How To Make Aerocano At Home? (Steamed Iced Americano)

In this recipe from Best Coffee at Home, I will tell you about aerocano, which has recently gained popularity with a Reddit post.

You don’t need any barista skills to make an Aerocano (aero Americano) at home. All you need is an espresso machine with a steam wand.

What Exactly is an Aerocano?

Aerocano (also known as aero Americano) is a steamed iced Americano with a thick layer of foam. The appearance and texture of ready-to-drink coffee resemble nitro cold brew.

After adding cold water and ice to the espresso shot, it gets steamed with a steam wand from an espresso machine. As a result, a cold, thick, creamy foam layer is formed.

Besides being refreshing and delicious, it has an aesthetically pleasing appearance. It is a perfect recipe to make nice presentations to your guests.

Related: Aerocano vs Nitro Cold Brew

Aerocano (Steamed Iced Americano) Ingredients

• 1 shot (30 ml) espresso
• 90 ml (3 oz) water
• 90 gr Ice cubes

How to Make Aerocano at Home?

If you’re looking for a quick and easy iced coffee to enjoy at home, Aerocano is a great option. You only need an espresso shot, water, ice, and a steaming wand. However, it’s important to pay attention to the ratio of the ingredients to ensure that the drink is perfectly balanced.

Step 1: Pull a Shot of Espresso

To start, pull a shot of espresso from your espresso machine. For the ideal yield, the coffee grounds to yield ratio should be between 1:1.5 and 1:3. For each unit, you can expect a result between 1.5 and 3.

For the perfect Aerocano, you’ll want to use a ratio of 1:3:3 for the espresso, water, and ice cubes. This means that for each espresso unit, you should use 3 units of water and 3 units of ice cubes. However, you can adjust these ratios within the given range to find the perfect balance for your taste.

This recipe will use a 1:2 ratio for the espresso, meaning we’ll get 30 grams of espresso output from 15 grams of coffee beans. To prepare the Aerocano, add 90 ml of water and 90 ml of ice cubes to the espresso shot, then steam the mixture with a wand.

One helpful tip is to pour the espresso shot directly into the pitcher to speed up the preparation process and minimize the number of dishes you’ll need to clean. 

Step 2: Add Water and Ice

Add the espresso shot, cold water, and ice cubes to the pitcher. One thing to remember is that the mixture’s volume will increase slightly when steam is added. Therefore, ensure some space in the pitcher remains after adding all the ingredients.

Tip: Leave some space in the pitcher to account for increased volume when adding steam.

Step 3: Steaming

The mixture we have prepared so far is a typical iced Americano. The critical step to turn it into an Aerocano is steaming.

• Place the pitcher under the steam wand of your espresso machine. However, do not submerge the steam wand into the mixture in the pitcher. Keep the tip of the steam wand just above the surface.
• Then, use the steam wand to incorporate air into the mixture in the pitcher for a thick and foamy layer.
• When the ice cubes in the pitcher have almost completely melted, turn off the steam wand.

Step 4: Serve

Your Aerocano is now ready to enjoy. Since most ice cubes have melted in the previous steps, add more ice cubes as desired before serving.

Conclusion for Steamed Iced Aerocano

Aerocano is an easy way to achieve the creamy and velvety-smooth taste of nitro cold brew using an espresso machine. Once you try it, I’m sure you’ll love it and include it in your coffee-making rituals at home.

In conclusion, Aerocano is a quick solution for instant iced coffee needs, much like an iced Americano. Aside from the thick foam, Aerocano is not very different from an iced Americano.

More Iced Coffee Recipes

• French Press Iced Coffee
• Iced Long Black
• White Americano 101
• Americano Misto