Essential Tips | Iced Coffee Basics

Photo by Skyler Ewing

​Call me crazy, but when you get the chance to drink iced coffee, especially on an abnormally warm day in the winter, it hits the spot.  The cool, refreshing temperature of the coffee paired with new and rich flavors is always welcome.  Yet, if made incorrectly, iced coffee can taste like a watery caffeinated disaster.  In this post, I will share some essential tips to make a great iced coffee.  

We must first start with quality ingredients, and that means the beans.  Medium roast is the preferred style of beans for a few reasons.  First, lighter roasts tend to have more acidic qualities, and iced or cold brewing processes tend to soften this profile, allowing nuttier and sometimes chocolatey flavors to emerge.  Additionally, iced coffees are more prosperous and smooth in flavor, and the aroma is stellar.  Some roasters have specific blends that express more flavors when served at colder temperatures.  It has been said that washed beans tend to be more refreshing when served cold.  

Next is the brewing method.  The three most popular ways to brew iced or cold coffee are cold brew (which can take anywhere from five to twenty-four hours), the pour over technique (think of using a V60 or Chemex), adding ice, and an espresso shot poured over with ice.  Each of these three methods brings out the coffee in different ways.  These next few weeks, we will explore how each of these is different and help you pick which one is best for you.