Ristretto vs Lungo: Ratio, Caffeine & Taste
Ristretto vs lungo from the same dose: ratios, lab figures for caffeine and dissolved solids, taste, and which suits milk drinks and sipping.
The difference in one paragraph. A ristretto and a lungo start from the same dose of coffee and differ only in where you stop: roughly 1:1 to 1:1.5 for a ristretto, about 1:3 or more for a lungo.
The ristretto is sweeter and more concentrated but less extracted; the lungo is milder and, with a long run, more bitter. Lab data shows the lungo carries more caffeine in total, but the ristretto has more per gram of liquid.
The numbers, side by side
This table uses a lab study, so the figures are measured rather than estimated. Schmieder and colleagues pulled espresso from a 20 g puck, collected the output in ten fractions and calculated what a 20 g, 40 g and 60 g cup would contain. Values are averages across their settings.
| From a 20 g dose | Ristretto (20 g out) | Espresso (40 g out) | Lungo (60 g out) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ratio | 1:1 | 1:2 | 1:3 |
| Caffeine in the cup | 130 mg | 183 mg | 204 mg |
| Caffeine per gram of liquid | 6.5 mg | 4.6 mg | 3.4 mg |
| Dissolved solids in the cup | 3.0 g | 3.9 g | 4.2 g |
| Solids as a share of the dose | about 15% | about 19% | about 21% |
The last two lines are our arithmetic from the paper's reported averages. It is a single lab study with a wide spread of flow, grind and temperature settings, so use it for direction, not for your own cup. It supports three things.
- A lungo has more caffeine in total. About 11% more than a 1:2 espresso, and about 57% more than a ristretto, in that experiment.
- A ristretto is the most concentrated. Nearly twice the caffeine per gram of a lungo.
- A ristretto is the least extracted. Around 15% of the dose is dissolved, below the 18 to 22% window that cafes quote for finished espresso. That is how a ristretto is meant to be.
How they taste
- Ristretto: sweet, syrupy and low in bitterness, with heavy body. La Marzocco says the Seattle ristretto of the Vivace school, at about 1:1 to 1:1.5, is viscous but can lack clarity. Too short or too coarse, it tastes sour.
- Normale or standard espresso: the balance most cafes aim for. Ratios are not fixed: La Marzocco gives 1:2 to 1:3.
- Lungo: lighter in body, more aromatic, and slightly more bitter if it runs too long. A lungo can taste weak and bitter at once because it is dilute and over-extracted.
Which should you make?
| If you want | Make | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A short sipping shot with sweetness | Ristretto | Concentrated, low bitterness |
| A cortado or flat white that holds up to milk | Ristretto or a short normale | A long shot disappears under milk |
| Maximum clarity from a bright light roast | Normale to lungo | A ristretto can taste sharp on bright coffees |
| The most caffeine from one dose | Lungo | More total caffeine, per the lab data |
| The least caffeine from one dose | Ristretto | Roughly 70% of a 1:2 shot in the lab |
| A long drink without adding water | Lungo, or an Americano | Different drinks; one is a long extraction, the other a diluted shot |
Do a three-shot comparison
- Fix the dose, for example 18 g, and tamp the same way each time.
- Pull a ristretto at 18 to 27 g out, a normale at about 36 g, and a lungo at 54 g or more.
- Grind finer for the ristretto and slightly coarser for the lungo, so the shots run in sensible times: 15 to 20 seconds for a ristretto, 40 to 50 for a lungo, according to 1Zpresso.
- Taste each without milk at the same temperature. Write down which is sweetest, not which is strongest.
- Build your milk drinks around the sweetest.
Quick answers
Is a ristretto stronger than an espresso?
It is more concentrated, not stronger in caffeine. A ristretto carries less total caffeine than a 1:2 shot from the same dose.
Which has more caffeine, ristretto or lungo?
The lungo, in total. Per gram of liquid the ristretto has more.
What is the ratio for a ristretto and a lungo?
About 1:1 to 1:1.5 for a ristretto and 1:3 to 1:4 for a lungo, although sources overlap and disagree.
Why is my lungo bitter?
It has run long enough to pull the late, bitter compounds. Stop sooner, or grind coarser.
Can I turn an espresso into a ristretto by stopping early?
Not well. Without a finer grind, an early stop gives a sour, under-extracted shot.
Related
- Ristretto: what it is, the ratio and how to pull it
- Italian ristretto double shot recipe
- Espresso ratios: dose, yield and brew time
Sources
- Schmieder BKL, Pannusch VB, Vannieuwenhuyse L, Briesen H, Minceva M. Influence of flow rate, particle size and temperature on espresso extraction kinetics. Foods 2023. doi:10.3390/foods12152871
- La Marzocco: brew ratios around the world.
- 1Zpresso: ristretto vs long shot.
- Climpson & Sons for the 18 to 22% extraction window.