Cold Brew vs. Iced Coffee: 5 Key Differences

Cold-brewing is a coffee brew method that involves steeping coarse ground coffee beans in room temperature water for several hours—anywhere from six to 24, depending on the recipe. The resulting concentrated brew can then be diluted with water or milk. Make cold brew coffee with coarse-ground beans to keep the resulting brew from becoming bitter.

Iced coffee is a beverage consisting of hot brewed coffee served over ice, which sometimes features sweeteners like table sugar, mocha, or vanilla syrup. Popular milk options like standard creamer, cow’s milk, oat milk, and nut milk help balance the coffee’s bitter taste. Iced coffee requires no special brewing method; you can use everyday brew from your coffee maker.

The popular summertime beverage has variations across the globe, including Vietnamese iced coffee, which features sweetened condensed milk, whiskey-infused iced Irish coffee, and Chile’s café helado, which features a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

While you can enjoy iced coffee and cold brew coffee chilled, there are distinct differences between the beverages:

1. 1. Water temperature: The temperature of the water you use in your brewing process has implications for the rate of extraction—or how the flavor compounds and caffeine are drawn out from the beans. Iced coffee is regular coffee that has been brewed using hot water with a coffee machine, a pour-over technique, or a French press; then cooled before being served over ice. Cold brew is made by steeping fresh coffee grounds in cold water, which changes the expression of the beans.
2. 2. Brew time: The cold brew process requires a longer soaking time than iced coffee, which can be quickly cooled after standard hot brewing. This lengthier brew time compensates for the cooler water and lower extraction rate.
3. 3. Flavor: While the cold brew extraction process takes longer, it results in the smoother, stronger iced coffee found in most coffee shops. Cold brew is notable for having a slightly sweeter flavor profile with less acidity. You can prepare iced coffee similarly by letting the hot brewed coffee sit overnight. This has the added advantage of providing a ready-to-drink cup first thing in the morning.
4. 4. Ratio: Cold brewing methods will generally call for a ground coffee to water ratio of one to six, whereas the standard brewing methods for iced coffee preparation are closer to one to ten or higher. With the dilution of cold brew, the overall ratios become closer, but usually, the amount of coffee for making cold brew is slightly higher than iced coffee.
5. 5. Caffeine content: There are many variables that affect the level of caffeine: the intensity of the roast (lighter roasts have higher caffeine levels), the ratio of ground coffee to water, and the specific variety of coffee you’re using. In its concentrated form, cold brew coffee is more caffeinated, but since this concentrate is usually diluted before consumption, it can be anywhere from slightly less caffeinated to slightly more than a regular brewed cup of coffee.

You can find variations on iced coffee worldwide, some of which are made from instant coffee or coffee concentrate. The follow types of cold coffee are perfect beverages for a hot day:

1. 1. Aisu kohi: Baristas make this classic Japanese iced coffee drink using the flash-chill method, in which the hot coffee is dripped over ice to cool it immediately. The iced coffee is sometimes served with gum syrup, a simple syrup infused with gum arabic.
2. 2. Flavored iced coffee: To add dimension to your homemade iced coffee, consider infusing the simple syrup with spices like vanilla, cardamom, cinnamon, or even aromatic additions like rose water.
3. 3. Frappé: This Greek iced coffee features instant coffee, sweetener, and water, which is shaken to incorporate the ingredients and create its signature foamy consistency.
4. 4. Iced espresso drinks: If espresso is your preferred caffeine source, pull a shot or two, then allow it to cool before pouring it over ice cubes. Top it with cold milk (frothed or not) to create iced lattes, iced cappuccinos, and iced macchiatos.
5. 5. Vietnamese iced coffee: This popular variation pairs a rich, dark roast drip coffee with sweetened condensed milk for an unapologetically sweet drink.

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