Have you ever glanced at a café menu and wondered what all those coffee names actually mean? Walk into just about any café these days and you'll find a whole lineup waiting for you: cappuccino, espresso, café Americano, latte, and plenty more.
Espresso itself probably rings a bell. But two of its close cousins, the long shot and the ristretto, can be tricky to tell apart when you're just getting started.
So in this article, I'll walk you through everything you need to know: how a long shot and a ristretto differ, how each one stacks up against a regular espresso, how they're made, which one might suit you better, and a few tasty details along the way.
Key takeaways
- Verdict: A ristretto stops extraction early, using only 15 mL of water per shot and a 15-second pull, capturing sweet and aromatic compounds while leaving bitter ones behind. A long shot runs the opposite way, using 45 to 60 mL of water and a 60-second pull to extract more complex, floral flavors at the cost of added bitterness.
- Size and ratio: A single ristretto is 15 mL (0.5 oz) at a 1:1 grounds-to-liquid ratio. A single long shot is 45 to 60 mL (1.5 to 2.0 oz) at a 1:3 to 1:4 ratio. Standard espresso sits between them at 30 mL (1.0 oz) and a 1:2 ratio.
- Grind size: Ristretto uses a finer grind to slow the flow and concentrate flavor. A long shot uses a coarser grind to let more water through and stretch the extraction.
- Watch out: A ristretto that is too under-extracted can taste sour or acidic rather than sweet. A long shot grows more bitter the longer the pull runs.
- Best for: Use a ristretto as the espresso base in lattes or cappuccinos to amplify the drink's sweetness. Use a long shot in an Americano or long black, where the extra water volume suits a more extended shot.
Pour yourself a cup, read on, and take a sip of coffee knowledge!
Long shot vs. ristretto, how do they differ?
A long shot, or lungo, and a ristretto, or stretto, are both espresso variants that differ in shot length. The third one is the normal shot, the standard espresso you already know.
Want a quick side-by-side before we dig in? Here's how the three compare:
| Area: | Long shot: | Ristretto: | Espresso: |
| Flavor | Milder, more bitter flavor | Stronger, sweeter flavor | Strong, creamy |
| Shot size | 45 mL - 60 mL (1.5 oz - 2.0 oz) | 15 mL (0.5 oz) | 30 mL (1.0 oz) |
| Grind size | Coarser | Finer | Normal |
| Coffee dose | 7 g (0.015 lb) | 7 g (0.015 lb) | 7 g (0.015 lb) |
| Grounds-to-liquid ratio | 1:3 - 1:4 | 1:1 | 1:2 |
| Pull time | 60 seconds (1 minute) | 15 seconds | 25-30 seconds |
Flavor
Flavor is probably the biggest thing that sets a long shot and a ristretto apart.
A ristretto tastes less bitter but stronger, fuller, and smoother in the cup.
A long shot goes the other way: it's more bitter, but also more flavorful, with floral hints and notes you won't find in a ristretto or a plain espresso.
So why the difference? It all comes down to how each one is extracted:
Espresso extraction
Espresso is an Italian brewing method where hot water is forced through coffee grounds under pressure inside an espresso machine.
That pressure pulls out and concentrates the coffee compounds that give espresso its signature kick.
You can use the same machine, and even the same amount of grounds, for a ristretto, an espresso, or a long shot.
What changes the result is the grind size, the water volume, and the pull time.
With a ristretto, you're not going for a full extraction; you stop partway through.
That way, only the first compounds to come out, the sweet, acidic, and aromatic ones, make it into your cup, so you skip the bitter compounds that show up near the end.
That's why a ristretto ends up stronger: it's more concentrated, yet it's not as bitter, since it never reaches the point where those harsh compounds get pulled. Pull it too short, though, and you can end up with a cup that tastes sour or sharp instead of sweet.
A long shot works the opposite way: it's a longer, drawn-out extraction. You push more of the coffee's compounds out, and that brings a more bitter taste, partly because you're pulling more caffeine along with them.
In return, you get flavors that only show up at the very end of the extraction, the kind that give a long shot its extra depth. And because there's more water in the cup, it comes out less potent than a ristretto.
Grind size
For a ristretto, you'll often grind finer than you would for a regular espresso. Less water can squeeze through those finer grounds, so the flavor concentrates.
Grind unevenly or too fine, though, and tiny particles can slip through the filter into your drink, leaving it gritty on the tongue.
If you stick with finer grounds, you can keep your usual espresso pull time. Here's what an espresso grind looks like:
For a long shot, you go coarser instead, using the same method and water volume. Those bigger grains let more water flow through, which pulls out more flavor and dilutes the shot.
Coffee dose
Your coffee dose is simply how much ground coffee you use for every cup.
As a rule, that's 7 g (0.015 lb) for a single shot or 15 g (0.033 lb) for a double, and every espresso variant uses the same dose. What actually changes is the water volume and the pull time.
Espresso and its variants are usually served as double shots, so a standard double espresso lands around 60 mL (2.0 oz) and uses roughly 14-18 g (0.031-0.040 lb) of coffee.
Want to see how a doppio (double espresso) compares to a regular one? I break it down in this article. As the photo below shows, the difference in serving size is pretty big:
A double ristretto uses that same amount of coffee but only 30 mL (1.0 oz) of water. A long shot, meanwhile, usually runs 130 to 170 mL (4.4-5.7 oz).
