Cold Brew Iced Coffee

Iced Coffee vs Cold Brew Iced Coffee

Sounds the same but here are some differences between iced coffee and cold brew iced coffee. Let’s break it down:

Iced coffee is a refreshing drink made with coffee that is brewed with ground coffee beans and hot water. The hot brewed coffee is then poured over ice and cooled. Iced coffee is more acidic and has a more bitter taste.

Cold Brew Iced Coffee is made with coffee that is brewed with ground coffee beans and cold water over a longer period of time - usually 12-24 hours. It's called 'cold brew coffee concentrate' which is then poured over ice, diluted with water (if desired), and served. Cold brew coffee is much more caffeinated, but less acidic and has a smooth, mellow taste.

Cold brew coffee can also be easier on people with a sensitive stomach, and since it's sweeter than a classic brewed coffee, it's great for people who look to cut down on sugar.

Ingredients used

This iced coffee is super easy. All you need is three simple ingredients.

• Cold Brew Coffee. It's a coffee that has been brewed with cold water rather than hot water. Brewing usually involves a long steeping process - anywhere between 12-24 hours. Cold Brew Coffee is smooth, rich, and less acidic than regular brewed coffee.
• Milk of choice. You can use any dairy or non-dairy milk. The higher fat of your milk, the richer and creamier your drink will be. I like to use almond milk or barista oat milk. It's creamy and tastes amazing.
• Sweetener. I like to use Maple syrup. But any sweetener works well here.
• Ice cubes.

How to Cold Brew Iced Coffee

Making this iced coffee is a no-brainer. You will need basic kitchen tools: one tall glass (or a mason jar) and a spoon.

Step by step instructions

• Prepare the ingredients.
  • Start with measuring and preparing the ingredients. I like to use measuring cups.
• Assemble Cold Brew Iced Coffee
  • Take a tall glass (or mason jar) and fill it with ice cubes.
  • Pour cold brew coffee over the ice.
  • Add in cold water to dilute cold brew concentrate.
  • Add in milk and sweetener.
  • Stir to combine.
  • Serve and enjoy!

Recipe tips

Since this recipe uses a cold-brewed coffee which is a very strong concentrate, unless you like really strong coffee, you will probably need to dilute it with water. I use about a 1:1 ratio of coffee concentrate to water, sometimes a little more coffee since I like my iced coffee strong.

Single cream, whipping cream, or barista-style almond or oat milk are the best here. They give a really profound smooth, creamy taste. Make sure you use unsweetened milk and cream without added flavorings or sugars. Read the ingredients on the label.

Substitutions

• You can use any dairy or non-dairy milk. Note: coconut milk might change the overall flavor, so I don't recommend it.
• You can substitute maple syrup and use honey. Make sure honey is in liquid form. See "Sweetener recommendation" below for more options.

Recipe variations

• Make it keto. Use cream or unsweetened almond milk and low-carb/keto sweetener. Add 1 teaspoon of MCD oil.
• Make it vegan: Use non-dairy milk and vegan sweeteners.
• This recipe is very flexible so adjust the ratios of ingredients to your taste.

Sweetener recommendation

I used pure maple syrup in this recipe. Maple syrup is unprocessed sugar, it has a mild sweet taste and fewer sugary calories. You can use other sweeteners.

• You can use date syrup or liquid honey.
• Use liquid stevia or any liquid low-carb sweetener for the keto / low-carb option.
• Coconut sugar or any other cristal sugar won't dissolve well.