regular shot in the cup with water already in it in order to make an americano.

this answer contains multiple falsities. a lungo is not just pulled longer. priperly done it should not be bitterer than an espresso. and a double spout and double basket are not dependent on each other. — ths, Nov 07 '22 at 10:58

score 1 · Answer 2 · edited Oct 24 '22 at 23:54

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Your espresso will be the equivalent of making two separate shots in taste. It won't taste any different or be any weaker because you are splitting one shot into two cups. The only difference is that you will have half as much volume in each cup compared to letting the shot pour into one cup.

Alternately some people would let the double shot run into one cup.

To get a standard volume in each cup you should use a double basket or choose a double shot. So yes, a double luongo split into two cups is what most people would do.

edited Oct 24 '22 at 23:54

tripleee

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answered Feb 02 '18 at 15:32

You think he meant using a single basket for 2 cups? So how is that going to work? Switching cups midway through? Pouring half of it in another cup? Plus literally no ones pulls a Lungo anymore (that is obviously an exaggeration to make a point). – avocado1 Feb 03 '18 at 14:47
That's exactly why I'm not sure. Because "at the same time" is not possible unless he already uses a double basket. Anyways I know all that, I think it should still not be encouraged to make a Lungo or a Crema (also as far as I know a Café Crema in Switzerland would be pulled with less pressure). There are better ways to dilute espresso without needing to over extract it. – avocado1 Feb 03 '18 at 15:38

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 25 '22 at 06:27

A lungo doesn't taste like a normal shot, so half a lungo won't, either.

If, on the other hand, you are asking if half a lungo will taste like a single lungo, the answer is mostly yes and partly no. Yes because you're pulling a lot of water through those grounds and no because a double dose of grounds will contain more fines than a single dose, and the fines will not be evenly distributed between the two cups (unlike a single, where all fines that get pushed through during brewing end up in the same shot).

Pouring lungo into two cups

3 Answers3