The iced coffee season is upon us. And the good news is you too can perform barista-like miracles and learn how to make iced coffee at home. Well, you might believe this to be a silly lesson to be discussed at length here, but just wait a minute. What if we told you that you can make your iced coffee even more delicious and refreshing if you completely ditch cold brew? Piqued your interest? Then keep on reading.
While there’s nothing wrong with cold brew per se, it’s only natural that avid coffee lovers would want to try out different (and equally easy!) coffee-making techniques at home if they can deliver an even better taste. To lay all the cards on the table, the fact of the matter is that cold water just doesn’t fully dissolve coffee’s aroma and flavor. In that respect, you’re really missing out on the excitement that your treasured cup of coffee can bring. Just because you’re making iced coffee doesn’t mean you have to conform to the lack of taste and power.
But, what else is there to do? You can’t possibly make iced coffee with hot water, right? Not only does this defeat the purpose of iced coffee but even if you were to try making it with added ice cubes, the ice would end up melting and watering down your coffee before you could even take a sip. Well, that’s only if you add a bunch of ice into the coffee that’s already been poured.
Something called a Japanese method can help you master the hot water brewing in combination with ice. Essentially, you have to put the ice in first and then add a smaller amount of water, taking into account the water that would fill your cup once the ice melts. In that sense, your iced coffee won’t turn weak and watered down, and most importantly, it won’t lack the taste, flavors, and aromas released in the hot brew. Yet, it will still be refreshingly cool and powerful.
If you already own an espresso machine, you can simplify the whole process as the espresso shots are typically stronger. This will make it easier for you to get a bit free-handed with your pouring and ice distribution. But if you’re up for a thorough, no-steps-skipped iced coffee recipe, prepare your cocktail shaker!
So, how to make iced coffee that’s perfectly flavorful and chilled? Make your shot as you usually would – with hot water and adjusted to your taste. Fill your cocktail shaker with some ice and pour the shot you previously made into it. Now shake! Shake with the vigor deserving of a perfect coffee! It should take you about 15-20 seconds before you can feel that the shaker is cold to the touch. Once the shaking is completed, fill the glass/cup you favor the most with fresh ice and strain the magical liquid from the shaker into it. Congratulations, you’ve just successfully made high-quality, flavorful, and rich iced coffee that doesn’t lack the chill or a speck of its wonderful aroma.
In the mood for something even more exciting? Feel free to add a touch of syrup or milk to the shaker before shaking if you prefer it like so. And don’t you worry if you don’t have an espresso machine. Even a simple stovetop pot-type brewer can do the job just fine!
Want to get your barista groove on and provide yourself and/or your customers with the finest beverage in the area? Then don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Texas Specialty Beverage. We provide speedy delivery of blended iced coffee and all kinds of beverages, condiments, tools, and supplies that a bar, café, restaurant, or a passionate individual would need for successful operation.
Texas Specialty Beverage is the premier gourmet beverage supplier in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Texas area. Count on us for fast, accurate delivery of specialty beverage products, condiments, supplies, and specialty cleaning products.
