While hot coffee is delicious, sometimes you just want cold, refreshing coffee. There are many options available for chilling coffee, whether you’re in a cafe or at home.
In this article, we’ll take a look at iced coffee vs cold brew, two of the most popular ways to enjoy a summer afternoon cup of coffee. You’ll be able to predict the flavor and caffeine levels of each beverage and how they are made.
Quick Comparison: Iced Coffee vs Cold Brew
Iced coffee Cold brew Temperature of brew Hot, just like regular coffee. Room temperature or below Strength Concentrated coffee is similar to strong hot coffee Flavor Similar to hot coffee Smoother, less bitter, with some chocolatey notes
How is Iced Coffee and Cold Brew Made
Iced coffee can be made in the same way as regular hot coffee. It’s brewed using hot water and any type of coffee maker, although generally, it’s made with a drip coffee maker.
Once the coffee is done brewing, you just pour it over ice, and you have fresh, iced coffee.
Iced coffee can be made using the same settings as hot coffee. However, the coffee will be stronger due to the fact that the ice will dilute the coffee. Some coffee makers, such as the Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker or Keurig K-Supreme Plus Smart have different strengths for iced coffee.
Cold brew involves steeping coarsely-ground coffee in cold for at least 12 hours. You can make cold brew using room temperature water, but it’s better to chill it in a refrigerator.
Cold brew is great because you don’t need a coffeemaker. All you need is an empty mason jar. If you have French Press or AeroPress cold brew coffee makers, you can also make cold brew.
Cold Brew vs Iced Coffee: Caffeine Content
You get a coffee concentrated when you cold brew. This concentrate can have up to 500 milligrams caffeine per 8 ounces. That’s five times what you’d find in a standard cup of hot or iced coffee.
However, cold brew has a lower caffeine content than coffee that has been brewed hot. Starbucks grande cold coffee (16 ounces) contains 205mgs of caffeine. This compares to the 165 mgs in a Starbucks iced espresso.
Making cold brew at your home allows you to control the dilution ratio. You can also make iced or flavored coffee with more caffeine. But you can also use high-caffeine coffee beans to enhance the caffeine levels of either cold brew or iced coffee.
Iced Coffee vs Cold Brew: Experience
Iced coffee retains the same basic flavor and aroma as hot coffee. After coffee has cooled, bitterness can become more obvious. Iced coffee may contain sugar or sweetened creamer to counteract the bitterness. Iced coffee can become watery if the ice is not melted, especially if you don’t make it with extra-strong coffee.
Cold brew has an entirely different taste than iced coffee. It is smoother, less bitter and often has chocolatey, or nutty flavors.
This flavor can often be at the expense or the quality of individual beans. Because of the fact that cold-brewing can make weak flavors disappear, strong coffee beans are better for cold brew.
Frequently Asked Question
Is cold coffee stronger than iced?
The term stronger coffee can be used to mean more caffeine, or more flavor. Although cold brew usually has more caffeine but more subtle flavors, it is still more delicious than iced coffee.
Cold brew is more powerful because it contains less caffeine. Iced coffee is stronger because it has more flavor. Because caffeine and flavor are dependent on the beans and the coffee recipe used, you can make strong iced coffee using either method.
What’s Next?
Cold brew has quickly become a popular choice for coffee shops and home coffee brewing. Cold brew is now even more popular with the advent of at-home Nitro cold brew Kegs.
A good drip coffee maker is all you need for great iced tea. Ninja coffeemakers have an iced option, so I recommend them. Automatic pour-over coffee machines are the best choice if you want to get the best.
Cold brew and iced coffee aren’t your only options for cold coffee drinks. Iced espresso drinks, as well as iced latte are delicious. For those who find iced coffee too watery, the stronger flavors of espresso are a great option. The convenience of Nespresso machines is improving and the new Nespresso pods are great for lattes.