How to Make a Lungo on Jura: Settings, Beans, and the Extraction Secret

Quick answer: On Jura, go to Settings - Coffee - Volume and increase to 3.5-4 oz (100-120ml). Keep strength at maximum (or one below). Do not reduce strength when you increase volume - that produces a weak, over-extracted drink that is bitter without being satisfying. The lungo is extracted through the grounds the entire time, not diluted with water afterward.

What a Lungo Actually Is

The term “lungo” is Italian for “long.” A lungo uses the same dose of coffee as a standard espresso - the same grind, the same amount of grounds - but extracts 2-3 times more water through them. Where a standard espresso stops at 25-30ml, a lungo continues to 80-120ml.

This is fundamentally different from an Americano, and the distinction matters.

Lungo: Water is extracted through the grounds the entire way. You start with espresso and continue pulling until you reach lungo volume. The flavour compounds that emerge later in the extraction (more bitter, more caffeine) are present because they were brewed, not diluted.

Americano: Espresso (25-30ml) is pulled normally, then hot water is added to the cup afterward. The extraction stops at the same point as a regular espresso. The result is a diluted espresso, not a true lungo.

Jura’s lungo programme performs true lungo extraction - the water continues through the grounds. This is why the taste profile is different from what you get by simply adding water to an espresso.

Why Lungo Is Popular in Europe

In the Netherlands, Belgium, Scandinavia, and much of central Europe, a “koffie” or “coffee” at a cafe is closer to a lungo than a short espresso. The espresso culture of a tiny 25ml shot is more Italian than European generally. European coffee drinkers often find straight espresso too short and an Americano too diluted. The lungo sits exactly in the right place - concentrated enough to taste like real coffee, long enough to drink slowly.

This is also why the lungo setting on Jura machines matters more than many guides acknowledge. If you are from or have spent time in northern or western Europe, the lungo is likely the default drink you are trying to replicate at home.

Step-by-Step: Lungo on Jura E8

Step 1 - Navigate to coffee volume settings On the E8: press the dial or access the menu, go to Settings - Coffee - Volume. Alternatively, use the J.O.E. app to adjust volume remotely.

Step 2 - Increase volume to 3.5-4 oz (100-120ml) This is the lungo range. Anything under 80ml is closer to a long espresso than a true lungo. Anything over 130ml starts to taste thin and over-extracted.

Step 3 - Keep strength at 4-5 (maximum) This is the critical step. When you increase volume, do not reduce strength. The lungo requires maximum coffee dose to produce a balanced drink at higher water volumes. Reducing strength while increasing volume produces a pale, watery drink with flat bitterness - the worst of both worlds.

Step 4 - Keep grind at level 3-4 (do not go finer) A common instinct is to go finer to extract more flavour. For lungo, this backfires. A finer grind at 3.5-4 oz volume will over-extract significantly, producing harsh, unpleasant bitterness. Stay at grind level 3-4 (medium). The higher water volume already extracts more - the grind does not need to compensate.

Step 5 - Pre-heat your cup Run hot water through the cup before brewing. A lungo served into a cold ceramic cup loses temperature quickly. Pre-heating keeps the drink at a comfortable 70-75°C for the full length of the drink.

Step 6 - Use an 80-120ml cup Do not use a large mug. A standard 80-120ml cup is the right vessel for a lungo. Using a 300ml mug makes the drink look weak and loses heat fast.

Lungo vs Americano: Which to Choose

Both are longer coffee drinks but they taste genuinely different. Here is when to choose each.

Choose lungo when:

• You want a stronger, more complex flavour than Americano
• You prefer the taste of European cafe coffee
• You want the highest caffeine content (longer extraction pulls more caffeine)
• You are drinking without milk

Choose Americano when:

• You find lungos too bitter at high volumes
• You want a milder, cleaner taste
• You are diluting to cool the drink down faster

The Jura E8 handles both natively. For Americano, use the Americano programme, which pulls a standard espresso then automatically adds hot water from a separate spout. For lungo, use the lungo programme or manually set coffee volume to 3.5-4 oz as described above.

Best Beans for Lungo

Medium roast is better than dark roast for lungo. This surprises some people. The reason is simple: longer extraction amplifies bitter compounds. Dark roast already has high bitterness from the roasting process. At lungo extraction length, dark roast becomes harsh and unpleasant in the finish.

Medium roast starts with lower bitterness and the longer extraction brings out more complex flavour - fruit notes, slight acidity, a cleaner finish.

illy Classico is the benchmark medium roast for lungo. It is the coffee served in Italian and northern European cafes precisely because it holds up at multiple extraction lengths. Balanced, clean, and consistent.

Lavazza Super Crema (medium-dark) also works well, particularly if you prefer a slightly richer body. It sits just at the edge of where dark roast effects start to appear, but stays in the acceptable range at 3.5-4 oz extraction.

Avoid: Very dark roasts (French, Italian roast blends), oily beans, and flavoured beans. All three will taste bitter and harsh at lungo volume.

Common Lungo Mistakes on Jura

Reducing strength when increasing volume. The most common error. Always keep strength at maximum when brewing lungo. If it tastes too strong, reduce volume slightly - do not reduce strength.

Going finer on the grind. More water already extracts more. A finer grind at lungo length over-extracts and turns bitter. Stay at grind level 3-4.

Using a large mug. A 300ml mug of lungo looks like diluted coffee because it is. Use an 80-120ml cup and the same volume of liquid looks like a proper drink.

Using dark roast beans. Dark roast is excellent for short espresso. At lungo volume it becomes bitter and flat. Switch to medium roast and the lungo transforms.

Dialling In Over Multiple Cups

The right lungo setting varies by bean. Here is a simple process.

Start at: volume 3.5 oz, strength 5 (max), grind level 3.

If the lungo tastes bitter and harsh - reduce volume to 3 oz or increase grind level by 1. If the lungo tastes thin and watery - reduce grind level by 1 or switch to a medium-dark roast. If the lungo tastes sour - increase strength to max if not already there.

Most medium roast beans land at the right balance within 2-3 attempts. Once dialled in, save the settings as a custom programme on the E8 via the J.O.E. app - it will reproduce the same lungo every time.

For full machine specs and a complete guide to all settings, see the Jura E8 review.

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