It's time to swap your hot coffee for something colder.
Cold brew coffee and iced coffee are on your local coffee shop's summer menu, but do you know the difference between the two?
What is Iced Coffee?
Iced coffee is exactly what it sounds like - brewed coffee served over ice! The standard recipe is fast and simple to make, and best suited to strong espresso-like coffees. Play around with the ratio of milk to coffee, or omit the milk all together, to suit your tastes.
What is Cold Brew Coffee?
Cold brew is a unique brewing method which relies on time instead of heat to extract flavours. The method, which involves steeping your ground coffee in cool water for at least 12 hours, results in a really smooth, concentrated drink with less acidity than a heat-brewed coffee but a higher caffeine level.
How can I make iced coffee at home?
Iced coffee is so simple to make at home - just brew your coffee, cool with ice, and drink long and black or with a dash of milk! If you're brewing a filter coffee you can prevent the ice from diluting your drink by making your coffee stronger than normal, or even preparing frozen coffee ice cubes ahead.
Read Nick Mabey's simple iced coffee recipe.
How do I make cold brew coffee at home?
Whereas you can make an iced coffee fairly spontaneously, you're going to have to prep ahead to drink a cold brew.
Coarsely ground your beans and immerse at room temperature for at least 12 hours. When you're done steeping, filter out the grounds using filter paper and add ice to your coffee concentrate. Try using the Hario Cold Brew Bottle
Do cold brew and iced coffee taste different?
Yes, they do - cold brew coffee is generally less acidic and bitter than any heat-brewed coffee - this recipe will give your a really smooth cold summer drink.
