How to Drink Iced Coffee the Correct Way, Even Though Hot Coffee is Better

I'll say it. I don't like iced coffee as much as I like hot coffee. I hate when an iced drink get watered down, so that's probably where my distaste formulated. Obviously, as temps begin to rise, you might opt for a cold drink to refresh you instead the traditional hot cup of coffee in the morning. So when you much drink iced coffee, this is how you'll want to properly do it.

Choose the Right Coffee for Iced Brewing

Of course, you want to drink iced coffee from scratch in the comfort of your own home, right? That's what I thought!

So to start off, you want to choose a medium or dark roast bean to use. This will make sure that even if dilution happens, it won't negatively impact your coffee experience. Once you have your beans ground and ready, brew your normal hot coffee however you normally brew, but add about 20% more ground beans! (For example, I like to make about 4 cups of coffee on a stovetop percolator and I use 8 Tbsp of coffee, so when I want to make iced coffee, I'd probably use 10 Tbsp.)

Let your coffee cool to room temperature before you use. This will allows the ice to not melt immediately upon entering your dink.

Enhance Your Iced Coffee Experience

Now, I personally think that iced coffee loses some of the beauty of hot coffee; I think some of the notes can disappear and the wonderful aroma can lessen, so I like to dress my iced coffee up a bit. Here are some tips on that:

• Choose the right glass. A tall, narrow glass helps keep the coffee colder longer and concentrates the aroma. And it's aesthetically pleasing!

• Add milk or cream. Cold milk or cream can add richness, but add it slowly to avoid curdling or diluting the coffee too much.

• Experiment with flavors. Cinnamon, vanilla, or a splash of almond milk can add interesting notes without overpowering the coffee. If you opt to put sweetener of some type in, I would add it before you add the ice! That way is can mix in and dissolve better with the coffee.

  
  

Avoid Common Mistakes When Drinking Iced Coffee

Iced Coffee can be turned into something disappointing fast! That's why it's always a hit or miss for me. Use these tricks to keep your experience a good one:

• Don’t use too much ice too fast. This is usually where you get the super diluted, bland iced coffee flavor.

• Avoid reheating iced coffee. It loses its refreshing quality and can taste bitter.

• Don’t skip quality water. Since coffee is mostly water, using filtered water improves the final taste.

  
  

Final Thoughts on Drinking Iced Coffee

In the end, I do believe it is important that we all stay caffeinated every day. It doesn't matter as much how we caffeinate, as long as we do! So if iced coffee is the way to go for you, I'm thrilled! I will be over drinking my hot coffee and hot espresso.

Cheers to you!