Summer is here, and most days are simply too hot for a steaming cup of coffee. Here are some tips to help you make a great iced coffee.
Fresh Roasted Beans
Use freshly roasted coffee beans as a starting point. Avoid buying your beans on sale, as stale beans will never make a great iced coffee. If you don’t drink iced coffee often, fresh beans from a coffee shop where you may buy only what you need for the occasion are a good option.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Some of the links in this article are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.
Test It First
When coffee is hot, it tastes different than when it is cold. Allow a hot cup of coffee to cool to room temperature before tasting it cold to get an idea of how it will taste. This easy test will help you figure out what tastes best to you.
Use Fresh Ice
Make use of freshly made ice. Ice that has been left in the freezer for a long time will grow stale. If you’re not sure if your ice is helping or hurting your iced coffee, try melting a few cubes and bringing them to room temperature and then taste. If it tastes good on its own, then you can use it. If not, toss out the old ice and start again. Invest in a bag of ice if it still tastes stale because the flavor boost is well worth the expenditure.
Make Your Coffee A Bit Stronger Than Usual
Make a strong cup of coffee. Make your coffee extra strong because the ice will dilute it. To avoid diluting your drink, make ice cubes out of the leftover coffee. Use these instead of regular ice cubes to keep your drink chilled.
Lower The Acidity
Some folks are irritated by the acidity of cold coffee. When coffee is made cold, the acidity is significantly reduced (with the same coffee it will lower the acidity one full pH point vs. hot brew).
Pour 3/4 cup ground coffee into a quart Mason jar halfway full of water. After sealing it, place it in the refrigerator for 12 hours. Strain the resulting concentration through a coffee filter to remove the grinds. Add water to taste when you’re ready to drink. You can even create a quick cup of low-acid coffee by boiling the reconstituted beverage.
Don’t Use Coffee That Has Been On Burner Too Long
Avoid using burnt coffee when creating iced coffee. It’s fine to conserve leftover coffee for an iced drink, but don’t use a burnt pot’s dregs. If something doesn’t taste well hot, it’s unlikely to taste good cold.
Add Extras Flavors
Add a kick to your iced coffee. Spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, or cardamom, as well as fruits like strawberries, oranges, blueberries, or even cherries, may brighten up your drink and your day.
The most important thing is to have fun! Experiment with a number of different new flavors. Switch things up in your regular routine. The worst that can happen is that you might not like it.
Use this instant coffee recipe instead of reconstituted coffee if you’re short on time and don’t have any on hand.
Iced Vanilla Coffee
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons instant coffee
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons of cold water
1 14 cups milk
Chocolate shavings (optional)
Sugar (optional)
Directions
Combine the first three ingredients in a blender
Pulse until all of the ingredients are fully combined, then add the cool milk.
Pulse-blend the ingredients until they’re smooth and foamy.
Pour in a few ice cubes, then top with chocolate.
If you want to, you can add ice to the blender after the first three ingredients have been combined, then add the milk and blend until smooth and foamy.