Nespresso Lungo and Gran Lungo coffee drinks have become hugely popular in recent years, but many people still aren’t sure what are they meaning is. Read on to find out exactly what it means and how your Nespresso machine makes a lungo coffee drink.
Lungo, which means “long” in Italian, and Gran Lungo, which means extra long, are two different varieties of coffee drinks offered by Nespresso. While similar, they are not identical twins. It is usually a large-size coffee.
Unlike a shot of espresso or regular-sized coffee, when you brew a lungo or gran lungo pod, it will use more water and be extracted for a more amount of time. But just how big are lungo or gran lungo coffees? This is a question that many peoples have.
What Is Lungo Nespresso?
Lungo is a type of coffee drink made using an espresso machine. The size of a Nespresso Lungo Pod for Original machines is 3.7 oz, which is more water than regular espresso shots. This means that a lungo will have more volume and caffeine, so you can enjoy it longer than a regular espresso.
What Is Gran Lungo?
Nespresso Gran Lungo pods are sized for 5 ounces of espresso instead of single or double shots. Because it will have more volume and more caffeine that means you can enjoy a drink for a longer period of time. Though the flavor won’t be as strong as in a regular espresso, the taste will be more bitter, making it an excellent option for those who want something to drink for a long time.
How Many Ounces In A Lungo And Gran Lungo?
Nespresso Lungo pods are 3.7 ounces (109 ml) in size, and Gran Lungos is 5.7 ounces (150 ml). Both are a bit larger than a traditional espresso, which is 1.25 ounces. The difference in the size of these two drinks has to do with the ratio of water to coffee.
Lungo can take up to a minute to pull with a regular espresso machine. Some people think that this makes them stronger, but that is not true because you need less ground coffee for each ounce of water than you would for an espresso shot because there is more liquid.
Amounts Of Caffeine In Lungo And Gran Lungo
Gran Lungo Vertuo pods contain more caffeine than Lungo Original Nespresso pods because they are larger in size.
Original Lungo Pods
Original Nespresso lungo pods will contain between 77 to 85 milligrams of caffeine. They will go from being lighter to darker in intensity. The darker they are, the more intense they will be. So a dark pod will have a higher amount of caffeine than a light pod.
| Original Pod | Size | Caffeine Content | Intensity | Flavor Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo | Lungo | 77 – 85 mg | 6 (Medium) | Flowery & Complex |
| Vienna Linizio | Lungo | 77 – 85 mg | 6 (Medium) | Round & Smooth |
| Cape Town Envivo | Lungo | 77 – 85 mg | 10 (Dark) | Intense & Roasted |
| Stockholm | Lungo | 77 – 85 mg | 8 (Medium) | Rich & Full-bodied |
| Shanghai | Lungo | 77 – 85 mg | 5 (Light) | Fruity & Fine Acidity |
| Buenos Aires | Lungo | 77 – 85 mg | 4 (Light) | Sweet & Cereal |
| Vivalto | Lungo | 77 – 85 mg | 6 (Medium) | Flowery & Complex |
Vertuo Gran Lungo Pods
Gran Lungo pods will contain a maximum of 200 milligrams of caffeine. They will also go from being lighter to darker in intensity. If you like espresso, then you’ll love these. If you’re more into dark roast coffee, then the lungo is for you.
| Vertuo Pod | Size | Caffeine Content | Intensity | Flavor Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fortado Decaffeinato | Gran Lungo | Less than 12 mg | 8 (Dark) | Intense & Full-Bodied |
| Arondio | Gran Lungo | 120 – 200 mg | 6 (Medium) | Cereal & Lightly Acidic |
| Fortado | Gran Lungo | 120 – 200 mg | 8 (Medium) | Cocoa & Oak |
| Costa Rica | Gran Lungo | 120 – 200 mg | 7 (Medium) | Malty & Sweet |
| Ethiopia | Gran Lungo | 120 – 200 mg | 4 (Light) | Fruity & Floral |
| Inizio | Gran Lungo | 120 – 200 mg | 4 (Medium) | Floral & Cereal |
What Does Lungo Taste Like?
A lungo is milder than a shot of espresso because it consists of more hot water pulled through the same amount of coffee. It lacks some of the intensity and boldness of espresso, but if you like tempered coffee, it may be ideal for you.
Lungo, on the other hand, is more bitter because it is brewed for a longer duration. Coffee brews in a way that certain compounds are extracted early on and other compounds, such as bitter compounds are extracted later on. Therefore, when a shot is brewed longer, more bitter compounds are dissolved. In a way, the extra bitterness can actually be enjoyable for some people.
The taste of a lungo can vary depending on the beans used and the roasting level but expect it to be less bitter than a drip coffee.
How To Use Lungo or Gran Lungo Pods?
Lungo and Gran Lungo pods are two of the many varieties of coffee pods offered by Nespresso. They are both espresso-based coffees, but Lungo is a stronger, more intense coffee, while Gran Lungo is a milder option. When it comes to how to prepare a Lungo drink in Nespresso Original machine just insert a Lungo capsule and simply press the “Large” cup button. When you own a Vertuoline model, insert the gran lungo pod, and the coffee maker can automatically detect the barcode and brew it to specification.
There are two general ways to make a lungo coffee: black with no milk/creamer, or with milk/creamer. They can be drunk either hot or iced.
