When it comes to the sizes of the Nespresso coffees, I’m with you if it becomes confusing to some people. People usually consume a certain amount of caffeine per day and want to keep a count on their daily intake, knowing about different sizes of the drinks is a must for them. If you are one of those people, this article will help you understand what Gran Lungo is.
I’ve already written a post about what is Nespresso Lungo, when you are done reading this one, do check it out. Well, in a nutshell, Gran Lungo is the mega version of your Nespresso Lungo. But what is a Nespresso Lungo you ask? I’ll get into the details about the sizes in this article so stay with me to find out.
In this post, we’ll cover the various sizes of the Nespresso drinks to get an idea about what is Nespresso Gran Lungo and is it the same as Americano. If not, then what are the differences between these two drinks? We’ll also have a look at the ounces you’ll get by choosing different sizes of the drinks and the Gran Lungo version.
What Size Cup is Gran Lungo?
The most important question and probably the reason why you are on this page is to know the exact size of the cup that holds this coffee. The answer is simple, a gran lungo cup holds 150ml or 5.07 fluid ounces of coffee.
These are specific Nespresso capsules that can be used directly in your Nespresso Vertuo machines. The flavors have different aromatic profiles depending on the ones you chose for your coffee. The intensity of Gran Lungo also depends on the flavor you choose for your coffee.
In short, it’s like any other pod size you choose for your machine the only difference being the size of the coffee you get. Lungo gives your around 100-120ml, whereas, this one gives 150ml as mentioned above.
It also produces a lot of crema, if you want to know more about Nespresso Crema, I’ve written an entire post on it. Do check it out.
Is Gran Lungo A Double Espresso?
No, it’s actually more in size than a double espresso. However, you should know that conventional espresso machines have a smaller cup size for espresso than a Nespresso espresso.
Many people don’t even consider Nespresso as true espresso, but that’s a separate debate.
Let’s take a look at the table to understand the actual differences in size in terms of numbers:
| Type of Drink | Size in ML | Fluid Ounces |
| Double Espresso | 60 | 2 |
| Gran Lungo | 150 | 5.07 |
| Lungo | 110 | 3.75 |
The difference between a gran lungo and a double espresso is essentially that of the size and not of the taste if you choose the same flavor.
Is it a Gran Lungo Coffee Or Espresso?
To understand this, just think of a bigger version of Nespresso espresso. A standard shot of espresso uses less water whereas Gran Lungo uses a lot more. So the time to extract is also a lot more than the usual espresso shot.
This results in a thin flavor and also more caffeine in your coffee. You have to be careful when choosing a flavor for your Gran Lungo as you should expect it to be stronger than the intensity mentioned on the sleeve.
In the US, Americanos and Black coffees are quite popular and Nespresso is yet to make its way through into the popular culture. But if you love Long Blacks, you should definitely give Gran Lungo a try because chances are you’re going to love it.
If you are someone who prefers to sip coffee every now and then for a long time during the day, Gran Lungo is definitely a great choice for you. As time passes, more and more people are moving away from regular espressos (at least this has been my observation, you may disagree) and switching to coffees they can enjoy while shopping or doing something else.
Do You Add Milk To Gran Lungo?
Yes, why not? If you like milk-based coffee and lattes, you have the option to add milk to this one. Not only that, but if you don’t like the strong flavor, you can add creamer and make it milder. You should add around 25ml of milk or as per your own preferences.
If you have a frother (Aeroccino), that’s even better. While you are brewing your Gran Lungo you can put some milk in it and froth to add to your coffee. For best results, you can use Barista version milk that is easily available in your nearest grocery stores.
How Much Caffeine is in This Pod?
If you are conscious about your daily caffeine intake (which you should be), this can be a crucial question to ask. When a Gran Lungo is brewing, it extracts more caffeine as the water is in contact with the grounds much longer than when a regular shot of espresso is brewed.
Gran Lungo contains somewhere around 150 to 200mg of caffeine per cup. Is this something you should be concerned about? Well, it’s slightly above the average caffeine intake of the people in the US (they consume around 135mg per day).
So yes, you should be a little concerned about this intake, but if you are a regular coffee drinker and your body has adjusted to the caffeine intake, you should not be too concerned but do keep a count as it’s always helpful to know your numbers.
Lungo Vs Gran Lungo: The Differences
The word Lungo is Italian meaning “long” and Gran Lungo means “Grand Long” or the longer version of Lungo. So that’s essentially the first difference between the two. But that’s neither here nor there, I’ll tell you more differences don’t worry.
There’s also a difference between the quantities, as mentioned above in the table, Gran Lungo gives you 150ml of drink whereas the Lungo version gives around 110ml.
The taste profile of these two also varies slightly, expect the Lungo version of the same capsule to be slightly stronger than its Gran Lungo counterpart. This is due to the amount of water used for brewing, Lungo uses lesser water and hence is more intense.
However, if you are new to coffee, you wouldn’t notice these subtle differences and might find the two identical with Gran Lungo being the bigger version of the Lungo as the name suggests.
What to Expect in a Gran Lungo?
Attributes
Espresso shots are more pronounced in their taste whereas Gran Lungo is subtle in its comparison. As it consumes more water when brewing, the coffee is bitterer and more acidic. Some people prefer these attributes, others consider it a huge turn-off and avoid the drink altogether.
You should expect a smokier and slightly more roasted drink in its flavor notes. This is because a longer brewing time involves the integration of complex chemicals through the process. Moreover, water also dilutes the flavors and hence produces a lasting effect on the drink.
Brewing Duration
Unlike the regular espresso shot that can be brewed within 30 seconds, brewing a Gran Lungo takes considerably longer, maybe around 50 seconds to a minute. It also depends on a number of other factors such as your machine’s condition and model etc.
Physical Appearance
A freshly brewed Gran Lungo has three distinct layers. At the top sits the thick crema, it usually doesn’t have any taste and is just there for enhancing the appearance to give you the feel of espresso.
Then comes the brown part, it lasts for a few seconds before the darker espresso part takes over and your drink is left with just two layers i.e. crema at the top and espresso at the bottom.
So don’t worry if you don’t get the three distinct layers in your cup for very long. Overall, the appearance is very rich and coffee lovers around the world enjoy the fact of how their drink appears to them rather than how it tastes.
How to Prepare a Gran Lungo?
To prepare a Gran Lungo, you should decide whether you want to make it using a Nespresso or your regular espresso machine. If you are going for the latter, you’ll need a grinder and whole beans for the best results.
On the other hand, if you are choosing the Nespresso, you’ll just need to pop in the Gran Lungo pod in the machine and it’ll take care of the rest for you. Make sure the water you use is also high quality.
Put the ground coffee in the portafilter and pull 2 lungo shots in the machine. To pull a lungo shot in your regular espresso machine, just let it brew for a few more seconds than your regular espresso shot.
It’s as simple as that, though it’s a bit trickier if you are new to brewing coffee. But don’t worry, you’ll be a pro in no time. I’d highly recommend that you go for Nespresso as it takes care of each and every part of the process, but if you like more control over your coffee, then you should give it a try using your regular espresso machine.
Final Words
I hope you now know what is Gran Lungo and how to prepare one. I tried my best to simplify the information and not use technical coffee-world jargon to convey the message in simple terms.
If you like Americano, you must try the Gran Lungo for a change and you won’t be disappointed with this recommendation. But if you like milder drinks, you should try it after adding milk or creamer or find Gran Lungo flavors that are less intense (if you are using a Nespresso to brew the drink).
Until next time.
Have a great day!
