Cold brew vs. iced coffee
Are you curious if there’s a difference between cold brew and iced coffee? There are several differences, in fact. These drinks differ in the way that they are made, and those methods affect the finished products’ flavor and texture.Iced coffee can be made by pouring hot coffee over ice or cooling hot coffee to room temperature before pouring over ice, but though these methods are fast, they don’t produce a consistently great taste. Pouring hot coffee over ice necessarily dilutes the coffee, resulting in weak flavor. Cooling the coffee before pouring it over ice is better, but this process produces a fairly acidic drink.
The best way to make a cold coffee drink takes more time, but it’s worth the wait. Cold brew coffee is made by leaving coffee grounds to steep undisturbed in room-temperature or cold water at least overnight.
This slow-and-steady cold brew method allows the coffee flavor to gradually seep into the water and creates a smooth beverage. Because cold brew uses a higher coffee grounds-to-water ratio and because the coffee grounds soak in the water for such a long time, cold brew is also often more caffeinated than iced coffee or hot coffee per ounce.
| Iced coffee | Cold brew |
| Quick as a cup of hot coffee | Slow process can take up to 24 hours |
| Can be acidic or bitter | Smooth, less acidic taste |
| Same caffeine as hot coffee | May have more caffeine |
| Same cost as hot coffee to make | Costs more because it uses more coffee grounds |
| Drink right away for best flavor | Keeps fresh in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks |
How to make cold brew
You can make cold brew coffee at home easily. Starbucks and a few other brands make premeasured filter packs filled with coffee grounds and sealed so you can soak them in water and then just remove them like a tea bag. These are foolproof, but they’re also pricey compared to regular coffee. Fortunately, you can DIY cold brew coffee easily.This recipe makes enough coffee to store in the fridge and drink all week. If you want to make more (or less), you can easily adjust the recipe. Just keep in mind that you need about an ounce of coffee for each cup of water.
You need the following:
- A large plastic or glass pitcher with a snug-fitting lid (a large mason jar also works well)
- 8 cups of cold, filtered water
- 1/2 pound of medium roast coffee (grind it fresh if you can for the best flavor, but pre-ground works fine, too)
- A fine-mesh sieve, cheesecloth and colander, or a good old drip brew coffee machine (for straining)
At this point, you can choose whether you want to leave it on the counter or refrigerate while it steeps. The counter takes less time; you can leave it overnight, and it will be ready in the morning. If you leave it in the fridge, it takes 18 to 24 hours. The two different methods produce very subtle variations in flavor and texture; chilling the water while the coffee steeps produces a slightly less acidic, smoother beverage.
When you’re ready, remove the grounds from the coffee. You can do this a number of ways. The easiest way is to pour the whole mixture through a fine-mesh sieve if you have one. If you don’t, a cheesecloth-lined colander works, but it can be a bit messy. Here’s another simple method, if you have a drip coffee machine and paper filters handy: Simply put the filter in the coffee maker’s brew basket, pour the mixture slowly into the filter, and then close the filter and let it drip into the empty pot below. (Don’t turn it on! You’re just using the filter.) You have to repeat this method a few times because the basket doesn’t hold all of your coffee at once.
Do you need a cold brew coffee maker?
Cold brew coffee makers are a luxury item and aren’t necessary for a great cup of cold brew, but they sure make the process easier. They’re a great option for anyone who wants to make and enjoy this drink on the regular. Some of the benefits of a cold brew coffee maker include these:
- They’re not too expensive (most cost around $25).
- They have indicator lines that make it easy to measure your coffee and water.
- Cold brew coffee machines make it easy to strain the coffee with minimal effort.
- Some cold brew coffee machines have a timer on top to remind you when to strain it and how long it has been in the fridge.
Recipes for cold brew coffee
Get creative when flavoring your cold brew coffee. You can use any commercial sweeteners or syrups you like or get creative and flavor it yourself.- While the coffee is steeping, you can add any of the following:
- A cinnamon stick or two
- Whole spices like cloves or allspice
- A vanilla bean or 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- A handful of fresh mint leaves
How to make Thai iced coffee from cold brew
Another popular way to enjoy cold brew takes its inspiration from Thai iced coffee. In Thailand, coffee is traditionally sweetened and creamed simultaneously with sweetened condensed milk, which is shelf stable and lasts longer than refrigerated dairy in the country’s tropical climate. Sweetened condensed milk gives the drink a thick, very sweet taste that’s hard to beat.Ingredients:
-
- 8 oz. cold brew coffee
- Ice
- 1–3 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk, to taste
A Latin American twist on this recipe uses dulce de leche in place of the sweetened condensed milk for a delicious caramel flavor. Dulce de leche, or sweet milk, is simply sweetened condensed milk that has been cooked until caramelized.
You can buy dulce de leche already made in the Latin American section of most grocery stores, but it’s also very easy to make your own. All you need is a can of sweetened condensed milk and a large stockpot. Simmer the unopened can of sweetened condensed milk in a large pot of water for three or four hours, adding more water as needed. Afterward, let the water and can cool down, and then move the can to cool completely in the refrigerator before opening (take care not to open it until it’s totally cooled; otherwise it will splash you with boiling syrup, so be careful!).
Other ways to drink cold brew coffee at home
Cold brew is a versatile drink. You can
- Pour cold brew over vanilla ice cream to enjoy a coffee float.
- Blend cold brew coffee with ice (and ice cream, if you like) for a tasty frozen drink.
- Mix cold brew coffee with a shot or two of Kahlua, amaretto, Cointreau, or Bailey’s
- Irish Cream for a refreshing adult beverage.
- Freeze it in an ice cube tray to make ice cubes for your cold brew, ensuring it doesn’t water down as you drink it.
- Pour cold brew coffee into a Popsicle mold and freeze it. (This is even better if you swirl in a little sweetened condensed milk!)