Keep in mind that baristas all have their own recipes, and they'll tweak the water, the grind, the dose, and more to taste.
The ratios and the general idea stay pretty consistent, though. In a lot of cafés, you'll get a ristretto served as 1 oz (30 mL), a normal espresso as 2 oz (60 mL), and a long shot as 3-4 oz (90-118 mL).
Grounds-to-liquid ratio
Ristretto is Italian for "reduced," which is a handy way to remember it: this shot needs far less hot water to extract than a regular espresso or a long shot.
Less water means the flavors concentrate more, which gives a ristretto that stronger, smoother kick.
A long shot goes the other direction and uses more water than usual. That extra water dilutes things, so you get a milder taste than you would from the other espresso styles.
You don't actually have to change the water volume to pull a ristretto or a long shot. As I'll explain in the next section, some baristas play with the pull time instead to get the shot they want.
Pull time
Old espresso machines had levers the barista would physically pull, which is where "pulling a shot" and "pull time" come from. Modern machines use an electric pump now, so pull time just means how long the shot takes to brew.
A long shot has a longer pull time than a ristretto or an espresso. That extra time draws out more of the coffee's components and flavors, like caffeine, which barely show up (or don't show up at all) in the other two.
That's how you get those floral hints in a long shot that a ristretto simply can't give you.
A ristretto is the opposite: it's smaller and needs to stay concentrated, so it gets a shorter pull. Cut the pull time and less water is forced through the grounds.
Some baristas keep the standard espresso setup, same water and same grounds, but stop the process halfway. In practice, even though the usual amount of water is loaded, only a little of it actually gets used.
Which is better: a long shot or a ristretto?
After all those comparisons, you're probably wondering which one actually wins. Is it the long shot? The ristretto? Or is a classic espresso just the safer bet?
The choice between a long shot and a ristretto really comes down to what you enjoy. Some people love the sweetness and brightness a ristretto brings, while others crave the complexity and gentler taste of a long shot.
The best way to settle it? Taste each one yourself and see which suits your palate.
What drinks are best for long shots and ristretto?
You don't have to drink espresso or its variants on their own. Some people love them straight, while others use them as the base for another coffee drink.
Ristretto and long shot aren't always sipped on their own. In drinks like a latte or a cappuccino, a ristretto base can work beautifully because it amplifies the flavor, while a long shot fits larger drinks like an Americano or a long black.
For example, some people build their Americano or latte on a ristretto base. To make an Americano or long black, you just add more water to that ristretto.
With a latte or cappuccino, you'd stretch that ristretto with milk instead. The result is a cup with a bolder, more intense flavor than usual.
A long shot can go into an Americano too, but keep this in mind: a long shot is shorter than a long black or an Americano, so don't treat them as the same thing.
And if a long shot still isn't long enough for you, there's caffè crema, which is more popular in Europe than elsewhere. Think of it as a stretched-out long shot: more volume, and a flavor profile of its own.
Are long shots and ristretto better than espresso?
So are the variants better than the original? Or is it smarter to stick with the classic?
A long shot and a ristretto aren't automatically better than espresso, and espresso isn't automatically better than them. They just have different flavor profiles, so it's less about which one wins and more about which one you prefer.
For example, you might find a ristretto too sweet or too sharp next to a regular espresso, or feel like it's missing the kick you want. In that case, an espresso or a long shot might be more your speed.
That said, plenty of cafés have been leaning on ristretto over the other variants for their drinks lately.
So there's a good chance you've already been sipping ristretto in your favorite drinks more often than you realized.
Best coffee beans for a long shot, ristretto, and espresso
If you've got an espresso machine at home and want to try pulling a ristretto or a long shot, you might be wondering whether certain beans suit one better than the other.
Ristretto coffee beans
For a ristretto, I'd reach for low-acidity beans, like ones from Brazil or Nicaragua.
Since a ristretto extraction plays up the acidic and sweet notes, these beans help keep your cup from turning too sour.
Long shot coffee beans
For a long shot, you might want to give denser beans a shot (or a pull, rather).
Those flavors are tough to pull out with a ristretto or standard method, but the longer extraction of a long shot can coax some of those stubborn compounds free.
And that can give your coffee a more exciting, unexpected profile.
Espresso coffee beans
Since I'm recommending beans for long shots and ristretto, I might as well point you toward some for espresso too, right? You can technically make espresso with any beans, but espresso-blend beans are made specifically for the job.
These beans are usually roasted darker than the rest, so their flavor still comes through even when you mix them with milk.
You can check out this article, where I dig into the difference between espresso beans and regular coffee beans.
Darker roasts are also known for a more consistent taste. If that's your thing, you could even go for an extra dark roast. Here's what they look like:
Tip: If you're still on the hunt for some good espresso coffee beans, you can find my recommendations here.
Related coffee comparison articles
Curious how the long shot and ristretto stack up against other coffees?
Great! Have a look at the articles below for more coffee comparisons:
And to compare even more coffees, swing by the coffee comparison hub!
Final thoughts
There's a whole world of coffee out there, and you're really only scratching the surface. Sticking to a regular espresso is easy and convenient, sure, but it means missing out on so much you could be exploring.
So next time you're feeling curious, give a long shot or a ristretto a go. They each bring something different: a long shot is milder, more bitter, and more complex, while a ristretto is sweeter, stronger, and a touch more acidic.
Sip them straight or use them as the base for your next favorite drink. You just might find one that fits your taste even better than your usual espresso.
