Ristretto and lungo

Ristretto and lungo are variations on a standard espresso shot made by changing the yield while keeping the dose the same. Ristretto, meaning restricted in Italian, uses less water and a shorter shot time, producing a smaller, more concentrated, and often sweeter drink. Lungo, meaning long, lets more water through for a larger, more diluted shot.

Because both use the same amount of ground coffee as a standard shot, only the extraction stops at a different point. A ristretto captures more of the earlier extracted, sweeter compounds, while a lungo continues extracting longer and pulls in more of the later, sometimes more bitter or harsher compounds along with additional volume.

Trying either usually just means adjusting the target yield on your usual recipe rather than buying different equipment, though smaller cups suit a ristretto's smaller volume better than a standard espresso cup. A common mistake is assuming a lungo is simply an espresso with hot water added afterward, which is actually a different drink called an americano.