What iced coffee is and how to make it. With 2 recipes!
Iced coffee is getting more popular and is an excellent choice for the summer. In this article we will talk about the differences with cold brew, which coffee I have to use for iced coffee and tips for mastering it.
Also I will share with you two recipes of iced coffee that every coffee lover should try: almond & honey and espresso tonic.
If you love iced coffee but never tried doing it in your house, this article will give you the essential knowledge to prepare a delicious drink.
Index:
Are iced coffee and cold brew the same?
Which kind of coffee can I use?
Tips for mastering iced coffee
2 iced coffee recipes
Almond & honey
Espresso tonic
Are iced coffee and cold brew the same?
The first question we have to ask when talking about iced coffee is if it is the same as cold brew. The answer is definitely no, there are huge differences.
Cold brew is a whole brewing method where the extraction of coffee beans doesn't use hot water and occurs for several hours. In Coffee Devotion we have an article where we explain this system.
On the other hand, iced coffee is not a brewing system but a way of drinking coffee. In iced coffee what you do is to cool some coffee for certain preparations.
You can definitely make some iced coffee from a cold brew coffee, but also you can make it from an espresso or a moka pot.
If you want to make a hot beverage from cold brew you also can, because you need low temperatures while brewing but you can heat it up for drinking. When we are talking about iced coffee, you must have low temperatures at the moment of drinking it.
So, the main difference between cold brew and iced coffee is when you are looking for those low temperatures. The first one is in the brewing process so you can have a different final result than in hot brew, while in iced coffee you want that your cup of coffee is cold at the moment of drinking it, independent of the brewing system you choose.
Which kind of coffee can I use?
The short answer is anyone. You technically can use any coffee for iced coffee, the question is: which one will give you better results?
In my experience, the best for iced coffee is to start from a strongly brewed coffee, because when you add ice to the preparation you will get some dilution.
My personal favorite is to use moka pot brewed coffee. Its strong flavor and thick body can support the dilution the ice and the other ingredients you may add will provide. If you start from a light brewed coffee, you might not fill the flavor of it in the final beverage.
There are plenty of strong brew coffee systems, such as espresso or Turkish coffee, that will be useful to make iced coffee. You can read the par1 and part 2 of 5 different coffee brewing methods. This guide will show and explain to you which brewing systems can work for this preparation.
Tips for mastering iced coffee
- Choose the right coffee: As we mentioned before, you probably want to choose a strong brew coffee that can support some dilution.
- Add the ices when coffee is cold: An excellent way to avoid watering your iced coffee down is to do it with time. Brew your coffee normally and let it sit for some minutes in the refrigerator before adding your ice. If you add ice to a very hot coffee, they will melt in seconds.
- Cool the tools beforehand: if you know you will have breakfast with iced coffee, leave a metallic mug in the freezer during the night. In the morning, pour your hot brewed coffee in it. This will chill the beverage really fast.
- Cool all the ingredients beforehand: same as the above point. If you are adding milk, syrup, chocolate or whatever ingredient, have it in the refrigerator beforehand.
- Milk ice: it might seem crazy what i'm about to say… but make milk ice. You can not water down your ice coffee if you don't use water. With mil ice you can chill your coffee and you don't have to worry if they melt. Making them is really easy, just fill the ice cube tray with milk instead of water.
2 iced coffee recipes
For these two recipes we will start from a moka pot brewed coffee. Remember to do it some minute before you want to drink it, so you can chill it in the refrigerator for a while.
Almond & honey
Definitely one of my favorite iced coffee recipes. This sweet but strong beverage will remind you of a traditional latte, but with new flavors, different texture and temperature.
Ingredients:
Moka pot coffee
Almond milk
Honey
Ice
Step by step:
- Add the honey to the coffee when it is hot, so it can mix properly. Let it cool.
- In a chilled glass add some ice (remember you can use milk ice) and add almond milk up to ¾ of it.
- Complete the glass with the honey coffee. Mix until combined.
- If you want, you can add some honey and chopped almonds at the end.
Espresso tonic
A strange new flavor you probably never tried or even heard of before, but totally worth it to try.
Ingredients:
Moka pot coffee
Tonic water
Ice (no milk in this case)
Step by step:
- In a tall glass jar put some ice cubes.
- Fill with tonic water up to ¾ of it.
- Add your cold coffee and fill the glass.
- Add some orange zest.
Your turn
If you have read the whole article, you probably have some new and various information about iced coffee and its secrets.
Now you know the bases of iced coffee and two recipes with it. Have you tried them before?
With the information you have you can create your own combinations until you find your favorite one. Enjoy your iced coffee and never stop trying some new recipes!