Americano is espresso diluted with hot water. Black coffee is coffee that is brewed (usually filter or cafetiere) to the right strength to start with.
I cannot figure out what this thread is or who all these posters are. Innocent me, I only know of Americano in Italy, where they've been serving it for all my adult life, without a name until recently. Italians like Caff latte for breakfast, so for those who did not want milk, they offered a pot of hot water. Seems a simple thing. They do not make brewed coffee as you describe it here. I usually order caff lungo, which means double the amount of water in an espresso, still hairraising, but not so bitter. Some brands of caff are delicious at any strength, some taste burnt. If you order a latte here, as my friend did, you will get a cup of hot milk. Che sorpresa! We fixed it by asking for it to be macciato, for which a shot of espresso is added. Inversely, you can get caff macchiato hot or cold which is mostly espresso with just a shot of milk in it. This is a coffee culture. There are an inordinate number of ways to order coffee. Live with it or not. I went to Starbucks once and didn't like it. Mr. C, it was nice to find your reasonable and mannerly face in this thread.
